This Is No Joke...

Updated on March 15, 2012
C.C. asks from Conroe, TX
47 answers

Have you ever seen a child (2 1/2yo) only needs a couple of days of instructions on using the potty...and then....that was it...he was potty trained? No accidents. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes.

What can I do next?

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N.P.

answers from San Francisco on

My kid pooped on the floor, then picked up her little potty and put it on top of the poo to cover it up. Mensa will not be calling us anytime soon.

5 moms found this helpful

T.N.

answers from Albany on

Yes, my 18 month old daughter took her diaper off climbed up on the pot and that was then end of it.

My boys, however were not consistently 'trained' until after their 4th birthday.

They're all so different. I also think there's no such thing as 'potty training' and a kid will not do it til a kid is ready, no matter WHAT you try.

:)

4 moms found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

Yes, my oldest did that. Whoo hoo! Was I a happy mommy. Can't say the same for the others, but whoo hoo for the first kid.

2 moms found this helpful

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

Yes, it happens - when they are ready to be trained it just clicks.

3 moms found this helpful

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

it does happen. it's called being lucky :) now just don't spend the next 10 years trying to tell the moms on here with a 4 year olds refusing to potty train how it's done lol!

3 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

when they are ready it can be that fast

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R.P.

answers from Kansas City on

yes when hey are ready its like they never wore diapers. My older dd was potty trained just all the sudden. congrats by the way if this has happened for you and your child :)

3 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

C.:

My son was potty trained in one week. So yes. I would believe it.

Some kids are just ready.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Yep.

That's what happens if you wait until the ANS and SMS have rewired with the urinary system.

It's nothing a parent DOES, except have patience. Once their autonomic and somatic systems have rewired, it only takes a couple of days. No leading back and forth to the bathroom, no checking every few minutes. Once the nerves have rewired, that's it.

It happens at a DIFFERENT TIME for every child, and it's a bell curve (like most things).
- MOST have rewired between ages 2.5-3.5.
- A minority between 1.5-2.5... and a minority between 3.5 and 4.5.
- Very very very FEW between 12mo & 1.5, and 4.5 and 6.5

With DAYTIME potty training... the only thing a parent can do is make it take LONGER. Stress yanks control from the somatic to the autonomic (even in adults). The more stress in a child's life, the longer it will take them to train, period, because the rewiring can't happen.

Once daytime training is done, however (key point, the system has to be totally rewired while they're awake), there IS a trick to rewiring for night control... and that's PUSHING fluids (instead of restricting). Nerves send impulses at different levels. A very full bladder (from pushing fluids) sends a strong signal. A mostly empty bladder (from restricting fluids) sends a weak signal. With strong signals, night time training can be done in a couple days. .With weak signals, it can take 6-12mo before the brain acclimates.

2 moms found this helpful

P.E.

answers from Atlanta on

My oldest daughter was 3.5 years old when she potty trained.

My middle was 2.75 years old and my youngest? She is about to turn 3 and watched her sister's potty and said - "daddy I want do to that" I said OKAY. we got her "big girl panties" and that was it. She mimicked her sisters and was done.

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K.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yes. My little guy trained himself at 22 months. No instructions, he just watched his brother do it and wanted to be just like him. The 1st time he got up there I thought it was cute, but then he actually went... and then consistently after that. It was unbelievable to me too.

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

Not a child, but my puppy only had four accidents in the house ever! :)

1 mom found this helpful
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✩.!.

answers from Denver on

My oldest dd was trained in 5 days and she was 18 mos. Consistensy is the key.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

Yes, both of my children trained early, because friends encouraged me to try. I though they were wrong, but I did give it a "go" (pun intended). I have a theory that there is a window of opportunity for many children between 2 1/2 and 3, during which they train easily. If we wait too long, it seems it actually gets harder.

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M.J.

answers from Austin on

I hate to brag... but yes- my son was one of those kids. I sent him to grandma's for a few days with no prior potty experience and she had him potty trained by the time he got home and he has never had an accident. He's now almost 5. I told her she must be the "grandma whisperer" and should open a business- she'd make bank! LOL I probably wont be as lucky with his new baby sister....

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L.H.

answers from San Diego on

Yes, it was weird to me too. Potty trained, 2.5, night time, one accident when she was very sick. That's it. Done. I thought it was strange. She's now 5.5.

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A.F.

answers from Burlington on

My daughter was 2 years 7 days when she told me she wanted to use the potty. We took her diaper off, she went and that was it. We were done (used pullups for about another 6 mos. overnight, just in case, but didn't need them.) I guess we were lucky. I never really cared about changing diapers and never pushed the potty thing and she just did it on her own!

