I did NOT think it could be done...

[Heather in Neverland]

but I was WRONG.

 

When our live-in nanny said she thought we should start potty-training Natalie I was :confused1:. I even posted on here to make sure this wasn't a crazy idea.

 

She is only 19 months! But it seems that the locals here all start potty training their kids at about a year and a half. So I said OK let's try it.

 

One week later...

 

She is perfectly trained! I can't believe it! It has been two full weeks now since we started but it only took one week to do it.

 

No accidents so far.

 

Wearing panties, no pull-ups.

 

Waking up dry.

 

Comes and tells us every time she has to go (although yesterday she just went and pulled her pants down by herself!).

 

I am just completely shocked. It seems like it took FOREVER to train both my boys when they were young.

 

But I stand corrected... it CAN be done. Woo hoo!!!

[Amy in NH]

Congratulations!

 

I think there must be a window of readiness at that age.

[EthiopianFood]

I think there must be a window of readiness at that age.

 

:iagree: I've come to see some wisdom in the idea that we westerners are actually training our kids to get used to "going" in their pants, thereby making it much more difficult to train them to go elsewhere.

[TammyinTN]

That is awesome! Way to go! :party:

[WiseOwlKnits]

Congratulations!

 

I think there must be a window of readiness at that age.

 

:iagree:

 

DD potty trained at 20 months. DS potty trained at 22 months. I definitely think there's a window right around that age where potty training is really easy. Well, as easy as potty training can be. :lol:

[lewelma]

I trained both of my boys at 16 months. It took 2 weeks. I was SOOO glad to have them out of nappies!

 

ruth

[Lily_Grace]

We've been doing EC for the past year with the little one. He's 18mo now and is pretty consistent with going to the potty and telling us when he needs to go - except for pooping. That's the only thing holding us back from full on potty training right now. I can't figure out how to get him to want to do that in the potty, too.

[nd293]

I think late potty training is another of those "modern western parenting ideas" that we've come to take as fact, forgetting that the rest of the world just get on with things. We potty trained early, but then we were more "alternate" in our parenting style, more child-led, perhaps. Most people I know just assumed (because they'd been told) that it couldn't be done before 2.5yrs or so. I had friends from the Czech Republic and Slovakia respectively, and both of their mother took matters in hand on visits when the children were about 18 months, and had them potty trained in a week or so. It makes me laugh to think about. Congratulations to Natalie and the nanny!

[Joyofsixreboot]

I think parents used to potty train much earlier here. My mom said my brother and I were potty trained at 22 and 20 months. I had a range of 22 mo to 3.5 yo. Obviously the child has something to do with it.

[Sushi's Mom]

My daughter was 18 months when she started to learn to use the bathroom; all went well for two days. Unfortunately, I broke my ankle and injured my arm, so I had to be in a wheelchair for about a week, then on crutches for a month. Our powder room is tiny and I was not able to get in there to help her. By the time I was able to help her about 5 weeks later, she wanted nothing to do with it.

 

She was almost 3 when she finally agreed, and then it was only because the preschool she desperately wanted to go to required no diapers. Took her a week at that point.

[Soror]

DD started telling me at 17 months, at 18 months I got a little potty and started letting her go naked at home. In 2-3 days she went every time by herself, no accidents. We are still working on going in public and wearing clothes, for some reason panties she pees in like diapers, but loose shorts she does not. She is mostly dry in public as well, the last several times we haven't had any accidents when out. She stays dry through naps but not for night, well only sometimes through the night. I trained the other 2 at 21 and 22 months. We use cloth diapers, I think that helps, plus as a pp said I think here we train them more to go in the diaper than not.

[ChrissySC]

I think sometimes it is lack of persistence on the part of the parent. I am guilty of putting it off and/or not taking it too seriously. However, that said, my girls were all given panties for their 2nd birthday and a potty, LOL. A few weeks later, voila. C'est tout. I had to take a week off work for the first, and I gave careful instructions to MMO for the second and third. MMO and I worked together. TG for Mama Joe. :)

 

It does seem that it is more acceptable to not have a potty-using 4yo though. I couldn't imagine. A walking, talking, diaper-wearing 4yo. Eek. My domestic terroist would probably have done some very unsightly and unthinkable things with the contents of those diapers. Remember. This is the same little girl that uses Sharpie markers to create tattoos (pictures like mommy). *sigh*

[Amber in AUS]

That's fantastic! We are early trainers here too :)

[Jen in PA]

My sister trained both of her kids around that age. Congrats on being a diaper-free household!

