When doy ou think the right time for toilet training is?

Potty training... - Here is my son, with his training pants on his head, and sitting on his potty.
Australia
August 26, 2007 3:19am CST
My son is 22 months old and is showing pretty serious signs to start toilet training. I am hesitant to start though, because he isn't even two years old yet. Also we are expecting our second son to arrive in two months time, so think this may react with toilet training. A friend of mine said i should just go for it and try, i havent got anything to lose. I have bought a potty, just for the time being, to see what he does and thinks of it. I am quite surprised that he has done many pee's in it. Though he stands up over it. I kind of wish he'd just sit down but whatever works for him! I only really make the potty available before his bath or shower, when he is naked, I am planning in a week or two to buy him some underpants to wear during the day to see if he uses the initiative to use the potty while clothed. I am proud of him though and don't mind either way:) We are also about to move house, so when we move, i was thinking about just training him to use the toilet instead of the potty (he keeps picking his potty up and trying to empty it himself... whihc is kind of messy!) What are your views, ideas or tips on potty/toilet training? The picture is of my son, when he first sat on his potty, the very first day i got it.
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3 responses
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Different kids are ready at different times. I'm potty training my son right now. He's almost 19 months old, and we started right before he turned 18 months. He was telling me when he was going, so we knew he was ready. Most of the time, he pees in his little potty. Occasionally if he is playing outside, he doesn't make it inside in time, and he still hasn't started pooping in the potty. But as far as peeing, he's down to just a couple of daytime accidents a week. At night and nap time is another story, though! But he's young and still has plenty of time to figure it out.
• Australia
27 Aug 07
Wow you're pretty lucky! Do you put him in pants or undies or nappies/diapers to train him? I've heard using undies instead of nappies helps because they feel wet more, so learn what happens if they wet themselves, if that makes sense? And does your son like to pick up the potty and carry it around to different rooms, or pick it up and empty it himself? lol THanks for any help.
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
28 Aug 07
I use little undies for him during the day as long as we are at home. If we go out, and during nap time I use Easy Ups or Pull Ups. At night, I still put him in diapers for bedtime. Some people say that it slows them down to go back and forth like that. But he has sensitive skin. The Easy Ups and Pull Ups irritate his skin if he stays in them very long once they are wet. And since he's nowhere near being able to go all night without going in his pants, we have to use diapers still.
• Australia
28 Aug 07
Well i think you must be doing a good job, so it mustn't be confusing him too much. :)
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
27 Aug 07
My daughter is only 15 months (almost) so we haven't started yet but from what i have heard & seen (we have 8 nieces/nephews) the average age people start attempting potty training is around 18 months. If he is showing signs & has been for a while then you probably should have made a few attempts at it already but just give it a shot - see how he goes. I also don't think the process will be affected when the new child comes along, mainly because he will have been doing it for 2 whole months before the new arrival! I wish you well & hope he's a very quick learner :)
• Australia
27 Aug 07
Thanks :) I agree with you, i don't think he will achieve it before the new one arrives, that's why i've left it for so long, then when he started really wanting to learn i was kind of stuck between the two. Potty train him now, have the baby and then have him rebound back, or wait and train him later when he's more settled. SO i'm doing it without pushing him, when he wants to use the potty he can, and when he doesnt he doesnt have to. That way i'm hoping by the time he's settled with the new baby he's comfortable with the potty and it goes smoother. Only time will tell. lol
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
26 Aug 07
IMO a childs AGE has nothing to do wtih it....If he is showing and expressing a desire to potty train, the fact that he's under the age of 2 doesnt matter...If he wants to potty train then I say go for it....Bottomline the "right time" is when the child shows an interest IMO
• Australia
27 Aug 07
Thank you so much for your reply. He's a funny boy, some days he's not interested, or doesnt seem to be. He wont let me change his nappy (diaper) and just runs away laughing. Very cheeky. But yesterday and last night he was frustrating me! He kept taking his nappy off and puting it in the bin! And we all know disposable nappies (diapers) aren't cheap! And he had probably only done one small wee in it, so it wasn't completely dirty. He did this straight after he was in the shower too, after he had been dressed in his pyjamas. I told him once i buy his big boy pants then he can be toilet trained properly. The most annoying one is when i put him down for his nap, and he takes it off then goes to sleep (and i don't know he's done it until he wakes up in a puddle!). I guess i'm just lucky he's so keen!