early potty training?

kdello · September 2011

I know a lot of people have really strong feelings about pushing potty training too soon. Any resources that explain why?

We've done EC forever, and The Girl is happy to pee/poop on the big potty like she always has, but doesn't want to be held. I got her a little potty and she LOVES sitting on it. (I have to hide it when it's not potty time because she'll play on it for hours.) When she wakes up I take her diaper off and put her on the little potty and she pees immediately and claps. If she doesn't pee after maybe 20 seconds, I just say "nice try! all done!" put a new diaper on her.

I don't see any harm in letting her pee in the little potty if she wants to, but I figured I'd see what the other camp says.

blissfullyignorant · September 2011

I completely agree with you.

I think the criticism comes from people who try to force their kids to PT early and punish accidents and stuff.

kdello · September 2011

Yeah, but those people suck! I promise I don't rub her nose in it if she doesn't use the potty :-p

I figure if she's excited enough about her fancy froggy potty that she cries when we take it away, she can't be scarred for life that I'm introducing it early.

danolitafawn · September 2011

I would like to know this as well. We just bought a potty the other day and the kids love it! They started watching signing videos months back and there is one called "get on the potty train" that they love so much. When they see the potty they sign the word for potty but i know they dont understand yet. I was diaper broken at 18months and I hope to have them trained that early as well. I know one book i read said most 1 year old cannot take off their own clothes so they cannot go when they need to. I am not sure who there kids are but my kids have been getting their cloth diapers off for months now! haha

tct1219 · September 2011

My 11 month old uses her potty several times a day and loves it. I think it's the most gradual progression you can make. The negative things I hear are generally in reference to potty 'training' a child who has been taught to only go in diapers and then is suddenly expected to use a potty/ toilet. In my experience, it's from people whose children wore disposables and were in diapers for years so it was a much more difficult transition and they then see it as a negative experience that children aren't ready for. I think it's basically a lack of understanding in regard to things like EC.

gy86 · September 2011

I've worked at daycares in the past and done a ton of sitting and in my opinion, it's simply a matter of when a child is ready. The detriment comes from forcing it on a kid who isn't there physically/cognitively yet, or punishing them for having accidents, etc. What's sad is when a child is showing signs that they are ready, but parents are too lazy to make the commitment, don't want to deal with accidents, etc. It sounds horrible, but I've seen it on more than one occasion. :-/

If you have a one-year-old who is showing interest in the potty, by all means go for it! On the flip side, if you have a two-year-old who's just not ready, don't force it. But when everyone's ready, it's important to make the full commitment, rather than doing potty some days, diapers others, switching between underwear & pullups, etc. Consistency is sooo important.

I think the key to potty training is making it comfortable and fun. Potty books, silly songs, "aiming for the cheerios," food coloring in the bowl, and so forth.

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