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L.S.

answers from Spokane on

Both my older daughter were potty trained within a week. They were 26 and 27 months and were *ready*. It was nothing *I* did...it was all them. And I plan on waiting until my youngest is ready as well.

I have friends that started "potty training" their children at around 18 months and those kids were STILL training 6-12 months later. To me, it's not worth the stress (to me AND my kids) to potty train before they're actually ready to it.

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K.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

I have 5 kids.

My 25 year old son was tough to train.

My 16 year old son was pretty easy. Very few accidents.

My 7 year old triplets varied.
- I told my daughter (2.7yrs) when the timer went off to go sit on the potty. She had one accident because she didn't know she could sit down before the timer went off. I told her to sit down whenever she had to go and was trained from that moment on, including at night. Freaky!
- the two boys took longer with varying reason and it wasn't until they were nearing 4 when they were done training day and then at night. A year after my daughter.

Every kid is different and hear varying stories of how quickly and long it takes to train.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

A friends 3 yo daughter was potty trained in 2-3 days. It just depends if they're physically and emotionally ready when you start.

1 mom found this helpful

M.C.

answers from Pocatello on

nope, I haven't... but miracles do abound, eh?

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M..

answers from Youngstown on

Yes! My daughter did exactly this at 2.5 years old. It took one weekend (Sat & Sun) and by Monday morning she was completely potty trained and has been ever since! And she stays dry all night! We still use pull ups at night (just in case) but every morning her pull up is dry. She is now 3.5 yrs old.

☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

According to my mom, I potty trained myself at 12 months old exactly. I asked for a potty, she bought it, and I immediately started using it. She'd find potty in it ... (I was walking at 10 months, too) I guess I was an early achiever. Or anal. :)

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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My son was trained in under a week at 25 months. My mom swears my sister and I were each fully trained at 12-13 months and my brother at 16 months. Before the days of disposable diapers, the median age American children were fully trained was 18 months. In the rest of the world, the current median is about a year (check the NY Times archives online).

K.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yes, I have 3 of them!

~Believe me I am aware how 'lucky' I was with the WHOLE potty-training thing! All 3 of my kids just got it, it just clicked for them and we never looked back! But to be fair I waited till they each woke up dry consistently in the mornings before even starting. They were all at or around 2 years old. 2 boys and 1 girl. No pull-ups, straight to undies all the time. Dry night and day. It was SO easy!

L.M.

answers from Dover on

It does happen. My cousin's son was like that and I have heard of other but it is not the norm.

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H.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yep. I have. My son was super easy to potty train. I potty trained him at 20 months. He had a few days with accidents and then that was that. I felt sooooo lucky. Some kids just do it easier.

"The child psychologist who thought she had all the answers to parenting until she became one herself." www.themommypsychologist.com

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R.C.

answers from Dayton on

I tried when my daughter was 2. She just wasn't interested. She came to me at almost 3 and said "I would like to wear panties now." I said OK and she has never had an accident, both day or night, she is now 9 and can hold it way longer than I ever could.

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K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son had one accident the very first morning and was completely trained after that. He had turned three just a couple of days before.

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T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

My girls were all trained before then (only took a couple of days
)... so my answer would be yes. I just chalked it up to girls are easier/i was lucky to be a SAHM.

Congrats on him being trained!! No more diapers!! :) I hear some boys take forever :(

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K.D.

answers from Dallas on

I casually introduced my daughter to the potty at 2. It wasn't until she figured out what it felt like to go that it all clicked for her. One evening, we were shopping, and she told me that she had to go potty. That was it for her. A week later she told me that she didn't want to wear pull ups to bed (she was still waking up wet) and I told her okay, and let events take their coarse...she woke up soaking the bed and all, and thats when nights clicked for her. She was one month shy of 3 years old. Hasn't had an accident since the bed, she is almost 5 now.

D.B.

answers from San Antonio on

My oldest son did that. Started taking off his own diapers at 2-1/2 an going potty. He didn't talk at that age so thought I couldn't train him. But he took it on himself to go to the bathroom. He was done in 3 days with 1 accident. After that I waited till all my children were that age to start training and it was SO much better than starting at 15 months like I did with the first one.

A.A.

answers from Nashville on

Yes my daughter was potty trained right around when she turned 2. She had a bathroom connected to her room so once my husband got done remodeling it we left the door open and i had her potty seat on the toilet with a step stool up to it and she was potty trained. I couldnt believe how easy it was.

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C.Z.

answers from Omaha on

I think it can be the rule, done correctly. I recently finished potty training two little girls in daycare. We started on Monday, we were finished by Thursday.

