Potty Training - Mount Vernon, OH

I guess that I am from the old school. When my kids brought me the diaper and said I need changed, we potty trained. I don't believe that a 2 year old is too young to start. I do believe that a 2 year old will try to get away with and stay as babyish as they are allowed to.

H.,

Sativa is right on the money, developmentally, she is at a negativity stage, and will say no to everything, whether she means no or not! If you think she is ready, don't ask, just give her opportunities to use and get used to using the potty without giving her the chance to say no. She will get there, and you don't have to push, just don't put it into a "yes or no" kind of question.

M.

Hi H.. If you ask your daughter if she wants a cookie, does she say "no" and then run to the kitchen to get one? At the age of 2, NO is thier favorite word, some experts say it is because it is a word they hear alot. I wouldn't take your 2 yo no for meaning no all the time. My little ones join me in the bathroom when I go potty and see what it is used for. And I agree that you shouldn't push the toilet issue. Pluss, playing with the toilet is a good first step, she is getting used to it and finding out it isn't a bad thing. My almost 2 yo likes to sit on the toilet for a few months now and just wipe and flush. To her it is fun. Best of Luck!

Hi H..

I do think that kids will go when they're ready. My daughter just turned 2 and she's recently started telling me she wants to go to the bathroom - and she actually uses it sometimes! Some days she'll just want to sit on the toilet and then use toilet paper, and other times, she'll actually use it. I'm not pushing her a bit (at the moment) because we've moving in 3 weeks, but after that, potty training on! So, I say, your daughter will give you signs she wants to use it. Good luck!

I've been told that if you take 2 days worth of effort setting the timer for 30 minutes, and every time it dings, it's "potty time", then it goes pretty well.

Now with our first, we had the potties in the bathroom, and all, we'd ask if she had to go - she'd say no, and 10 minutes later, she's wet. Kids don't want to stop what they're doing to take the time to go potty. Going potty is apparently boring. We ended up with our oldest - anything she wanted or if she wanted to do something, everything came with a price - going potty. Want a treat? Potty first. Want to go play - potty first. That's what worked better than anything - stickers, M&M's, whatever.

You'll know when she's ready to start. We have a daughter who's 18 months, and she isn't ready at all. BUT we're keeping a watchful eye!

Good luck!!

2 is really early for anyone to potty train. the only successfull kid I know of had a really controlling mother. So yur fine and actually youare doing the absolutly CORRECT thing by letting her see the potty, pushit around and get comfortable with it. Leave it in the bathroom and wait about 6 months and you will see that she is ready. She will probably ask to sit on it with a diaper on then with out etc.

Whoever made the "decision" kids should potty train at 2 is a dumb@*#. Most 2 yo are no where even close to being ready. The concept is just not there for them at this age. Plus, if you start with going back and forth between panties, pull-us, and diapers they get such a mixed message. When they are ready and YOU are ready to endure this. You have to have the time and patience to do it or it's just not going to happen!!!! Potty training is something kids learn very quickly all they have to do is push your buttons enough and you will give up and give them back the pull-ups/diapers and they don't have to do it if they don't want to. I would wait it out awhile and when she actually shows interest in doing what she's supposed to do in the potty not just playing with it, then give it a try.

Age 2, especially for a girl is old enough for the potty. If you sit her on it first thing in the morning, sit in the bathroom with her and read a book until she goes. If she has already gone in her diaper, feed her breakfast, lots of juice, wait 20-30 minutes then sit her in there. ONce she has gone in the potty, lots of praise and put the panties on; tell her not to get them wet and to let you know. Yes, there will be accidents, but after a few times, she will learn. ONce you start this, don't go back.
I have 7 brothers and sisters and we were all potty trained by age 2. I am the mother of 3 and my first one was the only one I waited until age 3 to potty train. I wish I had done it sooner with him.

Your scenerio sounds a lot like mine. We were getting a lot of questions from friends and family about when we were going to begin potty training. (It started at about 15 months). My daughter, like yours, showed all the signs of potty training readiness. However, she too would say no when asked if she wanted to sit on the potty or wear big girl panties. She was familiar with the potty since 15 months, but just like your little angel, it was more of a novelty. I just told everyone we will begin training before she is 3.

Then right at 2.5 years, we started to train her. It has been a PIECE OF CAKE. It has been almost a month. Rarely an accident (mostly from her not getting her panties down fast enough). She goes to the potty about every hour to one and a half hours. Her preschool gives her a jelly bean every time she goes. In the last 3 weeks she has only had three accidents in the middle of the night.

Oh, and I don't ask her if she wants to go. I TELL her it's time to go sit on the potty. It has been such a blessing to wait. Good luck with your little miracle.

