When to start potty training?

[katemarch]

My eldest is 20 months old now, and I'm getting a lot of pressure from people about potty training. Some people are saying she should really be using the potty by now and some people are saying I shouldn't force her to use the potty yet because she's nowhere near ready! How old was your child when you potty-trained? Are there any signs to look out for? Any advice would be greatly appreciated - as far as I can tell she doesn't seem bothered, but I don't know whether that's a sign she's not ready or just because she doesn't know any different! Thank you :-)

20 months is very young! I think the average age is supposed to be more like 2 1/2 - 3 years old

I have PT two children, the first was over 3 and the second was 21 months! So they are all different and you definitely need to wait for signs they are ready to make it easier for both of you.
The signs I noticed were asking to sit on the toilet (even if just pointing), telling you they had pooed/weed, ability to hold it a bit if you left their nappy off for a while. It does help if they've got the speech to tell you when they need it, but I don't think it's essential

At 20 months I think it is worth introducing a potty. No pressure at all, just to get lo used to it. People treat potty training as all or nothing, whip nappies off at 2.5 then wonder why they have problems.

If you introduce one earlier then you are more likely to be able to guage when it is time to take nappies off I think.

See it as a gradual process is my advice.

Both my DS's were dry just after their third birthdays. I honestly didn't worry about it.
I did introduce the potty a lot earlier but they took their time sussing it and I let them do it at their own pace.

DS has just turned 2, and for about 2 months i've left the potty lying about but not pushed it. He started following us to the toilet with the potty and sitting on it announcing "wee!" loudly, but every time he refused to take the nappy off if I asked him if he wanted me to. He has actually been having a wee in the nappy at the same time he's been sitting on the potty.

then last night he asked to have his nappy off, sat on the potty for 5 mins but didn't do anything. He then weed on the carpet when he stood up. We just said lets clean it up and try for a wee in the potty next time, which he seemed happy enough with. He does understand what to do, just for some reason wasn't keen on bare bum on the potty, but we will get there and are just letting him lead the way. He is only 2 after all. I'll just invest in some good quality carpet cleaner :)

21 months and occasionally uses the potty (once a day/once every two days) I think even if I could dedicate a few days to staying in and pushing it he still wouldn't just use the potty.. Never pooed on it either

Let dd/ds pick they are still little

Dd is 2.10 and not ready yet. I used to look after a little girl who was so scared of her potty, then all of a sudden at 3.2 she got it and was dry immediately.

Please don't give in to pressure. There will be so many things over the years where you need to follow your gut. Get advice, lots of it if you want to, but please feel confident enough to say he isn't ready yet.

I have 3 children who were all potty trained day and night by the age of 2.
I would say spend a full week concentrating on potty training. Have plenty of spare clothes for when your out and about. I wouldn't introduce a potty but go strait to the toilet and underpants/nickers. After a week of no nappies durning the day I found taking the nappie way at night time worked. My children go to bed a 7pm so there are no drinks after 6pm which helps then not be wet the bed at night. My best advise is to put all your energy into potty training and don't be afraid of it. If they do wee/ poo it can be easily cleaned up and they will soon get full control after approx a week. They may also be times when you think they have gone "back over " if they have a couple of days of accidents but this is usually when they are testing you or a bit unwell. Good luck and just tackle it head on

I waited until dd actually said to me that she didn't want nappies and wanted to do wee's etc in potty.

I must have spoken about it with her I guess for her to know it was an option.

She wasn't far off her third birthday. I had worried I was leaving it too late etc but I'm pleased now I waited as she just got it so quickly with very few accidents.

I think people often announce that their children are potty trained but then it turns out that they have daily accidents. We just went from nappies to very infrequent accidents ( like once a fortnight) within about a week

Going straight to the toilet is a big ask for tinies. I did it with DD1 when she was 2 and a bit, and it worked well (with a trainer seat, obvs). But I am pretty impressed it worked for under 2s as amandarini suggests. My 21 month old was not impressed when we sat her on the loo; it was too high up for her. Much safer on a potty! In any case, we're only practising- won't start properly till the spring, when washing is so much easier!

We started With a potty too. Advantage also was that she could just take herself off there when she needed to - especially helpful as by then I had a baby to deal with too.

Even now at 3 1/2 she needs lifted onto the loo