Potty Training 21 1/2 Month Old

We had a potty video and book that helped us along. I don't believe in going full force with potty training but rather have it be a natural evolution. now that he's gone on the potty, i'd continue with it and the fact that he's excited means he's ready. We made sure not to instill any shame or stress with it and it paid off. Our boy was potty trained with ease totally by 2 1/2 which we were happy with. we also had a new baby come during this time which we thought he'd "regress" but he didn't. Yours may be sooner since he's pretty young. Have fun!

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I would say go for it! My sister's son is 20 months old and he's doing the same thing as your son. My son is 27 months old and won't sit on the potty unless you give him a reward like chocolate or something, so i just don't think he's ready. Good luck!!

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Hi A., don't ask your ped about potty training him, he/she will [probably tell you to wait until he is 2 or 3 years old, I didn't listen to anyone, and i had my first son potty trained at 21 months, my second son was potty trained at 19 months and my daughter was trained by 22 months. Just use reward and discipline, that's what i did with mine, I put a pretty jar on the wal unit filled ot with M & M's and every time they used the potty I gave them 2 or 3 m & m's, and I used discipline when the peed on themselves, I was very blessed in the area that out of 3 kids I never had any of them poop on themselves once I got rif of the diapers, Also use real traing pants not pull ups, pull us are a diaper with out the tape, be patient and make it fun, and he should do just fine. J.

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Wow that's still pretty early for a boy. We potty trained my son at 2 years and 8 or 9 months (32-33 months) and he seemed to be average if not early among other boys we know.

He was telling us that he pooped a lot earlier than that, but that did not mean he was ready to use the potty. Your child needs to be able to understand the need to go and be able to hold it, which is different from being aware that something is already in his pants - hopefully that makes sense.

Hopefully you're lucky and your son is actually ready, but if your initial attempt at potty training doesn't work, don't push it. At 21 1/2 months he might not be ready.

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Just take it slow and don't push it because they tend to revert if you do. This might be a good time to start giving stickers when he goes potty on the potty so he wants to do it on his own. Our son showed signs at that age but every time we initiated full on training he didn't really get into it and I didn't want to push him. When he was 3 we put him in regular underwear one weekend and he was trained from that point on, even through the night. It's been over a year and he has only had 2 accidents and they were in the middle of the night. I think some will say that waiting until he was 3 was too long but every kid does it in their own time and I am just happy that he was 100% trained from the get go. Best wishes.

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DO NOT listen to anyone that says he is too young. Did you know that 18 months was noraml to be potty trained until they invented disposable diapers! If he is telling you then start, but let hime lead. Keep asking and talking about it. Right now is an age where they love to see us happy, so make a huge deal out of it, and reward him. I didnt have my girls trained until they were alomost 3, and I was going crazy, spending 50 dollars a week on diapers (3 in them) and my son is 15 moths and love to sit on the potty and sometimes goes. Just keep him excited and happy and he will get it!

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A.,

THE best thing to do is to stay LAID BACK about it!!! When kids feel pressured to pooty train BAD things happen. I could (and have at some times) write for DAYS on this subject. It can very quickly become a power struggle, when that happens, he WILL win. Let it go. I promise you he will not start kindergarten in a diaper. When he's ready it will happen in about a day (maybe 2 for a first boy) about 3 is the youngest that I recommend for a boy (I was a potty training teacher for almost 3 years ~ so I REALLY know PT!!!) especially the first born!!

Good luck!!
H.

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I am the mom of four sons. Your little guy is WAY too young to potty train. Don't even think about it until he is at least 3 years old. Just because he is becoming more self-aware does not mean he is ready to potty train, not by a long shot. Let him be. You should NEVER go full force with potty training, because if you simply wait until a child is ready, no training is necessary. As my pediatrician always said, if you find yourself having to potty "train" your child, your child is too young to be using a potty. As a first-timer, I know it can be hard to know when to do what. With my first (who is now 26) I was always pushing on towards that next accomplishment, that next goal or milestone. Poor kid! He had a rookie mom who tried to rush him right through his childhood. Do not make the same mistake. Boys generally potty train later than girls, and you shouldn't give potty training another thought until he is at least 3 years old. You will meet parents who proudly proclaim that their child was potty trained by some young age, but they are not to be emulated. It is a mistake, not an accomplishment. Just wait.

I don't really have any advice, but I highly recommend these training pants. Gerber also makes training pants, but I really had a hard time finding them and these work better.

http://www.pottyscotty.com/Potty-Training-Pants.html

Good luck.

Yeah- success! There's nothing like success to serve as a motivator. I think that Jacob is already showing you that he's ready to go "full force" into potty training. It's been so warm lately- it's a great time to let him run around in just underwear, so he can continue to feel when he needs to go to the bathroom. When you're outside, you can have a little potty chair outside, so he can urinate there.

Dr. Phil has some great advise on his website about potty training. You basically start putting them in regular underwear so they can really feel the wetness. You get a doll that pees and they watch the doll go. You make a really big deal out of the doll going and give the doll a "potty party." This makes the child want one too. Then, you just give the child a lot to drink that day and keep taking him to the potty. I take mine once an hour. If I forget and there is an accident, we don't make a big deal out of it-we just keep going back to the toilet. I just bought an insert that sits on top of the toilet so there is no mess to clean up-everything goes into the toilet but my son is comfortable sitting on the toilet because his insert is cushioned and makes the opening smaller. He loves to flush the toilet when he's done, so that is part of his "payoff." I also give him a sticker that he can put on his book shelf (it has wooden sides) when he's done. If you don't want to go straight to regular underwear or you want something for when you're out and about, go ahead and start putting him in Pull Ups. They are much easier to pull up and down when potty training. I have to keep my little guy dressed-no running around in a diaper anymore, because he will take it off as soon as he soils it if he has an accident.

Kids our on there own timing. Some early, some late. Sounds like he's ready, so I say go for it! The sooner the better. Less diapers! LOL Good luck!!

My son (at about the same age) would tell me when he had to and when he went so I went full force on the potty training too....but we backslided. He started to feel like it was punishment cause I was always trying to make him use the potty. So....maybe let him tell you when and if he wants to use it. Most boys train at 30 months old. I plan on trying again then.

One responder said your son was way too young - your post says he is 12 1/2 months old. Did you mean 21 1/2? 12 mos is too young.

If he is 21mos then you need to find out if he is ready before starting. I highly recommend The No Cry Potty Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. Like another woman said, if and when he is ready, the potty training process is a piece of cake. When we start it before their time it takes a lot of time and can be frustrating for all involved. I read the above mentioned book when my son was 2. I tried, he wasn't ready, backed off and at 3, he was pottied trained in days and I can honestly say it was an enjoyable time for both of us.

Best wishes,
M.