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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

When, roughly, are people starting potty training these days?

48 replies

EightiesChick · 27/07/2010 22:39

Have just had phone coversation with my mother where she said 'Oh well, the next step for DS will be toilet training and pull ups I suppose'. I said 'Eventually, yes'. DS is 18 months. I wasn't planning to start this at all soon, really, as I was under the impression that the theory now was to leave it longer as they tend just not to be ready before a certain age (2? 2.5?) and therefore you are saving yourself tears by waiting. But I can't for the life of me remember where I've got this impression from, so:

How old were your DCs when you started trying to toilet train them? And would you recommend that age to someone else (ie me)?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

chipmonkey · 28/07/2010 17:31

With ds1, because he was a good talker and seemed bright, I thought he would be "ready" at 2.2 and started then. I was very, very wrong! It took him over a year to get it and I was nearly tearing my hair out by the time we were done. In fact, I think he was almost four by the time he got the hang of pooing in the toilet.
With ds2 I was adamant I wasn't making the same mistake and started when he was over 3. He got it very quickly. With ds3, I waited till he said "I'm doing a wee-wee"

With ds4, who is 2.3, I think he may be showing signs of readiness but as he is my last, I am actually a little bit at the thought of no more nappies which means I am a bit reluctant to try.

Firawla · 28/07/2010 17:46

not started mine yet aged 2.1 yrs not shown any interest will maybe see how he is at 2.5

bumpybecky · 28/07/2010 17:53

dd1 started at 24 months, finally dry by day around 6 months later, was bit of a nightmare

dd2 started at 2.10, was dry day and night within 3 days, only ever had a couple of puddles

dd3 started at 3.2 was dry reliably within about 4-5 days

ds is 2.5 and we've not started yet

FindingMyMojo · 28/07/2010 17:56

well according to my Mum I potty trained at 14 months

DD was 2.2 months - it took 4 days for days but she is still in nappy at night.

hobbgoblin · 28/07/2010 18:02

DD was around 16 months. Very quick, very easy and guided by her and her strong NEED to be naked all the time including in public.

With the Dss I waited til they seemed ready - but they were happy to stay in nappies until adulthood seemingly so we started encouraging by the age of about 2.5 - 3 years. I was aware of advice on physical development and the pointlessness of early training. Wish I'd ignored this now as both boys have wet day and night into age 6 and 9. Less so with the 9 year old.

I am going to start training DD2 as soon as she can walk. She is just 12 months and going to be a late walker I think - only just able to bottom shuffle. I hope we'll have it sussed by 18 months at the latest.

I've since read that once they have the improved cognition that comes with development beyond the totally dependant on mummy stage (newborn and a bit beyond), allowing nappy toileting is like teaching one thing and asking them to re-learn it.

Like the theory on saying bunny wunny and moo moo instead of rabbit and cow, kinda.

AnathemaDevice · 28/07/2010 18:39

DS (15 months) will ask for the toilet/potty for a poo about 90% of the time (he pats his nappy with a concerned look on his face, and points upstairs).

No idea when he'll be able to tell us when he needs to wee, but there has been a couple of times, when he's been running around the garden without a nappy on, he has taken himself over to stand next to his potty and wee'd all over the patio. So maybe, just maybe, he's beginning to get the idea.

LadyCad · 28/07/2010 19:36

FiveGoMad, I'll definitely try the sweetie jar. We haven't tried anything yet where others get treats for using the loo. That could be interesting.

Thanks!

MrsTicklemouse · 28/07/2010 20:43

LadyCad we're keeping M&S in business the amount of percy pigs I'm dishing out, in fact I'm sure he sometimes forces a tiny tinkle out just to get one!

swallowedAfly · 28/07/2010 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bibbitybobbityhat · 28/07/2010 23:00

Both mine (boy and girl) were about 2.9 months and both got the hang of it very quickly with very few accidents [smug emoticon].

Ripeberry · 28/07/2010 23:04

Don't do it any earlier than 2.6yrs old. Saves a lot of heartache and hastle for child and parent!
Bit later for boys.

thecaptaincrocfamily · 28/07/2010 23:09

They start getting some bladder control about 18mths but it doesn't mean they are ready.

