When Should We Start Training Our 18 Month Old Son?

Not too early - my son started using the potty at 5, yes five, months. He went on it several times a day from 6 months to about 13 months then had a "potty strike". He's back on it but not as regularly as when he didn't have that toddler independance! My doctor said between 18-24 months is the best time to start. They are old enough to understand yet young enough to wean off of diapers. Once they get past a certain point, they can be very stubborn in their ways! I agree with pp's about not pushing it on them. We tried to "train" at 13 months (before then we just gave him potty-tunities). I think I pushed a bit more then I should've and that's why it backfired and he went on his strike. My doc also said that once you decide to "train" you need to be totally invested in it. She recommends going commando for about a week. When you go out, use cloth trainers and offer lots of potty breaks. If you put a diaper on at any point, she says you've sabotaged the mission. HTH's!

Every child is different, if shows interest go for it. Just don't push him to quickly or him may rebel.

I think that if your child is showing interest then take the opportunity to get him familiar with it. My daughter was somewhere between 18-22 months when we introduced it. She is now 2 years 5 months and knows what to do it's just a matter of getting her to do it every time so I think the earlier you can start the better because it may take them awhile because they might do good for awhile and then get bored of it.

Mother of a 2 year old and 6 month old.

I would say go ahaed and introduce the potty chair! some kids are ready sooner than others and he sounds like one of them (Lucky for you!!!!!) Our son took an interest in the actual toilet a few months ago (he's now 20 months), so we got the potty seat out to show him what to do, but he's not ready yet, but we are keeping the seats in the bathrooms for those times when he wants to sit - he seems to understand what to do, he just doesn't want to yet, so we're not forcing it. My Mom said that my brother was completely potty trained by 20 months, so it is possible. Just don't push it too much if he seems to back away from it though - you could cause other issues and prolong his training further. Good Luck!!

Hi K.,
If your son is showing that he realizes when he "takes care of business" then yes, I would say it is time to try anyway. They may not always understand the potty chair at first but it is something they must learn along the way. And yes, they will figure it out as long as you keep up trying.
Good Luck,
J. J.

Read the book... "The No-Cry Potty Training Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Child Say Good-Bye to Diapers" (Pantley) It's a great little book to help to determine if your kid is ready or not, and what to do if you have setbacks in the process. Good Luck.

I agree with the previous posters! My son is now 4, but he had the words when he was about 15 months. We got the potty seat shortly after that and just had it sitting around in both of the bathrooms he typically uses. When he would take a bath in the evening, and he would start to demonstrate signs of needing to go, I' whisk him out of the tub wrap him up warmly and put him on the potty, and have a big party if he was successful (lots of cheering, singing, and clapping!). If he had an accident, we never made a big deal, just said, "Woops!" and quietly cleaned it up. By 18 months he was telling us he had to go potty on his own, and even sitting on the real potty without fear.

We never pushed it, we let him take the lead. Our son pretty much trained himself. That was wonderful! I'm an older mom and had always heard that boys were so much harder to potty train... but not in this house, fortunately!

Best of luck!

Well, I am a 2 year old teacher at a daycare and we do potty training in that room. Is he verbal enough to tell you that he has to go. I dont usually start potty training the kids at my school until I know that they are verbal enough to tell me they have to go. I do sit them all on the potty when I change them just to get them used to it. Its more so the Bm's are the hardest to get the 2's used to. I do it for 830am to 530pm all day long and I have 14 2's in my room. I know the diapers are getting old. Alot of the parents just depend on us to do it because we have their child all day but I know once the weekend hits they get lazy and diapers and pull ups it is. Its not just us its the parents too. He's getting there so just keep it up.

I started training each of my three boys one month after they started walking -- my first son started training at 11 months -- no pressure to the training just introduce it to him. I was finished with all three boys well before their 2nd birthday -- good luck, relax and have a lot of patience

K., your son sounds a lot like mine (now 23mo.). We had a potty chair sitting in the bathroom since maybe 15mo., just to get him used to it. He would sit on it w/ his diaper on just 'cause mom was on the potty too. We started officially training him at 19mo. It's been almost 5mo. & he's doing really well...pees & poops on it several times per day (but is still in diapers & I take him to the potty, he's not running there on his own yet). There are potty training readiness lists online & in books. Your son has one sign down (telling you when he's gone), so that's great! I would check the lists to see if you think he is ready all around. I would definitely buy the potty to get him accustomed to it. If you feel he is ready for training, pick up a book or do what your instincts say. I partially read one book, and am just doing what I feel is right. I put him on the potty once per day, then built up to several times per day. Maybe make it part of bedtime to put him on the potty b/4 bed. Then after a few days or week add another time (maybe 1st thing in the morning, or b/4 a nap). Do it gradually & most importantly, be patient & consistent!! Some kids won't sit on the potty long enough to go...I gave my son books to read, so he was plenty occupied while he was sitting on the potty. Now he will go w/in 60sec. of putting him on it. Good luck!

T.

P.S. Don't listen to what some people say...that boys are harder to train or take longer. Each child is different & don't be afraid to start training him now if you think he's ready.

