Potty Training..

Cookie Jar

I know there is a thread about this already but I was just wondering at what age to introduce the potty?

Khannie

Ah I think it varies depending on the child (like walking, or talking or whatever). I think the answer is "whenever you think they're ready" or "whenever they show interest". There's no panic on it like. We all end up using the toilet one way or the other.

We started our little one on it when she was about 2 years 3 months. She was ready a bit earlier, but life meant we didn't have the time to devote to her (you need to be able to set aside some time to run around after them, mopping up, asking them every 10 minutes do they need to go to the toilet, putting them on it, waiting a bit, taking them off, etc.).

Cookie Jar

I had a feeling that would be the answer.
Thanks Khannie.

My lil one is 2 in feb.
I was thinking of getting a potty soon so she can suss it out. Then maybe give it a bash after Christmas.

I think doing it while Im on a weeks hols is the best approach, yeah?
Ill book a week in feb/march sometime.

Khannie

Cookie Jar wrote: »

I think doing it while Im on a weeks hols is the best approach, yeah?

I would say probably best, but I can't say for sure. My wife's a stay at home mum so we didn't have to make that call. I'd say others can probably advise you better.

Cookie Jar wrote: »

Ill book a week in feb/march sometime.

I'd hold off booking the time off until you think s/he's ready. We started introducing the little one to the notion of the toilet by letting her come into the loo with us, that kind of thing. She started asking questions like "what are you doing?" and that. Then we started trying to get her excited about the idea by saying that we were gonna buy her her own toilet (the potty) and "wont that be great?" and "you'll be such a big girl!" and all that. Made a big deal out of going out and buying the potty with her and giving it to her like a present. Printed out a star chart and bought stickers to stick on it. Jesus, her eyes lit up when she got her first sticker.

I think it took 2 solid days of trying and failing (and cleaning up!) before that happened though. After that, it all seemed to fall into place fairly quickly. We had a setback after about a month (she got bored with the stickers) but we got over that too and she's totally grand now.

Cookie Jar

I was just gonna go out and buy a potty... I think the build up and making a big deal out of it is a good thing.
The star chart is also a great idea. Love it.
Thanks a million.
By the sounds of it she is not ready yet, I will re-evaluate after christmas I think.
Thanks:D

embee

Hey!

Just wanted to say, I never used a potty, just a toilet seat insert and a little step. Rhiannon was about 2 yrs 4 months when she was trained. I just felt that using a potty at first is a bad idea, as they're used to the potty and will have to be coaxed and cajoled into using the big toilet.

Now, she is 3.5 and uses the big toilet (without a seat insert or the step). It was easy peasy to get rid of those because she'd already been using the "big" toilet.

Hope this helps!