I don't think it is luck (well, maybe a little!) but I think it has more to do with knowing WHEN they are ready, being committed to getting the job done, making sure the kids can get their own pants up/down and get on the potty by themselves and peer pressure (even at the ripe old age of 2 1/2!) Also, this time, my daycare mom went to Babies R Us and bought a potty watch. We could set it for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour. We had it set at one hour. When the watch beeped, it would play a little song and my two girls would shoot for the bathroom. We had one accident between the two of them in that week. The watch was $10 and worth EVERY penny!

L.B.

answers from New York on

Yes, my daughter. When she was 2 1/2 I bought her some pretty underwear and told her that she couldn't wear them until she used the potty. One day she took off her diaper, put on her pretty underwear and hopped on the potty and that was it - she was potty trained. On the other hand, my son was 3 and it took for ever with lots of bribing and games before he was potty trained.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I think potty training can be quick for some kids. My DD, once she got the idea, was trained - poop and pee - very quickly. Some kids take a long time to do both consistently.

I just had a conversation with a friend and she was lamenting that her DH was told about another lucky family with a quickly trained 2 yr old and he's been on her case about their DD ever since. Their DD is 3. I told her that my DD did not train fully til she was over 3 and some kids just need more time. My DD was not ready at that age.

So good for these parents, and their daughter, but I don't think that training later is all that terrible, either.

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C.E.

answers from New York on

My mother potty trained all the grandchildren about 8 of them. Then to get them of the baby bottle...she would play outside with them and throw the empty bottle up in the air and at one point she "accidently" threw it on top of the house and the kids never asked for it again. But make sure they only have one bottle.

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S.L.

answers from Champaign on

My son was trained in 2 days, with only 1 or 2 accidents the week that followed. He was just a little over 3. The first day was touchy - a few accidents, the second day all good. I think if you wait until the child is "ready", things go much easier.

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

Two of my girls were potty trained right at 2 yrs old. Neither ever had an accident. The 1st daughter I asked her if she wanted to start trying and she said yes, it was a done deal that day. The 2nd daughter (which was my 4th) potty trained herself, I never asked her if she wanted to try. She would come out of the bathroom and I asked her what she was doing and she would tell me pee-pee. I asked her to let me see it next time & sure enough she was doing it all on her own. I had to ask her to let me clean her after she went number 2 and we had to work on her cleaning herself better. Other than that she did it all on her own and I actually didn't know till I saw her coming out of the bathroom.

My other two (one girl & one boy) were not as easy. I didn't push them because I knew they would do it when they were ready. My husband and I were going on a 4 day trip. I didn't want to have my sitters changing so many diapers so I bribed my daughter with a new booster seat (she was 3 weeks shy of her 3rd birthday). My son asked to potty train the day I got home from having #4, that wasn't happening for me. He finally got trained at 3.5.

None of my kids had a problem with accidents. My son did a couple times but we eliminated water right before bed and no more accidents.

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A.C.

answers from Columbus on

We know two families who have girls, and they did that at age 2.5 years. With no prompting by the parents--they both just up and decided they wanted to be potty trained.

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

My daughter had two accidents in her big girl panties and that was enough for her. One day! She is now almost 7...didn't get so lucky with my little man! But relish in the delight! Some kids just have the "thing" that makes them "easier" than others to potty train.

ETA: She was 2.

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

My daughter was that way. She seen me working with her brother who is a year older. One day she said she wanted big girl panties also. I put them on her and she had one accident and screamed because she didn't like the feeling! After that she only wanted panties on and never had another accident.

It was right before her second birthday. My son the stinker still went on for another 6 months in diapers. What got him to stop was my daughter looked at him one day while changing his poopy diaper and said yuck, I a big girl you a baby.. see and pulled on her panties. He wanted underware on and didn't have another accident.

Thats awesome that it was so easy for you!

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J.L.

answers from San Antonio on

Yes my daughter is fully potty trained she is 2 yrs and 1 month old it takes patience from the parent thats all

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yes, I have. Each and every child is different (praise the Lord) so they all have different capabilities, hence "one size fits all" potty-training techniques taking months into years aren't always realistic : )

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F.W.

answers from Miami on

My daughter was 2 yrs 3 months and was potty trained in 5 days and out of night time diapers 2 weeks after that. To this day she has never had an accident. :-)

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A.L.

answers from Charleston on

Yes! My son! My husband potty trained him in one day - he took to it like a charm at age 2 1/2. He had 2 accidents where we couldn't make it to the bathroom before he started to go - but he was on the way there. That is it! I was so happy and told my husband he is the "potty whisperer". My daughter took about 3 months to train. UGH! So glad for you and your son! Congrats!

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G.G.

answers from Austin on

Yes, I have. When they are ready, they are ready. All kids are ready at different stages. However, don't be surprised if he/she rebels down the road and goes through a bout of peeing in his/her pants because he/she needs to feel in control of his life.

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