My daughter showed interest at a very young age also. We bought a little potty that she could sit on at anytime. Gave her a pile of books to look at, and everytime she went, praised her a lot. She was trained thru the night by 16 months. After she was wearing underwear, didn't like the feel of diapers. On bit of advice, once you make up your mind to put them in undies, don't go back to diapers. My sister had the worst time with my nephew. She took him to a psychologist cuz of it. The Dr. told her that is why. Even the pull ups alway give them an option. The dr. said the back and forth between the undies and the pull-ups confuses kids and gives them way to much power in the decision of going. GOOD LUCK

never too early if you just want to introduce it! get one and see what he thinks about it. if he's already telling you, it might be the perfect opportunity to move him out of diapers. and if he ignores it, no big deal, you have it for when he's ready!

Not at all... We put one in the bathroom at 13 months, just so she would get used to it being around. Let him sit on it, tell him what it is, but don't push him. It certainly would be a good thing for him to see it and get used to it, though. Make it exciting for him!

K.:

Like you I am also work full-time and have a 17 month old son. My parents watch the lil guy. My mom told me when he is 18 months she will start potty training him. They a potty toilet for him and itls in their bathroom. I was told he will sit down and watch then runs. My mom mentioned to me it's best to introduce the potty toilet and go when you go or daddy. :) I have a nephew who is 2 1/2 yrs old and already potty trained. He wears only the night diapers, that is it. During the day no problem at night needs a little help. That's ok.

Good luck to you!

p.s they are books at baby r us about potty stories for kids.:)

My son is 22 months old now and we started introducing it around that time too. I just keep it in the bathroom and before his bath he sits on it and says potty. He has no clue what to do with it but does acknowledge it's a potty. I figure it's never too early if they show some interest! Good luck!

My son was the same age when he started asking to go on the potty. I taught him sign language and he would sign potty. He also was showing some signs of readiness, such as telling me when he was going to poop in his diaper. After I caught on to his interest, I started putting him on the toilet after he asked. Sometimes nothing would happen and other times he would go! I was amazed that the first few times I put him on he actually tried pushing something out! He had many successful experiences over a month or two. As soon as I started initiating or suggesting he go, he completely backed off! First of all, I was not ready for potty training at 18 months b/c I did not think we could start early. Then he was totally into it and went poo and pee on the potty many times and then all of a sudden he completely stopped. My sister advised me to back off and let him initiate it. Well it's been a couple months now and NOTHING! I would not have pushed it at all that young but it was such a tease for me! Oh well. I'm waiting it out now to see if he takes an interest again.

My advice is to be very easy going about it. I tried rewarding him w/dum dums after he would go but that didn't work well. He would just ask for lolipops all day! I think b/c he is too young to understand? So I'd say go w/it but don't push him. Good luck!

L.

It's never too early if they show an interest. But don't push him. You can encourage it, but not be pushy. All mine where potty trained early but I never forced them. I had the potty chair available in the family room too. Sometime they wanted to go potty but couldn't hold it long enough to go to the bathroom. I also let them go without a diaper or pullup during this time. They didn't like the feeling of being wet and didn't have accidents. My one daughter had problems at night. So instead of having her discouraged with a wet bed each night, we used a pullup until she was old enough to keep it dry the whole night

Not to early at all! My son declared a disdain for diapers at around 12 months (fine by me! I don't miss the laundry) and he's been diaper free (except at night) since about 23 months. I'd recommend the baby bjorn little potty which you can buy at babies r us/toys r us or online for $9. We put one in each bathroom and even have one in the car (its small) if you're looking for a good book Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Potty Training Solution is one of my favorites.

Good luck!

Now is the best time to introduce it without pushing it. It worked like a charm with our son when he was 18 months old. We actually bought a colorful potty and just placed in the bathroom without pushing it on him or saying anything. We allowed him to inquire about it & to want to use it. The whole potty training experience went pretty smooth.

hi

This sounds like a good age! My son started at the same time and did amazing just be sure to encourage him and not push it at all! My son was easier to potty train then my daughter and was out of diapers days and nights at 27 months!
good luck
M.
www.143kids.com

It depends on the child. Once a child can talk or give hints of peeing or pooping, then it's time. My daughter is 17 and was completely potty trained by her 1st birthday and my son is 10 and my God, he was almost 3, so I'm an old pro at this. Make it a positive experience and don't make them feel bad about mistakes. Also you may want to not put them on pull ups in the house (they're nothing but pampers without tags). Use the cloth underpants so that they can feel the difference. Reward them often. As I said, it depends on the child and from my experience girls are much easier than boys.

Hope it helps and good luck,

bring it on! as someone who has worked in preschools, i say that as soon as they start being pretty specific about their bodily functions. my dd is 17 months old and certainly far off from being ready for the potty, but she loves to tell me when she has poop in her pants so we sit on the potty once a day or so. i got one of the baby bjorn potty seats that attach to the toilet seat (i have issue with potties that you have to clean out--eeew!). she has yet to do anything, but when she's ready, so am i! also, you may want to get one of the many books about using the potty. good luck!