Possible to start potty training a toddler who will only sit on the potty/toilet for 30 seconds?

[diyqueen]

Dd is 20 mo, and possibly a bit young I know, but I would love to start trying potty training. She is asking to have her nappy changed after every wee, even little ones, and we're getting through a lot of nappies. I think she gets what the toilet is for - she comes in when I go, will sit her toys on the potty and wipe their bottoms etc. I've tried the standard advice of sitting her on it without a nappy but sometime she just won't and sometimes she'll hop off after a few seconds. Reading books or singing or whatever doesn't help.

She has always been very independent and determined, likes trying to get herself dressed etc. and has started trying to pull her own nappy off if I'm not fast enough changing it for her liking...! I am reluctant to let her run round without a nappy as we have wool carpets all over the house, and I'm not sure what to do next, just wait until she actually asks to use the toilet and put up with the huge nappy consumption and spontaneous stripping, or is there anything else I can try? Anyone had a similar toddler? Friends advice seems to be 'sit her on the potty for long enough that she does a wee then reward her' but obviously that's not going to happen.

far too young surely! why the rush? and why on earth are nappy changes being dictated by a 20 month old?, you're the parent, just say no.

Not too young at all, particularly if she's interested. Try taking her to the potty every time you go to the loo, I don't think she needs to sit on it for ages, never saw the point in that. She might get into the habit of using it that way without going nappyless but I have to say I found that going nappyless for a while helped mine understand the physical process better, when ds3 was 22 months he was able to take himself to the potty if he had no nappy on and would use that rather than weeing on the floor but if he had clothing on he would wee into that.

He's 2.2 now and potty trained - I think you have to be prepared for the fact that doing it younger is a long slow process and you have to do a lot of the thinking for them - ie taking them to the potty at appropriate intervals and asking them to use it rather than waiting for them to do it themselves. BUT, over the last few months I have used far fewer nappies than I would have otherwise - even though I have used pull ups as insurance all through summer rather than chance it. I also think you're less likely to have issues about them not wanting to poo in the potty if you start it early because they get used to that before they enter really stubborn toddler phase.

Thanks for the, um, helpful response nipersvest. Personally I think it's good that she's telling me when she's wet and something to be encouraged - and I think it would be mean to make her sit in her own wee if it's bothering her. If experienced mums think from what she's doing she's not ready then fine, that's useful to know - but don't patronise me please.

Since my first post she had actually sat on the toilet today - tried putting a step in front of the big toilet and she climbed up by herself and sat on it for a good few minutes. So that's good, I'll encourage her to sit there every so often and let nature take its course whenever.

Thanks underground, that's really useful to know, I may brave short times of being nappyless and keep encouraging her. Yes reducing the amount of nappies would be good. She has taken off her nappy and weed on the floor before now so would rather have it going where it's supposed to!