[Lily_Grace]

I think parents used to potty train much earlier here. My mom said my brother and I were potty trained at 22 and 20 months. I had a range of 22 mo to 3.5 yo. Obviously the child has something to do with it.

 

I think diapers have something to do with it, too. We cloth diaper and my little one can't stand to be wet, which is why we got a potty when he could sit up. For a while we went through 12-16 diapers a day, because he was changed immediately after every single accident. But we put him in disposables for long trips/overnight because he can't feel that he's wet and won't complain. :blush: It's a sanity saver for us. Now they have disposables out that supposedly hold 12 hours' worth of business. How is a kid to develop potty skills quickly when so many products are out to prevent them from it?

[Punks in Ontario]

I'm in the early training camp too. I don't usually tell others because they either don't believe me think I'm abusing them. I agree with pp that there's a window in there that makes it very easy to train.

 

I also kinda believe that diaper companies are encouraging later and later training to boost sales.

[RainbowSprinkles]

Awesome! I need your nanny to come train my toddler! :)

[KatieJ]

Congratulations!:hurray:

 

 

Both of my girls were trained at 19 month, my boys were just after their first birthdays.

[HLDoll]

I think there's a window in those months right before 2. All my kids would occasionally wake up dry at nap time around 20 months, letting me know they were physically capable of holding their bladders, so I'd sit them down on the potty chair with a book and a snack just to get them used to the idea. Sometimes we'd catch something, other times not. After several weeks of that kind of relaxed approach and a few successes, we went to a weekend of hard core training and all four were fully trained (day time and nap) very close to their 2nd birthday. One child was closer to four before he was night trained, but the others were dry in the morning by about 2 and a half. We also cloth diapered, so they were very aware of being wet and would ask for diaper changes, which really helped. We only used pullups for long car trips or events when I knew getting to a bathroom quickly would be difficult/impossible.

[BarbecueMom]

How do you get them to not play in the sink, turn on the bathtub faucet, climb on the back of the toilet, etc. at that age? My oldest was using the potty well around then, but I was nursing a little guy and changing newborn diapers, and he would tear up the bathroom before I could get in there. Or go on the floor if I made him wait. He went back into diapers, and when I tried training him again at 2, it was the younger toddler who I couldn't (and still can't) keep out of the bathroom. I thought it was the actual POTTY training that was difficult, it's the other stuff that makes me give up every time.

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Can she come train DS? He's totally ready!

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm sure there is a window. However, let's not make blanket statements.

 

I am one of those mothers who had a 4 yr old in diapers. Cloth diapers. In fact, at 7 he still has occasional accidents. Now, I know why. It was not anything *I* did or didn't do. He has SPD and is under responsive when it comes to physical sensation. His brain does not pick up his physical sensations as well as they should.

 

He is over responsive when it comes to his sense of hearing. This has caused *major* issues with him developing a phobia of the toilet due to it's flushing sound.

 

So, if you see a 4 or 5 yr old in diapers don't assume you know what's going on in that family. Don't assume the parents are just not putting in a serious effort. It's insulting.

 

 

To those who do have kids that potty train early, that is great. Just don't assume it's because you've done something "right" and others have done something "wrong."

[Upward Journey]

I think late potty training is another of those "modern western parenting ideas" that we've come to take as fact, forgetting that the rest of the world just get on with things. We potty trained early, but then we were more "alternate" in our parenting style, more child-led, perhaps. Most people I know just assumed (because they'd been told) that it couldn't be done before 2.5yrs or so. I had friends from the Czech Republic and Slovakia respectively, and both of their mother took matters in hand on visits when the children were about 18 months, and had them potty trained in a week or so. It makes me laugh to think about. Congratulations to Natalie and the nanny!

