Too early to go to the potty?

traveltheworld · October 2013

To start off - I'm not trying to potty-train DS (15.5 months). However, my ILs (who watch DS 1 day/week) suggested that we get him acquianted with the idea of using the potty so we bought a potty a few weeks ago and put it in one of the bathrooms, and we've been taking him there whenever he needs a diaper change (we just change him and say "poo-poo" and point to the chair). We thought it'd take a few months for it to sink in. About a week ago, DS started saying "poo-poo" and would start walking to the potty himself. It has now progressed to him sitting on the potty fully-clothed and then going in his diaper. So the last 2 days we decided to take his diaper off. He won't go. But the moment we put his diaper back on, he sits on the potty and goes. It's very strange. Has this happened to other people? Like I said, I'm not trying to train him right now; but on the other hand, it seems like he has both the mental comprehension (can go to the potty) and the physical ability (to hold it in until the diaper gets back on) to do it? But I don't even know how to make him understand that he should go without the diaper, not just sit on the potty and go IN his diaper. Or should I just put away the potty for now so as not to confuse the poor kid?

allardr · October 2013

I know my DD follows me in the bathroom all the time when I use the toilet. Maybe let him follow you in and you get him "ready" (diaper off) so he can sit on his potty while you use the potty.

kderham · October 2013

You may want to borrow some ideas from elimination communication. If you know there is a time when he typically goes (right after breakfast or something - I'm guessing here) take him right in the bathroom and remove the diaper. Do the same thing you always do with talking about the potty and sitting him on it if you need to, etc. Good luck! I'm hoping mine catches on just as fast but I'm nervous to try it too early and cause frustration for everyone.

ktpaladino · October 2013

I'm not really sure how you should go about it because I haven't read any potty training literature yet, but no, it's not too early to start training if he's showing this sign of readiness. My LO is 18 months and going pee pee on the potty seat already. However he still has no interest in poops on the potty and still seems perfectly fine with going in his diaper and I'm not really sure how to take it to the next level yet either. Guess it's time to read up on the subject instead of winging it! GL to you!

PetuniaFeatherbottom · October 2013

Typically kids can't really go potty until they can jump off the ground. Same muscles are used. That being said, some take longer than others to like the idea and process of going potty. I don't think there is any harm in keeping a potty in the bathroom and encouraging use, even if he has a diaper on. And it's probably different with a boy, I have girls. A book my daughter liked was Diapers are not Forever. It helps acclimate them to the idea. Good luck!

g8trkim · October 2013

We bought DS a potty around 15 months because he was so interested in us going. It was more just to get him his own so he wouldn't climb on us while we were going. He loved to sit on his while we sat on ours. He would go on it here and there from around 16 months but we never pushed it and weren't ready to commit to potty training that young. We started seriously potty training right at 2 years and it was pretty painless. There is no harm in letting him sit on it. He's probably just a little young at this point to get the idea of going without the diaper just because it feels weird and different. Give it a couple weeks and try taking the diaper off again and seeing what happens.

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