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Parenting

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Original poster

whats the best age to start potty traing?

22 replies

johno · 26/07/2004 21:15

i know my Ds is to young to start potty training yet, but some ppl say around 2 years is best, me and Dp are planning to try for another baby now, my son would be around 2 if i got caught quickly, is this a bad idea?

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Yorkiegirl · 26/07/2004 21:31

Message withdrawn

suzywong · 26/07/2004 21:33

I think 2 is a bit young for a boy to be honest, my DS1 showed signs of being aware at 2.6 and cracked it at 2.9

suzywong · 26/07/2004 21:33

I think 2 is a bit young for a boy to be honest, my DS1 showed signs of being aware at 2.6 and cracked it at 2.9

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Original poster

johno · 26/07/2004 21:36

thats ok then, thanks

OP posts:

pepsi · 26/07/2004 21:38

We started ds when he was 2 yrs 10 mths, we had a 9 month old dd at that time. I have just trained her at 2 yrs 3mths and shes taken to it, wasnt the same story with ds, took a couple of months, but it comes in the end. I wouldnt rush it.

Hulababy · 26/07/2004 22:01

My DD was 24 months when she was potty trained. She was completely ready and virtually did it all herself. She was dry within 2 days. This was only day time (including naps) though. She still wears Pull Ups at night time. At 2y 3m I don't think she is ready for that yet.

Friend's DS is 2y 10m and is not showing signs of being ready for PT yet. So it all epends ont he indivdual child.

The best age is the age they show all the "signs" of being ready and makre allt he right moves towards PT themselves I think!

bea · 27/07/2004 09:11

I must say the later you start the better judging by my experience... dd1 was 2 yrs 10 months when we started and it was all done and dusted in 3 days with 4 weeing accidents and no poo accidents, before then she had sat on the loo a couple of times, as when she was having a bath she would shout she wanted to do a wee and we would whip her out and put her on the loo. We just left it completely up to her. I'm dead chuffed that it was so plain sailing and must admit i like feeling a little smug about it! i apologise profusely for this but we can boast a little bit now and again can't we??? thank you musmnetters and i promise i won't do it again!!!

suedonim · 27/07/2004 11:31

I found that 2yo is easier than nearer 3 for potty training. My boys were just over two and got the idea pretty quickly, while my girls I left until they were 2.5 and it took forever for them to catch on. But I don't know that I'd try to train at the same time as having a new baby - it's not a situation I've had to deal with.

sammac · 27/07/2004 11:58

Starting with ds today in 'big-boy pants'. he's 2 and 8 months- so far so good, but it's only 12 o'clock!

Dd was completey dry, even at night by 2 & 2 months. They're just ready at their own time.

sammac · 27/07/2004 12:14

oops spoke too soon. Just heard done a peepee in the garden. maybe watering plants wasn't such a good idea!

Piffleoffagus · 27/07/2004 12:15

I left ds until 2yrs 10 mths he was literally yanking the nappy off and asking for the loo. he went striaght onto the toilet with a step, and was dry at night within a week.
Will be leaving dd til next summer she is 21 mths now and will nod or shake if she has done a poo, but in no way looks ready...

JanZ · 27/07/2004 12:40

The "best" age is the one where they are starting to show some signs of being interested. With ds, that was 3 and 1/2 (ie spring time this year). We did try to ignore the advice that we had been given and tried twice last summer - the second time when he had just turned 3 and we were on holiday (I though the opportunity to go bottomless might help create some awareness as previously he had been distresed by thr wet trousers) - both times to no avail.

When we did try again, he was showing some (not a lot) of awareness and interest - but it only took a few days (took a bit longer than that to persuade the childminder!) and was very quickly followed by being dry at night as well.

Trifle · 27/07/2004 20:13

I have to say that I find it quite odd that fully grown parents will put the onus on a child who has barely been on the planet 2 years to make the decision as to when they will start using the potty. I cant see how children that age will have any concept of the potty unless trained to do so just as they were trained onto pureed food then finger food etc. I am aware that there is no sure fire rule that applies to all however I have to say that IME training them from 23 months + is better when they are more adaptable to change and not yet vocal enough to use it as a bargaining tool.

chrissey14 · 02/08/2004 11:36

hi my daugther is 2yr 5mth no sucess yet with her

chrissey14 · 02/08/2004 11:37

is this common?

fruitful · 02/08/2004 13:26

The best age is a) when child is ready and b) when parent is ready!

How you tell when the child is ready I don't know - 4 months ago dd was showing all the signs but we tried and she didn't get the idea at all. Tried again a couple of weeks ago and it was sooo easy. No idea what the difference was. She's 26mo so I don't think it follows that a 3yo will automatically be more ready / easier than a 2yo either.

I think you need to wait until you are ready, give it a go, and be prepared to give up quickly if it isn't working. Also although its nice not to have to change nappies, the work just gets replaced by something different - now you have to keep emptying potties / taking them to the loo instead! (until they're tall enough to get on the loo themselves, think dd will be about 15 before that happens ).

fimbles · 03/08/2004 13:05

what are the signs please ?

PandaBear · 03/08/2004 13:25

We started potty training DD on Sunday. She is 2 yrs and 2 months, and so far we've only had two accidents so very proud!

I think it's right to say wait until the child is ready. DD had started telling me she needed a wee wee, and asking to go on the toilet whilst we were out so that's why we did it. Hopefully it will continue to be so smooth sailing, but who knows!!

Hulababy · 03/08/2004 13:27

Well done to your DD Pandabear

aloha · 03/08/2004 13:35

JanZ, can't tell you how happy I was to read your post. My ds is 3 in Sept and nowhere near ready to use the loo/potty. He has so little awareness of when he's about to wee and NEVER tells us or shows any signs of holding it in etc. I'm just glad he's not the only one - so thanks

fruitful · 03/08/2004 13:41

Fimbles - There's a MN "live chat" with Gina Ford here which lists some ways to tell if your child is ready. Things like knowing when they're doing a pee, knowing what wet and dry mean, being interested in the toilet / potty, being able to last a while between wees.

And another MN potty training page here .

Have to say that dd didn't wake up from a nap with a dry nappy until after we'd been doing potty training for about a week. And also couldn't get her pants / trousers up and down either - the incentive to learn how to do this was provided by wanting to use the potty without help. She learnt quickly when she saw the need!

fimbles · 03/08/2004 15:43

Thank you fruitful. I think my dd of 26 months is "just" about ready. Will have a relaxed attempt this week. Wish me luck!

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