T. O.

I just read something the other day on how most kids were potty trained at an average of 18 months in the past and now it is 36 months! That's a lot of diapers in landfills or a lot of water/detergent to wash cloth! My girls always wanted to be in the bathroom with me-most kids are curious. Whenever I went I sat them on their potty--they always wanted to do what I was doing! If I had boys it would have been more of a problem since I was a single mother for the oldest and the youngest! Mine were all potty trained during wake times at 2 yrs but I did not worry about sleep times until they were much older since most kids don't have the ability to wake up when they have to pee until at least 3 or 4. It does help if you don't mind cleaning up messes on the floor because it is much easier to potty train if you keep them in panties-- and they will have accidents. I never made a big deal about it--I certainly would not punish a child--but they had to "help" clean up their mess. I gave lots of praise but a candy or toy reward could be setting up a bad precedence as another mom noted. There is an opening of time around 2 -some a little younger and some a litle older--where it is ideal to begin. If you miss that window of time they will lose all interest. She is showing the signs of being interested now. Another thing--it is important to be in tune with your child--pay attention to signs that they need to go and get them on the potty. AS another mom said they are often too busy to stop playing and need reminders. Potty training does not have to be a big deal--remember the more you stress about it the more difficult it will be!

Let your child be the one to let you know not anyone else. THe two of you are together most of the time. Only you know your child. There is no magic formula for training. Every child is very different. Those people who write those books to tell you how to do everything are just trying to find ways to make money. They don't know your child. Just be patient with her and she'll be fine.

I am a BIG advocate on not pushing to potty train. My ex-MIL was ready to force the hand the day my oldest turned 2. I talked to my Dr. whose opinion I value greatly (he has been my Dr since the age of 12!) He said not to push. They know when they have messed in their diaper, but they do not get the sensation they have to go until this age. I followed his advice with all 3 of mine. The oldest was about 2 1/2. We came home from work one day, he said momma I have to go, and we have never had an accident since. (other than when sick w/ diahrrea) I used this approach with the younger 2. They were closer to 3, and one was 3 before they were ready, but still NO ACCIDENTS EVER! I always hear the horror stories of "We've been trying for months, they just refuse." That's because they are not ready! Watching you and talking to her will help "teach" her. She just turned 2, she'll go when she's ready. Good Luck!

H. - GOOD LUCK with the potty training! It is a lot of work (I'm not going sugar-coat it to you!). I asked my pediatrician about potty training our oldest girl. He said that girls tend to start around 2-1/2 and boys around 3. I agree with the every 30 minutes (the not-so-fun-part)sitting them down on the potty; but I prefer to use praise as the form of reward. I've had too many friends tell me that they rewarded their kid with a "prize", "toy" and/or "candy"; and quit rewarding the kid once they felt he got the hang of it. Well, since the kid wasn't getting the "prize" any more; he quit going on the potty. Do what you will with this advice; I just wanted to share it with you. I have found that praise works really well ... my daughter has had her fair share of accidents; but she's more accomplishments! :)

Just keep offering and read her stories like "No More Diapers for Ducky" and "Once Upon a Potty" and she'll let you know when she's ready. I do suggest getting a book on training, it will tell you when they are more likely to go so you can ask at that point (like 30 minutes after a meal).

Pushing her would only backfire on you and cause alot of undue stress on everybody. Let her decide when to go. I used pull ups on my daughter after she turned two and would ask her occasionally throughout the day if she had to go potty. Sometimes she said yes, sometimes, no. She was fully trained by 3 1/2. I even let her play with her potty chair (clean, of course, LOL). Good luck!!!

H.,
My girls both turned two in February... and we are working on it daily still, but are completely out of diapers. Right around 26 or 27 months I bought a kitchen timer. Every 30 minutes the "potty clock" would ring for "potty time", we'd go sit in the bathroon for a few minutes, and if they went good, if not, we tried again in 30 minutes. Set the clock for another 30 minutes and repeated over and over again. We no longer use the clock, and both girls are doing pretty good. We also bought the Huggies flushable kids wipes ("poopy wipes" - to only use when the poop on the potty) and the toilet paper with paw prints for going pee-pee. They are pretty much done playing with the potty.... your daughter will get it eventually, just try and if it doesn't work, wait a couple days and try again. The best part is when they start telling you they have to go.... and when you don't have to buy diapers any more.

I don't really have any real advise, but just words of encouragement that it will happen. My son is 2 1/2 and we thought he would be 3 before we started the whole potty training thing. I mean, we have watched Elmo goes Potty I don't know how many times, lol, ha haha - but he was the same as yours where we would ask and he would say NO. Well, two weeks ago he just decided one day that he was done with diapers and he now uses the potty 90% of the time (# 2 is 100% of the time now). Occasionaly he gets side tract and forgets he has to pee and he pee's in a pull up. But hey, we really didn't do anything except read books and casually talk about it (just meaning we didn't make it a battle) and he decided he wanted to do it!

Two more things - as his BIG reward for using the potty (and I am being honest with you on how fortunate we were that in one day he decided he was using it 90% of the time) we painted his bathroom and made a Big Boy bathroom for him with all new bath toys and stuff.

