Heather in Neverland Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Both my boys potty-trained at about 2.5yo and they were both pretty easy to train. Natalie's ahma recently asked me to buy a potty chair so she can start potty training Natalie. She is now almost 16 months old. That seems really early to me. So I asked around and apparently that is pretty normal among the locals here (and among many non-American parents as well... we have several South African families that trained all their kids by 18 months). So what sayeth the hive? Earlier? Later? does it matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Well it's better than babies strapped to potty chairs all day long, a la Chinese orphanages. :glare: If you were in your native country, I think you'd get a resounding "puh-leeeeze" from most parents and child advocates. But you're in a different culture now, and I figure if Natalie's ahma wants to train her, then yay for you! I'd go for it. Besides, little bitty undies are cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Well it's better than babies strapped to potty chairs all day long, a la Chinese orphanages. :glare: That made my heart hurt. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Most people here have their child toilet trained by 2, At least day time trained. I trained all of mine before 16 months (daytime). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 That made my heart hurt. :crying: I know. :grouphug: Me too. Every time I think about it. :grouphug: I'm sorry to have made your heart hurt tonight... let's think of all those kids going to their new families where their mamas and daddies and ahmas can love on them and help them be all they can be! You're a good mom, Heather. What is your gut feeling about the potty training? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Mine were trained by 16 months. Takes about 2 weeks of full focus. Depends on if you have the time and interest. ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melik Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 We have four kids, three of them were potty trained at about three. The last one about 2 1/2. The first two I started at 18mo and it was a nightmare! I was just not consistent enough, and they were really stubborn. But that is just me. If someone else was going to chase them around all day waiting, I'd say go for it. But I would not start before about 2 1/2 unless they trained themselves. Best wishes, Meli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 It used to be the norm in the US back when. My first, I waited. It was a nightmare. The twins, well, I already had a potty chair. They were out of diapers around 2. Ds started showing interest and asking around 18 mths. Done. I'd get her the potty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 My girls were trained by 18m and 20m. Perhaps discuss her her method, make sure you are happy with it and go with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 all my friends who live outside the US potty trained their kiddos by age 2. I think you should give it a go. Your dd would be outside the norm where you live, if you waited and there might be situations where that would be not so great. I can't think of any examples because I don't live where you live, but there aren't a lot of positives to not being toilet trained when all your playmates are. Unless she just has too much trouble with it, I'd go ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 If she's using a gentle method, such as putting her on the potty when she's likely to need to go (like after waking up from a nap, or a little while after a meal), and there's no pressure/shaming/punishment/etc., I'd have no problem with it and have done some of that myself with my kids. There are people in the US who practice elimination communication, even with tiny babies; it's not so much "potty-training" as it is recognizing that even very young babies can often tell when they need to do and will often give a signal, like squirming, so you might as well take them. I'd vote for giving it a shot -- if it works, great, and if not, back off and wait a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Depends. Do you want to train her? Or do you want to be trained to take her to the potty every two hours...:001_smile: There are certain signs of being ready to potty train. If she's showing these, great. If not and you try it, you will really just be catching what happens naturally, iykwim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 My girls were daytime trained at 18 and 20 months, so I imagine we would have had the potty around at 16 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I don't think it really matters very much. Mine were all trained around 2.5yo.. DS5 later, DD3 earlier. I have a friend whose in-laws are Russian, and in their family/circle of friends, babies don't wear nappies at all. Their mums (or grandmas, depending on who is doing the raising.. many mums work and leave their dc with grandparents..) just keep changing their clothes, and put them on the potty frequently (but not for long periods of time, don't worry!) The carers get to know the kind of wriggles and noises that mean the baby is going to do the business. My DH said that rural Africa is similar.. he's done several mission trips there. My friend, although she lives in the UK, also tried this early potty training - from around 6 months. She had to be very aware of her babies, but they were potty trained from around 15 months. So it can be done.. if you think it's important! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 When my ds was young, it was the norm to be potty trained by 2. It was a requirement for most of the day care centers I looked at for him. When my middle was in a home daycare, the mother was potty training older kids, and my dd was potty trained by 18mo as a side-effect of being around other kids who potty training. My youngest had terrible allergies and some stomach problems. I'd read about EC (elimination communication) while I was researching cloth diapers. She started using the potty around 3 months. By a year when she could walk, she was dry almost all of the time. By 14months, she was potty trained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Babies are often aware of the need to eliminate MUCH earlier than people think. I've had quite a range in ages in my kids--from about 16 mos (starting) to just over 3. No harm in trying it out to see how she does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 15, 2011 Author Share Posted April 15, 2011 OK, bought a potty chair and told my ahma to try it out but not to "force" her. I guess we will see how it goes! