Moms of 2+ and especially older children. A PTing question.

KKMMex · April 2010

When did your younger child start showing an interest in the potty?

We didn't attempt any serious PTing with Sarah until right at age 3, but already Elizabeth loves the potty and would sit on it all day if she could.

I'm thinking of doing the 3-day method over Memorial Day weekend. She just turned 2 at the end of February but something's telling me she's going to be easier to train and that she's ready now. Having been through it once, I think this next go round won't be nearly as nightmarish. I wish I'd started earlier with Sarah!

ayersfam20 · April 2010

Abbie had just turned 2 when she started showing interest. I think a lot of it was because she was always moved to the older classes in daycare and she saw the other kids going potty. By the time she was 27 months old she was completely potty trained and even sleeping in panties. It was almost too easy with her.

I think her "success" in doing it had a lot to do with the fact that a)she was ready, b)all her friends were going in the potty and c)the kid hated to be dirty. I put panties on her and she peed in them once and was scarred for life. She has never had an accident since and has never wet the bed.

I think if they're ready, they're ready - no matter if they are close to 3 or not. Every kiddo is different

mom2ll · April 2010

neither of ours our potty trained (obvious much?)... However, I sit Lila on the little potty when I put Luca on the big one. She loves to sit there. I don't think it can hurt. Luca loves the potty. He loves to flush it, play with the seat, talk about it.. but won't do ANYTHING on it... Lila just sits there and sings to herself... She turned 1 on Tuesday... Luca is 26 months.

horn_jm@hotmail.com · April 2010

My youngest niece had just turned 2 and was super interested, because her 4 year old sister and almost 3 year old close girl cousin were using the potty. I'm pretty sure it was pretty easy with her, because she was so interested in the big girls doing it.... although she got too busy for it as a 3 year old and had more accidents. I have heard 27 months can be a key age.

monkaloo · April 2010

Sadly, Blake will be 3 in July and shows pretty much no interest in the potty. On occasion when Maren uses the restroom, he'll say he wants to use the potty - but that means sitting on the Bjorn potty with his pants on for 15 seconds. Honestly I think he does it because he has fun washing his hands and he knows he gets to do it after "using" the potty.

Maren was a late trainer, but I know she'd already peed a few times in the potty by this age. She was set back a bit by Blake's birth and had pooping-in-the-potty issues, so we left it alone until shortly after her third birthday. By that point she was totally ready and trained super quickly. She was 100% trained (including overnights) before she was 3.5.

We're trying to follow the same laid back approach we did with Maren, because truthfully - training her was so easy once she was ready. It really was. I'm hoping if we keep the same mentality with Blake, it won't be painful. But I'm truly starting to get concerned with his total lack of interest. I see other boys in his class that are already fully trained - and even peeing standing up already! That seems so far away for him.

Anyway, I digress. It sounds like Elizabeth may be ready, so I'd go for it! Let me tell you how jealous I'll be that you're done with diapers!! We've been changing diapers for over 5.5 years straight now and I still feel like there's no light at the end of the tunnel!

Good luck!

BritanyV · April 2010

Well Mason is only 21 months and really has no idea that he pees or poops, but we bought him a potty chair for Christmas anyway.

When we first got it, he wouldn't have anything to do with it, wouldn't even sit on it with clothes on (just to get used to it). This week when he was getting in the bath, I told him to "go potty" and he sat on the potty chair naked. Of course, he didn't potty but at least he will sit on the thing for at least 30 seconds! LOL

So I say if she is showing signs she is ready then go for it!