The infamous potty training questions

[Terrible2]

We are trying to potty train our 21 month old girl. However we do not know how exactly. We have read many things such as putting her on the potty every morning when she wakes up to putting her on the potty before she goes to bed to controlling what she drinks before bed. My girl is not too confident on putting her on the potty every morning when she wakes up (probably b/c she wakes up tired and doesn't want to do it if shes not actually going to pee which shes only done once). So for those who know, what are you recommendations?
BTW, Is this a new forum? I ask because I did a search (as everyone should before posting a thread to avoid duplicates) to see if I can gather any info regarding potty training, but there wasn't any. Also, I think a "Potty Training Questions" thread should be Stickied on this forum. Just my opinion.

[fallon]

hi there, potty training is always a trip as far has I can tell...lol Is your daughter showing any interest in the potty right now? If not she may not be totally ready. Introducing her to it isn't a bad idea at all though. With my daughter I think she was about 2 1/2 to maybe almost 3 before she really had a good handle on it. We went to the store and let her pick out her very own potty to start with and a video called once upon a potty, which by the way is super cute. She also picked out her own panties and we committed to staying close to home for a couple days. She wore her panties all day and a pull up at night and eventually she had it down. We also used a sticker chart because she is the kind of child who responds well to being able to see her achievements laid out for her.
Anyways take your time and read her ques 21 months is still very young and her body may not be ready at this point. Most kids will let you know when the time is right but like I said it's not bad to start talking to her about the potty so she feels comfortable when she's ready to give it a try.
Good luck to you, I hope I made some sense

[Terrible2]

I honestly wouldn't even have thought about potty training at this time if it wasn't for my mother. This summer she stayed with my parents a few times for a week each time. During her stays, from what I understand, my mother had her running around the house more or less all day without a diaper and she would put her on the potty every morning. Here at home she always tries to take off her diaper now I guess b/c she didn't have a diaper on at my mother's. One time I put her in the crib so she could take a nap and I go in to check on her and shes completely naked in the crib watching an ABC DVD with poo literally all over the crib and on her hands. I was furious, but I didn't take it out on her ... I called my mom and vented on her lol. One good thing (I guess its good) she did was one time she came up to me with her diaper in her hands after she did poo as in shes trying to tell me "Look what I did!" LOL. The only thing she likes about the potty is unrolling the toilet paper and pretending shes wiping herself like she sees her mother doing. I've already spoken to my mother regarding her having a diaper on. And she doesn't really pull off her diapers anymore.

[Kaytee]

I agree with Fallon. I have not potty trained though as my dd is only 20 months old (almost at least) If she is showing interest then yes start. But at this age I would just do it as a new thing not a must do thing.
If she is cranky in the morning do not make her sit on the potty unless she wants to.
I agree let her pick out a potty or if she is big into something try to do that. Nichole loves ELMO!! so we have an elmo potty. She thinks its hysterical. Anyways we are unofficially potty training right now. I ask her if she wants to go on the potty, sometimes she says yes and runs to it, so we take off her diaper and let her try. If she says no or doesn't go to the bathroom, we just leave it be. If she pees in her diaper, we again just change it like we have been doing since she was born.
21 months is very young. Sure some 18 month olds potty train, but not most. The average age for a girl is 2 1/2 years old so don't stress over it or your child will as well.


And yes this is a brand new forum, so we are small.... but here we are!!

[Terrible2]

Originally Posted by Kaytee

And yes this is a brand new forum, so we are small.... but here we are!!

Nice ... ::raises cup of milk with Strawberry Quik:: heres to the success of Parentingforums.org

[Kim]

Most children don't have the muscles to "hold it" until they are over 2, so sometimes potty-training isn't much use before then. Look for the readiness signs - being uncomfortable with a dirty diaper, interest in the potty, recognizing when they need to go.

Read lots of potty books, and let them play with the potty chair (clean, of course!)

Also, if you're not too modest (and I don't know what parent of a toddler is!) keep the door open when you go potty so they can see what you are doing. I'm sure you have noticed that kids always want to do what Mom and Dad do!

[Terrible2]

Funny you mentioned these signs. On two occasions (including yesterday) she came to me naked with her dirty diaper in hand. And a couple times she has actually walked up to the toilet to try to sit on it even though she didn't do anything.

[Kaytee]

Nihcole does the same thing. Dirty diapers come off and she gives them to me. If it is a poopy diaper she takes it into the bathroom and tried to flush it. Gotta watch this one as she tends to throw the whole diaper in!!
Nichole also sits on teh potyya billion times a day and doesn't go. It drives me batty but I know that one day when she does get the control then it will be that much of an easier transition