 

:iagree:

 

5 children here, ALL trained by 26 months, so I've never understood the wait until they're 3 thing.

[silliness7]

but I was WRONG.

 

When our live-in nanny said she thought we should start potty-training Natalie I was :confused1:. I even posted on here to make sure this wasn't a crazy idea.

 

She is only 19 months! But it seems that the locals here all start potty training their kids at about a year and a half. So I said OK let's try it.

 

One week later...

 

She is perfectly trained! I can't believe it! It has been two full weeks now since we started but it only took one week to do it.

 

No accidents so far.

 

Wearing panties, no pull-ups.

 

Waking up dry.

 

Comes and tells us every time she has to go (although yesterday she just went and pulled her pants down by herself!).

 

I am just completely shocked. It seems like it took FOREVER to train both my boys when they were young.

 

But I stand corrected... it CAN be done. Woo hoo!!!

 

:glare: My son has passed the 2.5 mark. Nothing. I want your nanny. :D

[abbeyej]

I think there must be a window of readiness at that age.

 

I agree. I think it can actually be much harder with waiting past that window.

[MamaJeanne]

Hurray! So with my youngest nearing 16 months and with her walking into the bathroom and pulling up at her shirt and the toilet lid, I should just go with it? Now I want to know your nannies tips! Any tricks? Or is it just a matter of consistency with these younger ones?

[Heather in Neverland]

This is how we (well mostly she) did it:

 

We bought a potty chair and we kept it in the kitchen so it would be nearby and there would be no playing around in the bathroom.

 

We took Natalie's diaper off and let her walk around bare bummed.

 

We put her on the potty at times that she usually goes in her diaper any ways (after meals, etc) and about every 30 minutes but we didn't make her sit for a long time...just 5 minutes or so each time.

 

Day 1 she peed on the floor about 4 times, day 2 twice, never again after that.

 

The biggest thing was no diapers, no pull-ups, lots of praise, and watching her for signs that she is about to go.

 

My nanny rocks! :D

 

 

Now when she needs to go she says "uh oh! Potty!" and runs to the potty.

[Puma Mom]

We didn't realize 21 mos was "too young" when we trained ds#1. I was working, and dh was self-employed and stayed home with him that week while ds's sitter was on vacation. So, actually dh trained him. It was one very focused day for the two of them, but at the end of it ds was pt'ed. For YEARS afterward, he always had to go right when we sat down to dinner. Something about that day connected the two for him.:D

 

I agree that there's an early window with most kids that many of us have been trained to ignore.

[NorCalMom]

Hurray! So with my youngest nearing 16 months and with her walking into the bathroom and pulling up at her shirt and the toilet lid, I should just go with it? Now I want to know your nannies tips! Any tricks? Or is it just a matter of consistency with these younger ones?

 

Yes! My dd was potty trained & sleeping in panties by 18 mos. Also, Heather's post about letting her walk around with nothing on makes sense. We didn't do that, but we had dd where her "big girl panties" and when she went in them the 1st day, she absolutely hated how that felt. By the end of the week she was good to go.

 

Big Dislcaimer: This was NOT the case with my DS! :lol:

[Truscifi]

I also agree about that early window, assuming no other issues. Ds started showing interest around 15 mo. We bought the potty seat, but he wasn't willing to use it at first. Around 18 or 19 mo (we left the potty seat in the bathroom for him during the intervening months) he started sitting on it with his diaper on, so we started training. It took a few weeks for him to be fully trained, mostly (I think) because he was in daycare at the time and they made him wear a diaper there until I insisted on no diapers after a full weekend of no accidents at home.

[BlessedMom]

:) That is wonderful! Congratulations!! :)

[SonshineLearner]

but I was WRONG.

 

When our live-in nanny said she thought we should start potty-training Natalie I was :confused1:. I even posted on here to make sure this wasn't a crazy idea.

 

She is only 19 months! But it seems that the locals here all start potty training their kids at about a year and a half. So I said OK let's try it.

 

One week later...

 

She is perfectly trained! I can't believe it! It has been two full weeks now since we started but it only took one week to do it.

 

No accidents so far.

