Potty Training - Indianapolis,IN

I'd say give it 2 weeks and see. Strip him down naked below the waist, give him a little potty wherever he is most of the day, and see what happens. The worst that can happen is you find out he's not ready. After a few days if he seems to be getting it some, set the potty timer for every 30 minutes or so and just have him sit. Good luck - people used to have kids trained much earlier than we do now, so you might get lucky!

I agree with Shaun. Give it a try. Encourage the potty. But, don't push. Lots of praise when he does something on the potty. If he takes his diaper off, set him on the potty and explain what the potty is for. But, don't get discouraged if it doesn't work. He will get there. Just at his own pace.

We have been working with our 18 mo for a month now. We started with asking her if she is dirty or needs a diaper change. She is in daycare all day, but one night we found she was still dry when it was bedtime so we put her on the potty. She went after a little while and we praised her. We are trying to make this a part of her nightly routine. We don't push her to go. If she goes she goes. If not, that's fine too. We are taking it at her pace and not pushing, which seems to be working with her.

You may want to start to teach him someway to let you know he wants a change, besides taking his diaper off. Model what you want him to do (pat his butt, or someother sign) when you find he has or is taking his diaper off. Ask him, "Do you need your diaper changed?" and then do the sign. He will pick up on what you want him to do. Then you can work on him "asking" to use the potty, not necessarily when he needs to go. Our DD will make a flushing motion when she wants to sit on the potty when we ask her if she wants to go potty.

15-18 months most kids start showing interest. All you can do is try it. Sit him on it first thing in AM. and then every 1-2 hours. If you can catch him going #2, then put him on the potty. It is possible to potty train a 15 month old, but he will probably still need a diaper when sleeping.

My sister in law and good friend both starting potty training their boys when then started walking. Both were 12 or 13 months. I started potty training my daughter at 14 months. I highly recommend it! At this age they haven't found their independace yet. It is much easier to get them to stay on the potty. I can't imagine waiting until my daughter was 2! What a nightmare! We all used candy as "pee-pee treats" but none of us allow our children to have candy on a regular basis so the candy was a big deal. I had a small set back for about a week at 17 months but we got through it and by 19 months she very rarely had an accident. The boys transitioned to big boy undies much sooner than i transitioned my daughter simply because i was nervous about an accident everywhere. I finally transitioned her at 23 months from pullups to big girl panties and she did great. She still wears a diaper to bed at night because she just can't hold it all night long yet. Potty training early also save a ton of $$ and is better for the environment!

When my son was 18 months old he started screaming whenever he was wet/soiled until we would change his diaper. It wouldn't matter if we were in the middle of HOme Depot or in our house. We started sitting him on the potty a few times a day. Sometimes he would go. Sometimes he wouldn't go. He is 3 now and is potty trained during the day & naps, but still wears a diaper at night. I think we started too soon since it took us 1.5 years to accomplish the potty training. I don't think children have enough bodily function control before 2 years. They might know when they go, but don't have enough lead time between when they know they have to go to when they do go. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, good luck. I know every child is different and maybe it will work well for your son, but in my experience I would wait a while.

work with him he may very well be ready to do potty training.K.

With my oldest daughter, we decided to get the potty, but to wait until she had the language/communication skills-so more than 2, but not quite 3 - to start potty training. Yes, she showed interest, and sat on it, and all that.

I probably wouldn't press it just yet. BUT If you're willing to really give it a go, I've heard that setting the timer every 30 minutes, and then having them sit on the potty (whether or not something happens is not the point - it's getting him used to sitting on it, and then if something does happen, have a party about it!). Do that consistantly for 3 days, and I've heard that that ought to do it. That's what our sitter did during the week, and we did on weekends, and it seemed to work really well - but like I said she was at least 2 1/2 before we really started on it.

Good luck!

I would say give it a try, but don't push him. If it works then great! And if it doesn't, well you're not really losing anything. Just don't force him to do it. And to help keep the diaper on, put a onesie on him. They make them in larger sizes. Much harder to get off than a regular shirt and pants. Also a mess saver at naptime!

My son who is now 16.5 potty trained himself at 18 mos. I was 8 months pregnant with his sister and not interested in starting the job. He pulled off his diaper, peed in the potty and said "no need you! Do it me self.!" He only had a couple accidents. He hated his diapers. Each child is different. My next one took until she was 4 to be #2 trained. So, if he shows the signs, give it a shot. One can never tell. And I currently am pre-training my 2 year old preemie. I try panties for about 5 hours a day. She wets a bit in them but is learning that it feels ucky. So by Summer we should be there for pee. She already will not poo in them. That was beyond ucky for both of us. C.

B. - If he is consistently taking off his diaper when he is dirty, then I would start with that. Not all kids wait until the time the "experts" say they are ready. Some are even later. He may really be thrilled to be able to flush his own TP down the toilet. Start catching him in the act and rush him to the potty.....He will soon realize what you are doing and my even rush himself to the potty.