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 So what sayeth the hive? Earlier? Later? does it matter? Early exposure can't be bad. (Forcing is bad, yes, but exposure?) We usually set up the potty chair in the bathroom by the time the littles are walking. They use it when they're ready. My little one is the same age as yours and loves her potty. Go for it! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 (edited) I have a friend whose in-laws are Russian, and in their family/circle of friends, babies don't wear nappies at all. Their mums (or grandmas, depending on who is doing the raising.. many mums work and leave their dc with grandparents..) just keep changing their clothes, and put them on the potty frequently (but not for long periods of time, don't worry!) The carers get to know the kind of wriggles and noises that mean the baby is going to do the business. My Russian relatives say the same thing, but the babies *do* wear cloth diapers. Russians here in the US LOVE disposables. Over in Russia, though they have disposables in the stores now, most people can't afford them and still use the old-fashioned cloth style. M-i-l talks about changing babies clothes frequently, so I imagine the style of cloth diapers used doesn't include a waterproof cover? Edited April 15, 2011 by zaichiki I just cannot spell tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 My 20 mo dd has started squirming out of her diapers. Today it was a dirty diaper that she wriggled out of. :glare: I've never potty trained much before 3 yo, but now I'm starting to wonder if it's time to potty train her. Does anyone have any website rec's for potty training children this young? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 DD was trained day- and night-trained at 20 months. DS at 23 months. I say go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Buy a potty chair and let her try. Honestly, I've known enough people (who pretty much all cloth diapered) whose babies were largely potty trained by 18 months that I'm a believer. Maria Montessori said that the sensitive period for toilet learning was 12-18 months. It's definitely possible. To be honest, when I was potty training my older dd, her 15 month old sister was interested and was making progress until I actively discouraged her. Her bladder was so little, and we lived about a half hour from anywhere. I didn't want to be held hostage by a toddler's bladder. (Bad, bad mommy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 It's typical in Asian countries for early potty training. I taught little 2 yo's in Korea and they were all PT. However they also used to let the little ones pee in the street any time they needed to go - in the gutter, on the footpath, in a bottle :001_huh: So I query whether they really were PT since they were never really required to "hold it". Most people here have their child toilet trained by 2, At least day time trained. I trained all of mine before 16 months (daytime). I'm not most people ;) Both of mine trained just before their 3rd birthday. They were on the late end of the scale though - at their playgroup most of the kids were trained by 2.5. I tried a few times earlier on and they just were not ready and it was stressing us all out to try. I started at 2.5 to train my DD and it still took 6 months :001_huh: My DS1 only took a few weeks but because of my first experience I didn't try till he was closer to 3. I was just thinking last night about how much longer I have to buy diapers for my baby. He is 20 months - I should drag out the potty chair and give it a try although I don't see it happening if he is anything like his brother and sister :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I think it's fine... My daughter was about 18 months. Perhaps ask her how she does it. If she just says the word or whatever ("potty") and sits her down... perfect. It's really not natural for children to want to soil in their own diaper... early training that comes before the 2's is best in my opinion. Of course... if it's an issue that becomes bad... she can always just have a break and wait. (She won't spank her or anything, right?? just be normal about catching her when she's almost ready...) Sounds good!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Does anyone have any website rec's for potty training children this young? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 It's typical in Asian countries for early potty training. I taught little 2 yo's in Korea and they were all PT. However they also used to let the little ones pee in the street any time they needed to go - in the gutter, on the footpath, in a bottle :001_huh: So I query whether they really were PT since they were never really required to "hold it". :lol: Possibly in the country is is different. Where I live it is pretty rural, I never required my children to hold it when they were being toilet trained. as soon as they needed to go they were rushed straight to the toilet. if we were at home, the boys were taught to run out to the lemon tree. I had no problem with little children weeing out on my property. If I was shopping or something, I always knew where the closest toilet was, and would run straight to the toilet with them as soon as they needed to go. fortunately there are only a dozen shops in the local town so shopping didn't take all day. I found it only took 2 months at most for the children to have it all down pat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Most people here have their child toilet trained by 2, At least day time trained. I trained all of mine before 16 months (daytime). You don't have carpet? :svengo: Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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