Nappy being dry for an hour plus.
asking for the potty/telling when wet
best not to use pullups once you start doing it - take a potty with you or plan being near toilets for a while when going out and cover car seat with night bed sheet.

Definately second the needing to be able to sit still long enough although if they like books then reading to them on the potty can help.

My dds were really early 20/ 19 months but did it themselves and were ready. Most children 2-2.5 but boys often later than girls.

plonker · 28/07/2010 23:16

When they start to show signs that they're ready.

I totally disagree with those who say "Don't do it any earlier than x years old" (sorry, not meaning to pick on you Ripeberry, I just read your post last) as I really don't agree that 'one size fits all'.
It's like saying not to teach a child to ride a bike till they're 6, or read till they're 7 - some will get it earlier, some will get it later - that's common sense.

If you follow the signals from your child such as hating the feel of their nappy, knowing they're doing a wee/poo, anticipating that they need a wee/poo etc then IMHO you won't go far wrong.

Chathappy · 28/07/2010 23:21

Ds1 was ready about 2.9yrs old and ds2 is 2.10years old now and I still don't think he is ready... Doing it too early can cause so much hassle and stress in some cases!

I have a couple of friends who's daughters just turned 2 recently and they are both well trained already.... It just depends on the child really.

clemetteattlee · 28/07/2010 23:23

DD very keen to get out of her cloth nappies at 20 months. Was dry in the day then but I was too pregnant/lazy to tackle night nappies until she was almost three.
DS is 2.6 and has been out of nappies for just over a month. We tried him at 2 and he wasn't interested so we waited until he asked. Again I won't be doing anything about nighttimes until he consistently wakes with dry nappies.

lollymad · 28/07/2010 23:32

DD was 2.4 when we started - nappy fairy came and took away daytime nappies and brought big girl pants instead - worked for us.
She was mostly daytime clean and dry within a week (with the odd accident if she was too busy doing something more interesting), and then refused to wear nappies at night a couple of weeks later, with only a few accidents ever.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 28/07/2010 23:40

DS at 2.9, DD at 2.2. Both timings were child-led, and generally painless (it took DD about three weeks to really get the hang of poo, which led to some anguished MN posting on my part, but then it all clicked). Both dry (well, dry-ish) at night within a few weeks of daytime training, too.

geraldinetheluckygoat · 28/07/2010 23:48

Ds on was about three and a half, ds2 has just done it at 3.7
had one week of no luck with ds1, who did it in about a week with few accidents a couple of months later. DS2 got bored of waiting for me to bite the bullet I think and decided himself he would do it last week, and has done wees and poos by himself pretty reliably in the loo...have had a few accidents but not that many. If I had another child, i would wait this late again, it is so much less stressful.

LimaCharlie · 29/07/2010 09:05

When they showed a desire to. Barely any accidents, as opposed to friends who did it as soon as they turned 2 and had weeks of wet carpets

LolaKnickers · 31/07/2010 16:35

Agree with plonker. While there is no point in trying to force a child who isn't ready, we did it before 2 (day and night - just went cold turkey) and certainly didn't have wet carpets for weeks. Only a couple of accidents ever, and they weren't actually when she'd just started.

brachy · 31/07/2010 16:45

DD woke up one morning and said "i'm not wearing that nappy" so we went for it there and then. We didn't own a potty or even pants for her so we did a quick rush job on buying supplies. 3 days later she was done. She was 24mths.

DS- he is only 10months, we'll also wait until he announces he is ready. This time though we'll at least have a potty!

Abubu · 31/07/2010 19:04

We're still trying - DDs are 3.2.

Have been trying since they were 2.6!

moragbellingham · 31/07/2010 20:48

Mums don't have a very good memory it's a proven fact!

Fend off all the comments and tell her things have changed. In my mums day there was a good reason to try to train early - handwashing nappies can't have been much fun
DD1 -(March baby) was 2.3 and it was a long process as I don't think she was ready.
DD2 - we wanted to leave as long as possible to prevent the same problems.
We gave her no encouragement on purpose but she decided to start on her dolly's potty and was trained at exactly 2 years.

They'll decide themselves and you soon realise if you've forced the idea too early IME.

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