Also, if he is really that uncomfortable being wet/dirty, then he will be even more so in underwear. What works for one child doesn't necessarily work for another. But, always give a system a fair trial before deciding it won't work. My son liked to "aim" at the cheerio in the potty, then he was rewarded with coins (he was into money at a very young age). My first daughter liked to get an M&M after she had a good potty experience. My second daughter is motivated by "helping Mommmy". The last one doesn't seem to want to tell me when she has to go, but as long as I take her to the potty every few hours, she stays dry and clean. And if I forget for 4 or 5 hours she holds it. It works for me, for now.

He will learn quickly what it feels like to need to go pee if you put him in underwear. Diapers seem to keep them too dry for too long.

I liked the eBook I found on www.thepottytrainer.com. You might want to check it out, as well as, other resources.

The thing that worked for all of mine, is to tell them they are not a baby anymore and this is how it is. Good luck and think of all the money you will be saving!!!

A.
Working from home with 3 Blessings.

My daughter was potty trained by 13 months. We had some regression issues twice, once when I was watching another child 6 months older than her who wasn't and once right after my son was born when she was 23 months old, fixed that within a week! My son and the 10 year old I am raising now were both totally trained by 18 months old.
I would get them up and put them on the potty chair first thing in the morning and immediately after they got up from naps and right before bed at night. I would turn the water on low sometimes to help them get the urge. They went potty after every meal too, same thing. I never left them sit there for more than 5 minutes maximum and we played patty cake, hide and seek, etc., when they were real little and then sang songs and read short little books or nursery rhymes when they were a little older. If they went there were hugs and applause and a treat. If they didn't go then it was okay and I said so but no treats. Then as they were older it was kind of "If you do not wet or poop in your pants for a day you can do or have (a special treat or a trip to the park), then it was if you don't wet or poop in your pants for a week, and the prize was bigger. My daughter earned a trip to Kings Island for a month of not wetting or pooping in her pants, and a swing set (she was getting it anyway for her birthday but didn't know it) for 2 months. My son earned a tonka truck he wanted for a month and a tricyle for 2 months. Sounds like bribery, but it is a reward system actually. If you see him going to hide immediately take him to the potty!!!!

You could try for a week or so and if he responds fine but if not let it go for a few months and when he seems interested try again.

I believe the reason they say to wait until they're at least 2 years old is because they don't have the muscles developed yet that is used to hold your pee. He wouldn't be able to hold his pee for too long. And studies show that when they start training early, it actually takes longer. I would continue to make potty time fun. You don't want him to get discouraged or tired from keep going potty if he can't do it yet. My friend trained her son at age 2 and was potty trained in a few weeks! When he would poop in his diaper, she would put the poop in the potty with her son watching. My daughter took quite a bit longer to train than that. I also have an 18 month old son and he has become interested in watching us go potty. He also tells us when he goes in his diaper and needs changed. But I am going to wait until he's two to start potty training him. I hope this helps.

I care for children in my home and sometimes it is a phase they go thru. I would use it to my advantage. If he sits on the potty at all celebrate it. There are so many kids afraid of the potty or get scared when they have to potty without a diaper on. It is a little early but all kids are different and just work with him and definitly let him sit on the potty when he wants too.

I STARTED potty training my son at 10months- as in he had a pretty regular schedule already or at least I had a good idea when he was going to go- so I would put him on the potty at those times- sometimes he would go (sometimes he wouldnt) but when he did we would act very excited about it and that got him excited. Having a fun seat helps and eventually we went to "potty candies" - we went to the candy story he picked out his own, very small, candies and would get one when he did his thing- also we had some success with rubber stamps on the hands as a reward too- (unfortunately the sugar was more effective however lol) I'm not usually into behaviorism techniques like rewards but with potty training it seemed really effective both him and his sister were potty trained by two- I think the most important thing to remember is just to keep it fun- and take your time, not pushing in any way. Another trick to try if you are willing and have the time is just to let them run around without a diaper- they tend to catch on real fast to their own bodily functions that way. I hope this helps.
B.

Just because he doesn't fit into some "textbook" definition doesn't mean anything. He's an individual and he's telling you loud and clear that he is ready. And most kids are ready at about 12-18months, but we seem to have this idea that they arent so we delay training them, thus missing the window of opportunity and making potty training much more difficult than it has to be. Matter-of-factly tell him about the potty and show him the steps. Put him on there several times a day. After he has some success with going in the potty in diapers let him have cotton training pants and prepare yourself for 3-5 days of accidents before he gets his bladder muscles under control. Avoid rewarding him because that will just set him up for a backslide when you take the reward away. And it gives him a false sense of what going to the bathroom is. The world is not going to give him candy and toys for peeing. So, smile encouragingly and let him know you are pleased with him. That'll be reward enough. And congratulations on having such a wonderful son! good luck!