And Lastly.... Big Lots has 78 count of pull ups for $15.00!!! That is a heck of a lot cheaper than the grocery store and cheaper than diapers. For on thing you get less diapers and pay $20.00 in comparison to the pull ups at Big Lots. Also, I think it is the Pampers brand and we haven't had any problem with ripping or anything with them. Just cost saving tip.

Good Luck!

Your child is still young, and you are right not to push the issue. My daughter was a good 3 1/2 before she was fully potty-trained (she was afraid of poop, so that part took a few extra months). We didn't shame her, and rewards made no difference. We would offer her the chance to use the potty every couple of weeks, and if she wasn't ready would just back off and reassure her that she would eventually be able to go in the potty like Mommy and Daddy. We let her watch potty training videos like Elmo and Bear in the Big Blue House. Eventually she decided on her own, and then it took no time at all and was very low stress. Please don't resort to any advice that is cruel emotionally or physically and that is disrespectful to the child's humanity. Just be patient and it will happen. To everything there is a season, and a time and a purpose under Heaven... even with potty training!

Hi H.,

I started encouraging my daughter to sit on the potty at age 2. She went a few times but mostly sat there. I let her take the lead. I did not push her because I had baby #2 three weeks after she turned two. A few months later she showed real interest and we put her in pull ups. She did really well for a few months and then started not wanting to go on the potty at all. At that point she was 2 1/2 and I put her in big girl panties. I put a special chart on the fridge and every time she went potty she got to put a sticker on the chart. She loved it. We had her trained in about a week. That was back in May and she is dry all the time now. Except nap and bedtime she wears a pull up for just in case of an accident while sleeping.

Good luck with potty training. Just relax you and your daughter are doing just fine. She might not be really ready for a few more months.

K.

well i just always took my kids with me when i had to go i had them come sit on their potty as well. and when they got the hang of it i would offer a special treat for using the potty.i have been told to get a special toy just for while they are in the potty works to..

Good luck

My oldest daughter potty trained easily. And younger than 2 years,
However my second child (daughter) was almost 3. (They are 18 months apart)

Because of being more concerned about how my mother felt, I pushed my second daughter.
Wrong! Each child is different. That's for real.

Sitting my second child on the potty--fine.
But as the poop start coming out, she would cry and scream and just throw a fit.
It's didn't hurt. It was just the transition of the poop no longer being against her body I think. This was strange to her and she didn't have the understanding in some way that this "poop" was not a part of her.

I quit the potty.
Instead I put her in the transition panties. Then, would take the poop and drop it in the toilet while she watched and then pour the poop from the potty into the big toilet and flush. Wave bye=bye while praising my daughter--over-acting a bit.
Extra steps. Tiring, but worth it.

Of course I'd sit all my 4 children on the potty just to get them use to it.
Then, when I knew it was near time for bowel movement or hoping to catch pee.

Patience for the Mom is what's needed.
Be perpared to take extra steps and spend extra time
Praising your child is always important. Don't bribe your child. They are young, but smart.
Each child is different.
Important to know and understand your child's personality and
personal likes because these things can be use to help keep your child happy and peaceful.
Remember your child will get it. This too shall pass.
I hope this helps some.
Kim~
ps-- my four are now 23, 22, 19 & 17. All in college . 2 girls and 2 boys. I love them!

I started sitting my children "on" the potty when they were 6 months old. Rewarded them with lots of praise if they went on the potty and said nothing if they didn't go. I could tell by the faces they made if they were having bowel movements and put them on the potty as quickly as possible doing the same thing.
My thoughts are if you don't sit her on the potty and stay with her for a few minutes praising and rewarding for using it it may be another year before she gets the idea to sit on it to go to the bathroom. I could be wrong, I have been wrong in the past.
I do know all 3 of my children were potty trained before the age of 2.

My daughter also turned two in June and I've been working with her on potty training the past couple of months and she is doing really good. I read a short book on it too and it offered good advice that has helped us... the first thing, it sounds as it your daughter is showing all the signs - so that is great! You need to get her to understand the idea of wet and dry. Also, don't ask if they have to go - they will always say NO! It's the age they are at to be defiant. Start taking pee pee or poo poo breaks and get her excited about going (i.e. Let's make a sticker book and add to it everytime you try to go or succeed) ... or you'll get an m-n-m each time you pee. Praise is also huge, obviously. We even have Pee Pee dance we do. Let them pick out their undies and be patient - she will have many accidents - just tell her that pretty soon all of her pee pees and poo poos will be on the big girl potty! Good luck to you ...

I have 20 month old twin girls and I think one is ready and one isn't. One knows that she went to the bathroom and will point. I put a potty chair in the bathroom and take her when I go and have her sit on hers, and tell her what she is supposed to be doing, I am not convinced that I am ready to spend the money on pull ups just yet because I want to make sure she knows exactly why she is in there, but I think she is about ready. My 16 year old I had trained by the time she turned two and now I have 3 more in diapers, so I am not pushing her, but when I think she is there and understands, I am going to go for it.
P.