How old?

[Naartjie]

Sorry if this has been discussed 100 times before, but how old was your child when you started potty training them? And do you think they were ready?

My son is 16 months and has just learnt to walk. But he doesn't know how to tell me when he's doing a wee. Is it too early?

I would say that 16 months is rather early. Most children are aged 203 years. Your child needs to be able to tell you about being wet and dry, and know what it means, be able to at least help undress/dress themsleves, and to have enough bladder control to hold on long enough to get to the toilet. Bladder control is generally not strong enough until 18 months at the ealriest.

DD was 24 months and she ked the whole process. It was all over and one with in 3 days, with no real hassle for me. DD was very ready for it - she was the one who lead the way and I followed.

If you do it too early it will take far longer and be a more stressful process for you both.

My dcs were much older - although not 203!!!

In my opinion the later you leave it the better - if you do, then the chances are you'll go straight from nappies to pants and have very few, if any accidents. You won't have to "start potty training them" you'll just have a potty trained child, if you see what I mean! At least wait until they are fully verbal - that makes it SOOOOOO much easier!

I really do think they have to be able to talk to you to do it properly. my Ds was 2 and 5 months and it took 3/4 days, no accidents after that, can now go on his own a few weeks later. I know someone that now calls their 22 month old potty trained becasue she goes on the potty when they catch it but she does not speak yet and so can't ask/tell them when she needs it and so still has lots of accidents, has to wear a nappy in the car, overnight etc. I don't really call this tolilet trained.

My dd was around 2.5years and was trained within a few days. I also think it is quicker if you leave it until they are a bit older.

16 mths is too early IMO....let your DC have fun exploring the world walking before suggesting the potty. You will get signs if he is ready.
I have 8 children, only 1 of mine was trained by 2.5yrs (he wanted to copy his older sisiter). The others i left until they were 3 and just over! My twins are 3 in October, and are not quite ready, may try again at the end of the summer.

Like other parents have said, the longer you leave it the easier it is to do anyway.

Thanks for your advice, I will wait until he can talk better.

ds was 22 months - but he was in reusable nappies, so was much more aware of when he was wet ...

It is not necessarily to do with age but awareness/bladder control (and interest/desire?). maybe just start by talking to him more about when he wees and poos in nappy so he starts to know what it is. you could try using a sign if he doesn't talk yet. maybe introduce a potty when you know he is going to wee/poo - helps if you are also quite aware of when he will so start keeping an eye out! my ds was about 17 months when we started getting most of the poos in potty and 24 months when he didn't want nappies on any more - he just decided and is fairly reliably dry daytimes now at 27 months. would second the cloth nappies thing tho - makes them much more aware of being wet!

LOL, I meant 2-3 years in that post

My son is 2 1/2 and we're working on it now... definitely not taking 3/4 days tho! He has good days and lazy days. Apart from awareness of what's going on another thing I've read to watch out for as a sign is being able to raise/lower their own trousers (which I think can be trickier with bulky cloth nappies). They should be able to handle it on their own if you're not right there, and full-time supervision gets less exciting after a few days/weeks .

I really don't think mine was ready to give it a go any sooner, but it definitely depends on your kid! He may be ready, but don't let anyone pressure you into pressuring him.

Now that i can FINALLY speak with the voice of experience on potty training...
DS1 was just 2.5, I took my lead from the nursery who said he was ready. Took about 2 days of a couple of accidents and after 2 weeks he has about one accident a week. Is completely poo trained too which from reading threads seems to be very advanced (brag). That was 2 months ago and nappies are often dry in the morning too so I just need to be brave and not put a nappy on at night.

No doubt ds2 will be about 14.

for me personally i didn't wait till he could do trousers himself (anyway it is over pants not nappies they need to do it) as i am never that far away - he comes and tells me he needs the potty or i ask him before going out etc. guess that means he is not fully trained but happy with the stage we are at right now - just because i help him with trousers still means no nappies and an average of 1 or 2 wee accidents a week. you only need to go as far as you want at any time and what suits you and your ds doesn't necessarily suit others.

I started ds at 18 months and it was a nightmare, it was accepted practice to potty train them around this time when he was younger. DD (who is 9 years younger) potty trained herself, I tried to get her interested, she wasn't having any of it. So left it and one day she said "Iwant to go to the toilet" and that was that. She was 2 years 9 months and dry at night around the same time. The bonus being that we had very few accidents.