How old are/were your boys when you started potty training?

[Tealtowel]

Just the above really. Im wondering when we should try it. Even if we try and doesnt work and we go back to it I would like to give it a try in the near future hopefully before christmas

[dietcokeandwine]

I have just potty trained my third DC - all boys - and each trained successfully somewhere between 2yrs6m and 2yrs9m.

Obviously some children are ready earlier than that and with others it's much later. But from what I've experienced first hand - and seen with friends' DC - my mantra now would definitely be 'leave it till at least 2.5 unless the child instigates it earlier'.

Don't feel pressurised to train any earlier than you feel you / your DS will be ready.

[mummyme93]

I started toilet training my boy from about 2 1/2. He had a lot of difficulty when it came to pooing in the lou. He did his first in the toilet in july. Shortly after he was very good with going to the lou, but recently hes just been going on the floor, even though he knows how to use the toilet. He's now 3 years 3 months

[myotherusernameisbetter]

Neither of mine showed any interest or showed any signs of being ready - we left it until they were 3 or almost 3 and we did the toilet training in less than a day method and barring as few accidents, that was pretty much it.

[Snossidge]

Between 2 and 2.5. Fairly painless tbh.

[DramaAlpaca]

All three of mine are boys. They were toilet trained at 2.2, 2.4 and 2.6. I started as soon as they showed an interest. The youngest one took only a couple of days, the middle one about two weeks and the eldest a couple of months to be reliable. So IME it's easier and quicker the older they are.

[Hassled]

On their third birthday because that is The Law and everyone knows that then you get cake and presents but no more nappies. It's just what happens on your third birthday. Was pretty painless - late, I know, compared to many but none of them were physically or emotionally ready before then.

[ceeveebee]

DS was 3.1 when we started (a full 12 months older than his twin sister was) and got wees straight away, dry day and night, but at nearly 4 he still has the odd poo accident.

[Liomsa]

Pretty much exactly two and a half. No particular signs of readiness, but we thought we'd have a go and try again later on if needed. He got it entirely within 48 hours, and though we put him in nappies at night for a couple of weeks, he never actually wet them. I think keaving it quite late (by the standards of around here) was key, though it was out of parental inertia rather than ideology.

[Wotshudwehave4T]

2yrs 10 mths. I'd been planning on trying a week later when we had nothing planned, but he beat me to it announcing he didn't want to wear a nappy. It took about a week and we had it cracked.

[elQuintoConyo]

2.8.

He was starting school at 2.9 (Spain. Don't ask), and all children had to be toilet trained before starting

We bought a potty and put teddy on it, then DS went on it with teddy, then alone. It helps that it was August and the house is tiled throughout, so easy to mop up any accidents.

DS was dry in 3 days and overnight too. He is now 3.10 and has peed the bed once during illness, but no poo surprises at all.

[MrsBungle]

My ds was 2 and 1 month. He hadnt shown any 'signs' but we cracked on and he was done in about 4 days. Tonnes of accidents (weed, no poo accidents) for the first couple of days, fewer on day 3. I think one accident on day 4 and then none since then.

[elQuintoConyo]

Oh, and from aged 3 months, nappy-changing was horrific, he hated being on his back, vety very uncooperative. So he was more than happy to say goodbye to nappies!

[CornishYarg]

Tried at 2.9 and 3.2 but he just didn't get it. Tried again at 3.8 and he got it very quickly.

[CultureSucksDownWords]

2yrs 9 months ish, sorted within 2 days and reliably since then. He's not dry at night now at 3yrs 3 months, a pull up is usually full when he wakes. I suspect it's just a matter of time and the relevant hormones to kick in.

[Luciferbox]

2yrs 8 months because it lined up nicely with the summer holidays and he seemed ready. It was easier then I feared because he was ready.

[ThereIsIron]

Never used a potty. Straight to toilet at about 3.2

[ShadyMyLady]

2 years 3 months, showed no real signs of being ready, thought I'd just give it a try in the first week of the summer holidays. Was completely painless and has only had 2 accidents in the 3 months since we started. I wasn't expecting it to be as easy as it was.

[43percentburnt]

Ds is potty trained during the day (night time nappy is usually dry, but not every night), he is 2.1. He was in cloth nappies and he was potty trained by 23 months (as in you can take him out and about without a nappy, car journeys etc and rely on him to ask to use the toilet).

[Artandco]

Both before 18 months, but they were put on toilet at each nappy change from 6 Ian months.

[TheGreenNinja]

2.5 because that's when he asked to use pants. With all of mine I've waited until they wanted to, and haven't needed to do any 'training' as such. They had a few accidents the first day or two, then that was it. I'm a massive fan of waiting until the child is motivated to do it themselves, makes things so much easier.

[JoeMommuh]

2.6yrs and after a week stopped as it wasn't working. Tried again 2 months later at 2.8yr and he got it immediately.

If you wait till they're ready it only takes 3-4 days. If you try too early to make everyone think your child is a super God and vastly superior to their peers it will take you months.

When every child is ready differs for each child.

[Every1KnowsJeffTheJerkOlantern]

He was 18 months. He was my first. He wasn't ready. I wasn't ready. But I felt pressured to start him off and get it sorted quickly.

It probably did more harm than good tbh. It was easily another 12 months or more until he was properly trained. It was a long tiresome slog for both of us.

My girls on the other hand, I waited until they were either just turned 3 or approaching their third birthdays. They had it nailed in a week or so.

[StormyBlue]

Thanks for being honest, Every1.

I had been wondering whether it was worth thinking about before 2, having read some conflicting information online. Don't think I'll bother, reading this.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

2.2 - he was asking to try and 3. We waited until he wanted to try too.

[teacher54321]

Ds was 2.11 and got wees sorted within 2 days. He's now nearly 3.6 and still poos in a pull up at bedtime... However we had an absolute bloody nightmare with him withholding and having to be on movicol and being absolutely beside himself so I've taken the pressure off for the moment. He's just started full time pre school so a lot of changes recently, so am patiently waiting it out...