Potty Training Early.....

Some children (you, your friend, and this often happens with little girls) potty train early. I did also. But pushing your child to do it when he is not ready is NOT healthy for him. It will make you frustrated, it will make him frustrated, and you'll all be miserable. The guideline I'm sure you know is 2.5, but many kids are ready earlier- just keep in mind it is much harder for boys to potty train (boys mature slower) so it is unfair for you to hold him to this standard. Make sure he sees both you and your husband go to the bathroom (a lot of people think this is weird, I know, but what better way to teach than by modeling? And if you act like it's some big deal private thing then he'll definately not want to do it) and talk about it- Izzy's 18 months and knows all about going potty- she's even peed in the potty three times. But I'm not pushing her at all, just encouraging and educating. I also got a board book (kind of by accident at the dollar aisle in target) called "bye bye, diapers" and she loves to read it- she clapps and goes "yeah!" when the little girl in the book goes pee pee. But I know she's not completely ready yet for a few reasons- 1) she can't pull her own pants down yet (I don't want her to have to rely on me to do this, I want her to do it on her own), and 2) she only tells me she has to go pee pee when she really just wants to take her diaper off and run around naked, ie, she really doesn't recognize the urge to pee and can't hold it (but she knows if she takes her diaper off she has to sit on the potty, then diaper goes back on).

What's the rush, though? I know, diapers are a pain, but potty training too early won't be much better, because unless he is ready for it physically, mentally, and emotionally, you're going to end up spending the next 6 months to a year struggling with accidents and battles of will.

Some children do have the physical ability early on to control their bowel muscles. Many do not. Boys especially have difficulty with the muscle control at such a young age and it is far easier to potty train a girl so young than a boy.
I do know some mothers who practice "elimination communication" which is what our mother's likely did with us (anticipating when they thought we would go and hold us over the toilet in a nutshell) but that starts at an earlier age. You can google it for more information.
You can try to introduce him to it and see if he has any interest but be warned, it has been proven that if you push too hard to get him potty trained when they aren't physically or emotionally ready it may take even longer and you may even end up with a "Potty Training Resistant" child who may not potty train until 4 years old!

There are some excellent tips on potty training boys at this link http://www.babycenter.com/0_successful-toilet-training-fo...

As for utilizing Ezzo's books. Be advised, Gary Ezzo is NOT a Dr. For more information on the Ezzo books and the Ezzo's themselves you can visit http://www.ezzo.info/
or just google Babywise or Ezzo...there's a WEALTH of information on them.

Hi M.: My daughter was fully potty trained shortly after turning 2 years old. It was on a holiday weekend that I would be home everyday to catch her. I asked her if she needed to pee every 15 minutes. It gets them trained to think about it and relate it to the feeling of wanting to go. I skipped the whole pull up stage. Straight underwears. She still wet in her sleep so that's when I used the pull ups. It stays cold so she knew she was wet and hoping she'd wake up. But now she'll be turning 3 and I'm proud to say for the last 5 nights she's been sleeping with underwear and NOT wetting her bed. The trick to this is no liquids after a certain time and make sure she sits on the toilet before going to bed. She's received a sticker every morning that she didn't wet her bed. She lights up when I put a sticker on her chart by the bathroom. They need rewards, a treat so they know they are making you happy and that they are doing good. It's also tough for the parent to always remember to ask the child if they need to pee or poop. You will get use to asking them....It's training for both of you. I think you should do it...2 years old is a great age to be potty trained. It's definitely easier on you.

Hi M.,

I don't think it hurts to try and see how he responds. If he goes with the flow, it may actually work. However, if he is resistant, I would not force the issue. I believe that kids' personalities play a major role in potty "training". Hope this helps!

Kids will potty train themselves if they've had using the toilet 'modeled' for them and they are not pushed about it. Think about it. That and eating are the ONLY 2 things in their LIVES that they have any say over or control over. If they have any kind of a will at all, they will exert it. If you HAVE to go back to work, find a day care that will work with him as HE IS READY. There is no reason to push/rush potty training. All 3 of my kids, 15, 19 and 31, did it on thier own when they were ready. I think the oldest one of them was potty trained was 3, and that is my autistic son.
I know about the Ezzos. Just remember that the bible says "Father's, do not incite your children to anger". It's saying basically, kids are kids. Choose your battles, carefully and let them be kids. Scheduled feedings and forcing potty training are not in your child's best interest. Each child's body matures at a different age, and sometimes we are trying to get them to do something they are not even phisiologically ready to do. Just show him how, explain when changing him how he could be more comfortable if he 'put his pee and poop' into the potty instead of his pants, and leave it at that. Some boys arent trained until 4 years old. Give your little guy a break, he'll be fine!
C. A.

M., I wrote the same thing to a couple other parents on here...

... I just finished potty training my daughter and it was E-A-S-Y with the help of www.easypottytraining.com it is an online book- and if you follow it exactly, you daughter will be trained fully in 3 days!!! Good luck!! Oh. and the autor of the book sayss the eariler the better. Girls are SUPPOSED to train around 18 months, and boys by 2 !!!
K.

I say go for it. In other countries they think Americans are crazy to keep our kids in diapers as long as we do. We potty trained our (now) 8 year old when she just turned three.

With our 22 month old I just tried last month. I had set the date and all the accessories ready. We started first thing that morning and she was very resistant which I found surprising. With-in a few hours I understood why - she was sick with a fever. Talk about the best laid plans! I've decided to wait a few more weeks to try again - give her a chance to forget the trauma of sitting a fevered bottom on a cold seat, poor thing!

My 2 year old is trained (except for sleep times) She has been pretty consistent since about 18 months. We started offering the potty at key times (when she was straining to poop, before and after naps and before bath) around 9 months. I think it's really about expectations. I didn't expect her to potty train in a week, or not to have misses. I just figured that every poop that made it into the toilet was one that didn't go in the dipe. She still can't hold it forever, so if she says "potty" and we're in the car... I either pull over or expect to use our spare clothes. I think as some have said that the 1 day method and the 3-4 day methods are really geared toward older kids, so I would probably look to books like "Diaper free baby" or "Potty Free Before 3". Potty training young requires more parent input early on and all positive, no negative reactions no pressure. Also there are windows of opportunity when your little one is more into it and times when they aren't. Diaperfreebaby.org might have some helpful tips. I am very hesitant of Ezzo's ways... and he is not a doctor.