 

Wearing panties, no pull-ups.

 

Waking up dry.

 

Comes and tells us every time she has to go (although yesterday she just went and pulled her pants down by herself!).

 

I am just completely shocked. It seems like it took FOREVER to train both my boys when they were young.

 

But I stand corrected... it CAN be done. Woo hoo!!!

 

There are really really good times to be wrong!! :) My daycare person trained my daughter around 19-20 months... wonderful!! :) My son... a totally different story! :)

[Penelope]

At least one parenting expert that has told parents that it is normal to wait to train until 3, has gotten paid endorsements for disposable diapers. :glare:

 

The older generation of my family trained just before or right around age 2. Today most don't even think of trying at age 1.

 

There are kids that will take longer, I just don't think it is most kids.

[justamouse]

America tends to train their kids late.

 

In Brazil I was trained at 9 months, just as I was learning to run. Mom said the heat and diaper were too hard on my skin.

 

My Vietnamese friend was trained at MONTHS old. She says they hold the infant over the toilet and say SHHHH until the baby goes. Eventually baby gets it.

 

The latest mine trained was 2. Normally in the summer when I let them run naked.

Edited August 12, 2011 by justamouse

[freesia]

I'm an early trainer, too. I use cloth diapers which I think helps. I am a big believer in "the window." While I do believe some kids aren't ready, many more are and I wish more parents hadn't been "brainwashed" into thinking it was better to wait. My advice is to go all out for a week and try it, if it doesn't seem to be working or a power struggle is occurring back off for a few months. (ds 1 started peeing in the corner at 21 months but was trained fully at 26 months.)

 

Yay for your nanny!

 

Anne

[Scarlett]

Congratulations!

 

I think there must be a window of readiness at that age.

 

I think so too. I've read this before and I've seen it played out with my nephew who pt'd at 18 months.

 

Congrats!

[Soror]

This is how we (well mostly she) did it:

 

We bought a potty chair and we kept it in the kitchen so it would be nearby and there would be no playing around in the bathroom.

 

We took Natalie's diaper off and let her walk around bare bummed.

 

We put her on the potty at times that she usually goes in her diaper any ways (after meals, etc) and about every 30 minutes but we didn't make her sit for a long time...just 5 minutes or so each time.

 

Day 1 she peed on the floor about 4 times, day 2 twice, never again after that.

 

The biggest thing was no diapers, no pull-ups, lots of praise, and watching her for signs that she is about to go.

 

My nanny rocks! :D

 

 

Now when she needs to go she says "uh oh! Potty!" and runs to the potty.

 

That is exactly how I did it with the last one, baby potty in the kitchen(to the side) and bare bum. I didn't take her though at any certain times. I did ask her when I thought about it. She had already been telling me when she had to go for a bit before that. My only problem now is I never did train her w/ panties and now she associates them w/ diapers. I've been too lazy to push it though as her being naked around the house doesn't bother me and she is now been dry when she is out though(when she is dressed). It is a problem that she is so independent as she just goes and doesn't tell me and then I have to watch for when she needs to be wiped!

[~Tara~]

Awesome!

 

Yes I too believe there's a window right around that age. My ds#2 was completely trained by 18 months.

I started the same path with #3 but we moved and were out of house for several months...that coupled with me being very sick pg...I wasn't up to dealing with ANYthing (and frequent potty trips while living in a tent was not my idea of fun). By the time we got moved into the new house and tried to resume...well, let's just say that window had closed. That one wasn't 'dry' until 3 and a few months.

 

Dealing with similar with my now 3 yr old too.

 

So, had/have plans to try to hit that window next time around...but this one has spina bifida so I have no idea what THAT is going to do to the game plan. LOL

[Twilight Woods]

I didn't think it could be done either. My oldest was trained with pull-ups .....and we started at age 3. Took forever!

 

With our youngest we started at 18 months and she was PT in 3 days, no pull ups.

 

I was amazed at the difference. I am a firm believer that pull-ups are evil and make it harder to PT.

[jenangelcat]

My two girls started at 18 months and were fully dry (including nights) by two. Day time potty training took about 2 weeks.

