Potty Training - Metairie,LA

Hey C. -

WE have four little boys and I have waited with each one of them until right before they were three to even start. The younger siblings have started earlier, but only b/c they want to be like their big brothers. If he is interested now it wouldn't hurt to start, but don't stress about it. Each child is so different and while you probably could make him learn when you are ready it may be helpful to wait until he shows interest. :)

We purchased a potty when my son was 1 1/2 at the advice of our pediatrician. We put it next to the big toilet just to let him get used to seeing it there. The very first night it was there he went on his own. He would suddenly appear without bottoms and we found out he was using the potty. For the next 5-6 weeks he used the potty sporadically. Maybe 3 potty visits for every 1 diaper he wet. Then the holidays came and he pretty much lost interest. We let it go for a while then when he was about 1 month shy of 2 1/2 he started taking off his diaper and teeteeing behind the couch. We decided it was time that he use the potty then.

My son was completly night and day potty trained by 2 1/2. It only took 1 week. Of course, my son stayed with my mother while I worked part-time during the day so it was really easy for us to just put him in underwear and work with him 24/7. He only had a few accidents in the month or so following.

So, 2 1/2 worked great for us. We might have been able to do it earlier. I will say, a friend's little boy day trained at 3ish and was still wearing night pull-ups for a long time.

Ok, I am aware that this may sound a bit corny to you but start taking him into the bathroom with you and sit him on your lap while you go pee. Some kids are afraid of the toilet and this way, he sees that nothing will happen to him. I would also not even mess with a little potty for him. Just get a stool and a little potty seat that fits on top of the regular seat. I never could understand why we train them to go on one seat and then have to re-train them to go on the big one! Never made sense to me. Once he is a little older, have dad show him how most boys go. Also, there is an awesome video called "It's Potty Time". The songs are hysterical...you will laugh, but the kids just love it. My daughter would make me go in there and sing with her every single time. Now that I think back on those days....it was really a lot of fun! But, the most important thing is like others have already said...just wait until he gives you signs that he is ready. There is no right age. Just listen to your son, not the books! Go with what seems right for him. And whatever should happen, just rememeber that you will NOT have a 20 year old still in diapers! It WILL happen. Give it time. Hope some of this helps!! Good luck and take care!

You would normally think that 14 months is too young for a baby to learn to use the potty but it really depends on the child. Some children are more advanced in learning and others are more advanced in doing. I put my daughter on the toilet at a pretty young age, although she didn't use the toilet everytime, she did in fact use it. It takes a little longer but you are working with your child towards improvement. I think that any child can learn as long as they are exposed to it. I would let my daughter go with me in the bathroom if I had to go. She mimics pretty much anything so I figure why not this.

She wasn't FULLY potty trained by 1.5 but was using the bathroom on the toilet. The daycare that I use also helps with training. Even though she was in a younger class the teachers would take her so she would get used to going at certian times. By the time she was 2 she was fully potty trained and was being moved to the 3 year old class shortly after. She accells in pretty much everything she does but that is because I take the time to sit with her to teach her. It may be stressful and you will become crazy thinking will he ever learn....but I can promise you that he will.

I know it is harder not having a male around to show him how but most boys sit on the potty to begin with right? You can start him out by showing him to sit and later he can get lessons or (like Sarah) get extra help from daycare if you use one.

Good luck and remember, not everyone learns everything in one day. Why not start sooner to get him accustomed to the idea. I have an infant that is 10 months old and she loves her potty! It is actually a chair, with arms, that has a toilet paper holder and a magazine cubby on the side. It is like a big person chair but for a child. She loves to play on it and hopefully that will help her when we are ready to start. I have sat her on it to give her the idea. We'll see if Sarah was just a fluke thing or if children really are able to learn at a young age.

It is too soon. He may be able to sit on the potty, but his skills at letting you know are not fully ready at this age. You should wait til some where closer to 2. I tried to do that also when my son was 16 mos because he could use the potty, but he wasn't ready. He is now 22 mos and will only have maybe one accident during the day and is in underwear!

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