DD really really interested in the potty I bought to leave around the house until she was 'ready'... could she be ready already??!

[Emeraldgirl2]

She's turning 2 in March.

I just got the potty to leave around so she would get used to the idea, we could chat about what it's used for etc... I have been assuming (I don't really know why, just from what people have been saying to me) that we would wait to begin formal training in the summer after she's 2 - so in May/June-ish... summer months better to start, apparently?

But she loves this blooming potty, has even declared her love for it (Me love potty) which is a bit galling as she's never declared her love for me

VERY interested in it, sat on it and declared she was doing a wee-wee as soon as we got it out of the box (clothed, admittedly) and then wanted to rush to it with clothes off straight after her bath to try to do a poo-poo (!)... so she definitely knows what it's for! We have taken it all around the house this morning, sat all her toys on it, she won't let the thing out of her sight.

A couple of weeks ago she told me a few times when she had a dirty nappy which she hadn't done before, but she's stopped doing that now - I thought that was one of the signs of readiness but she hasn't done it again.

Anyway, should I actually make a start, do you think, or hold off a bit longer until there are more obvious signs of readiness (actually, am not sure what the other signs are meant to be, come to think of it!)

She is getting very verbal now and understands everything we talk about so that's a huge step, I think?

Any advice?

She's a very sensitive child so I don't want to rush and then have to retreat as I think she would take that very badly.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. We started by having nappy off time in the evenings, with the potty close to hand, then I started offering a sit on the loo/potty when I was going, but ds was still wearing a nappy.
Worked well for us

Mine never told me when she had a dirty nappy but was more than ready to use the potty and cracked wees almost straight away. I've known under-2s who have gotten it before!

just let her use it if she wants to and don't go nappy free just yet (maybe get pullups). We have potty's around for ages before dd was ready for training. DD used to regularly ask to used them at that age, and the toilet too. Then one day when she was 2.2, she told me she wasn't going to wear nappies any more and wanted knickers on. She was pretty much dry from then on.

ds on the other hand....

Agree it doesn't have to be all or nothing.
Have her sit on it after her bath while you read a story, or if she regularly watches a programme at a certain time etc.
Good luck

If shes ready shes ready! My ds was potty trained at 14 months, only used a nappy outside and for bedtimes! Dd is now 13 months.and nowhere near ready yet. All dapends on the child

Yes, naked time before bath, sit on potty, keep going. No pressure, just as much as she wants. My dd2 did this at 21 months, dd1 was 3 yrs and ver reluctant even then...

Thanks everyone! Sorry for delay, was out and about with said toddler all morning...
Stupidly it hadn't even occurred to me that we could do this sort of bit by bit, which is silly because our parenting style is v much of the no-fixed-schedules sort..
Will give her some nappy-free time before bath and also see if she fancies a little sit on the potty with no nappy when I take her to the look with me after her nap... Don't think she's feeling any pressure about it, it's all much more along the 'excited' lines, so I don't think it can hurt to have a try-out.
Thanks all :)

Sorry, I only just realised there is an entire potty training board! Should have posted there... thanks everyone anyway!
Kitty, that sounds my sort of way to try it, relaxed and no time pressure. Brilliant!! Here's hoping...!