whats the best way to potty train a 18 mo. old?

Answer 1

It is way to young. You should wait of few more months.
Usually, when the child starts to show some interest about the toilet, it is the sign.

Answer 2

At 18 months, most little ones aren't physically able to be potty-trained. They still have very little muscle control in that area and are unable to connect the sensations with the actions.

If you want you can introduce a little potty at this age. I would put it in the bathroom with you, and when you go, encourage your child to sit on the little potty with everything on. (Especially, since little ones usually want to follow you into the bathroom anyway.)

When your child hits around two, you could try sitting him/her on the potty without a diaper first thing in the morning. And I mean first thing, as soon as they open their eyes. If your child is fighting it, though, back off. Don't force your child on the potty.

Just relax. Follow your child's cues. Don't let this turn into a trauma or a power struggle that makes both of you miserable. Remember that every child is different. My oldest was almost four before I could truly say she was potty-trained. The daughter of my friend was the same way, but her son was completely potty-trained by 2 1/2.

Answer 3

Why are you potty training an 18 month old? That is much too young. My gosh. My son wasn't ready until he was almost 3. He is now going on 4 and although he is doing quite well he still has accidents. I am sorry and hate to say this, but I have found mother's who want to potty train there children so early are just plain lazy and don't want the responsibility of having to clean them. Witnessed this first hand with my sister-in-law.

Answer 4

It is way too early to be potty training, unless she/he has shown you that she fully understands the concept and can control herself and also if she can communicate her needs really well. If you potty train too early, she can and will have many more accidents later on in life and you will spend the next year, or at least a long time trying to train her, where if you wait till she is older and more sure of herself and definitly ready, it is much quicker and easier on all involved. My friend had a little girl that she starte at 20 months, and worked and worked and had accidents and got frustrated ( mom and child) and at 3 and a half she still was not trained, and trust me, the mom did everything right. My sister in law forced her twin girls too early, and they are still to this day at age 7, having accidents in the middle of the day, they never were fully potty trained. My oldest two sons, ( after watching these women) potty trained one month before he turned three ( my oldest) and about 4 months before he turned three ( my middle) it took all of a week and other than night time accidents we have not had an issue since then. It was quick, painless and thourough. This is just my opinion, and what I have witnessed and my experience. Good luck

Answer 5

Start with introducing him or her to the bathroom and the ideas about what happens during potty time. Try to get really excited when they use the potty. Get a bathroom potty that is just for them to use and then try to get everyone involved in the process. Don't try to work on night time potty training yet. If your child doesn't wet themselves during afternoon naps then they have started to develop some control and that's a very good indicator that potty training can start. The most important thing to remember is to be patient. And your child is going to want to wear big kid pants and there will be accidents, and the hardest thing to remember is that if they have an accident that it was just that it was an accident. The child didn't intend to make you angry or make a mess, but use those opportunities to get the child to understand how the felt before they had the accident.

Answer 6

I potty broke my son @11 months old. There really is no set age to potty break. SOme doctors will say around 2 or 3. But , if you wait until June 6 it will be easier. Go get a farmers almanac when the signs are in the bowls that when you can start and by the time that sign is over with your child will be potty broke. It usually takes about a week that way. So good luck.

Answer 7

Is your 18 month old ready to be potty trained first of all? It is only too early if they aren't ready. My 21 month yr old started to get ready at 18 months, but wasn't ready to start the full measure until now. We are going to start doing the 20 min method... it is time consuming, but I hear it works wonders! My friend did it and she swears by it... SO in the morning you put them on the potty, and then ever 20 min you put them on the potty. After so many days, you up the minutes and so on. Also, a "potty" snack for them when they do go is a great reward!

Signs that they are ready:
Stay dry for at least 2 hrs
Can follow simple direction
Can pull up or pull down their pants
Have an interest in the potty

One thing that helped my son to get interested was Bear in the Big Blue House Potty Time DVD or Potty with Elmo book. Another thing we did was put the big boy potty in the bathroom, and anytime he sat on it we clapped for him.

Good luck!

Answer 8

My parents remember a time when potty training a eighteen month old was 'normal.' I introduced my son at 12 months to the potty he's showing more interest everyday in sitting on it and learning how to potty himself.

I think introducing the potty is a step in the right direction. Many parents don't even introduce it yet expect their child to show interest. So, obviously, the child doesn't show any interest until they are three when the parents are finally fed up with changing diapers. I don't understand that. Eventually, the child does show complete interest and he/she will just go on their own.

Answer 9

I started my daughter already and she is 18 months old. I went out and got her some training panties, the ones made out of vinyl. After she ate and drank, I take her to the bathroom and let her do her buisness. She has done really well. You just have to know your childs signs and if they are ready. My daughter lets me know when she has to go, so it's a little easier. I make sure I ask her about every hour if she has to go potty. When your trying to teach them make sure you give them plenty of water to help get them to go. I had to go get the potty seat that fits on the toilet, she wouldn't use a regular potty chair. It made it more fun for her, she feels like a big girl, and she even tries to wipe. I try to encourage her and reward her when she does go, we still have some episodes where she goes in her panties,but this system has worked for me. Hope it helps, good luck.

Answer 10

According to many books and studies done about potty training... eighteen months is tooooo young! You may be setting yourself up for a long haul there. My daughter was not potty trained until three, and by that time it worked like a charm. They have to be old enough to understand that they do not like the feeling they get when they are in diapers, and many times they cannot tell something like that until they are older.

Answer 11

Dont try at all. Too young!!! You may tramatize the kid and they may not still be trained at 4. It is more work then it is worth. Wait till they are ready. Get a potty chair and if they want to use it let them. Let your baby be a baby...they grow up fast enough as it is and when you are potty training you are strapped down to the house. Dont ever get mad either. I still think it is waaayyyyy to young however. 21/2 to 3 is a good age in my eyes.