 

Hopefully my son trains just as fast. We just wait until they are removing their diapers themselves and then do naked time all day until they get it.

[Mynyel]

but I was WRONG.

 

When our live-in nanny said she thought we should start potty-training Natalie I was :confused1:. I even posted on here to make sure this wasn't a crazy idea.

 

She is only 19 months! But it seems that the locals here all start potty training their kids at about a year and a half. So I said OK let's try it.

 

One week later...

 

She is perfectly trained! I can't believe it! It has been two full weeks now since we started but it only took one week to do it.

 

No accidents so far.

 

Wearing panties, no pull-ups.

 

Waking up dry.

 

Comes and tells us every time she has to go (although yesterday she just went and pulled her pants down by herself!).

 

I am just completely shocked. It seems like it took FOREVER to train both my boys when they were young.

 

But I stand corrected... it CAN be done. Woo hoo!!!

 

 

Sooo..... do tell. Instructions, in detail. In triplicate, white can stay with you, pink to me and yellow to the Hive. :)

[Twilight Woods]

Sooo..... do tell. Instructions, in detail. In triplicate, white can stay with you, pink to me and yellow to the Hive. :)

 

if your interested I have a PDF someone gave me called 3 day PT. PM me with your email I can send it to you.

[----]

.

[Julie Smith]

Mine where trained at about 18 months for day and night. My eldest always went poop in the toilet from about 3 months to 10 months. His little bottom didn't handle being next to poop, and I hated washing poppy diapers.

 

I didn't think it was a odd age to train at. Perhaps I just live in my own little bubble. ... But for the most part it's a nice bubble.

[amyinva]

Yes, my son just turned 2, and I can get daytime, but nighttime is what I want details for. Just old turkey at night, too?

[mcconnellboys]

We know some folks who lived overseas for years and they said that no one in their circle of friends even used diapers (can't recall where it was, sorry). They didn't diaper either of their kids at all when they were home with them and stopped often for potty breaks when they were small. They trained both of theirs before they were two with no problems or stress whatsoever! I was amazed to hear about it....

[coffeegal]

if your interested I have a PDF someone gave me called 3 day PT. PM me with your email I can send it to you.

 

Oooo, Oooo, me too, please! DD 2 is dry most of the time, but I'm hoping to potty train my youngest by the time he's 18 months. :D

[4wildberrys]

but I was WRONG.

 

When our live-in nanny said she thought we should start potty-training Natalie I was :confused1:. I even posted on here to make sure this wasn't a crazy idea.

 

She is only 19 months! But it seems that the locals here all start potty training their kids at about a year and a half. So I said OK let's try it.

 

One week later...

 

She is perfectly trained! I can't believe it! It has been two full weeks now since we started but it only took one week to do it.

 

No accidents so far.

 

Wearing panties, no pull-ups.

 

Waking up dry.

 

Comes and tells us every time she has to go (although yesterday she just went and pulled her pants down by herself!).

 

I am just completely shocked. It seems like it took FOREVER to train both my boys when they were young.

 

But I stand corrected... it CAN be done. Woo hoo!!!

 

Awesome! Our son wanted to sit on the big toilet at 18 months---no little potty for this guy---and I was SO bummed!! :tongue_smilie: We only have 2, and he was the last baby and I was cloth diapering and really loving it and fully expected him to be in diapers for about 3 years. He was fully trained at 2, pretty much by his own doing, but probably could have been earlier if mom was willing :lol:

[4wildberrys]

We know some folks who lived overseas for years and they said that no one in their circle of friends even used diapers (can't recall where it was, sorry). They didn't diaper either of their kids at all when they were home with them and stopped often for potty breaks when they were small. They trained both of theirs before they were two with no problems or stress whatsoever! I was amazed to hear about it....

 

 

I have heard about this! Isn't it sickening to think of ALL the diapers Americans throw away, using them all the way until the kids are even 4-5 :001_huh: My SIL has twin girls and they wore pull up diapers well into 5 because they never felt wet with those things.

[kewb]

I think it depends on the kid. My son was fully trained at 2. My daughter-not so much. She just didn't care if she peed on the floor. She thought it was a great puddle for jumping.