A.J. asks from Kaukauna, WI on December 30, 2006
17 Month Old and Potty Training
I have a 17 month old girl that refuses to wear a diaper and wants to use the potty. She has been going potty on the toilet when I take her or she will stand in the bathroom to let me know that she has to go. She will still have accidents, but for the most part she wants to go on the toilet. She actually went poop on the toilet last night! I couldn't believe it. I just feel that she is so young and I try to put a diaper on her and she kicks and screams. Right now I am using those thicker panties so when she has an accident it isn't as messy. This has been going on for a couple of days now. Can anyone help me on this one? Should I continue with the potty training since that is what she wants, or is she too young? Thanks for any help you can give.
So What Happened?™
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful responses! I am going to let her decide when she is ready and not push her, but help her along the way. This was really weird for me because my older daughter who will be 4 in a month, didn't get fully potty trained until 3 1/2. So I must just be lucky with this one. Thanks again!
Featured Answers
M.C. answers from Wausau on December 31, 2006
My older daughter was the same way. She was potty trained when she was just over a year old. Look at it this way..NO MORE diapers. Just be gentle when she has an accident and she seems ready. I tried to use pull ups but she didnt like those either.
Good Luck
More Answers
A.L. answers from La Crosse on December 30, 2006
Oh my gosh A. do you know how awesome that is????? my daughter is 5 now and when she hit 15mo she wanted to use the potty.. i dispise pull ups they dont work.. well atleast not for my kids. by 17mo she was fully potty trianed. now my son on the other had it took me untill he was 2mo past his second birthday to get him fully potty trained and he still has accidents. so what your daughter is doing is just awesome... shes ready let her go with it and dont hold her back. ask her if she has to go potty about every hour or maybe 2hrs or take her into the bathroom when you go. i know they grow up fast but this is an awesome thing. my cousin has a daughter that is 3 and shes still in diapers and doesnt want to go on the potty. so take this as a blessing.
hugs and good luck.
ang
J.S. answers from Rochester on January 02, 2007
If she wants to potty train let her! Potty training can be really difficult for some kids and parents, but she sounds like a natural! She may end up losing interest or it may take a while for her to be completely accident free. There is nothing developmentally 'wrong' with potty training earlier than average.
Congratulations!
J.
B.H. answers from Minneapolis on December 30, 2006
I would continue to let her want to potty train but if she pulls away or has continuous accidents be ready and willing to make her go back in diapers. My daughter was very interested in using the potty at 15mos. old but that only lasted a week and she wasn't actually potty trained til she was 2.5years old.
My advise on pullups are they are a waste of money. They make it 10x harder to change because you have to remove their shoes and pants completely and cost more than diapers. They also make it so comfortable and absorbant that kids don't mind going in them.
If I ever potty train again with future kids were going straight from diapers to underpants.
Just go with the flow and don't make a big deal about it.
I have noticed that all my friends kids that potty trained EARLY or were forced ended up having kids regress a year later or so and almost be completely untrained so becareful.
A.S. answers from Minneapolis on December 30, 2006
I agree with everyone comments about letting her lead the way. If she's ready than lucky you! When my oldest child was in the process of potty training we bought "special night time pull-ups" so if she had an accident we didn't have to worry about the bed getting soaked and waking her up. We would say, ok lets put on your "Barbie panties" or "Butterfly panties" that way it wasn't like she was having to wear a diaper or pull-up. Wow, you are soooo lucky! I have a 2 1/2 year old that absolutely does not want to sit on the potty or at least actually go on the potty!
M.C. answers from Wausau on December 31, 2006
My older daughter was the same way. She was potty trained when she was just over a year old. Look at it this way..NO MORE diapers. Just be gentle when she has an accident and she seems ready. I tried to use pull ups but she didnt like those either.
Good Luck
J.R. answers from Minneapolis on December 30, 2006
Go for it! If she's leading the way and is interested, roll with it! I wouldn't push her too much, but be encouraging. She'll likely still have accidents, but if you don't make a huge deal of them it should work out.
Congratulations! I'd guess that if big sister is potty trained your little one just wants to do the same thing.
M.S. answers from Eau Claire on January 02, 2007
That is great that your daughter wants to use the toilet. My advice to you is, let her use the potty during the day, accidents happen now and then, but at night if she throws a fit about diapers, let her know that she has to wear them at bedtime until she doesn't wet/dirty the diaper. It also helps to have her go to the bathroom before she lays down. I hope this helps!
Good Luck.
K.D. answers from Duluth on December 30, 2006
I would just go with what she wants to do. If she wants to use the potty and doesn't have many accidents then just go for it and potty train her. Have you tryed using pull-ups for her accidents? I didn't like them but some people do. You don't want to push her to potty train but ask her if she needs to go once in a while if its been to long so she doesn't have accidents. Hope this helps good luck!!!
Email