moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

So for the last 2 weeks...anytime Josh is at home, he will start to yell, grab his diaper and walk towards the bathroom door on his tip toes.

I think he is really young(17 mos)...so I don't even have a potty or anything yet.

The other night he started yelling as he got in the tub, so I held him over toliet and he did a small poop. I just thought it was a fluke.

Tonight as he was getting in tub, he refused to...yelling and pointing to toliet..I held him over and he peed.

All the other times I hold him over, he chickens out and looks nervous.

What do I do next? I don't want to pressure him...but he must be ready.

Do you just leave a potty out?

I can get the little toliet seat, but oddly enough, I really don't want him hanging out on there(he's a monkey and a few months ago he was completely leaned in their head first)..

any thoughts? tia!

Message edited 6/3/2008 10:11:17 PM.

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

Holding him to no major expectations I would jump into potty training. Get him a potty chair and put it somewhere where he can use it, even if it is just to sit on it with his clothes on while he plays with some toys or reads a book. A few times a day take his diaper off and sit him on it. If he doesn't fight it, great! If he fights it, just go back to making it accessible for him to explore.

Molly is 19 months and loves to sit on the potty with a book. No major progress or anything, so I just let her play and do what she wants and I'll take the cues from her when she is ready.

Good luck!

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

thanks!!

he is really sensitive at times so I never want him to feel bad about accidents.

I'll get the potty...I think the water in the toliet gets him nervous.

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

I've also heard that some kids like the security of being able to keep their feet on the floor with a potty chair, as opposed to being placed on the toilet with legs dangling and the fear of a little hiney falling in. It also gives them more indepdence to get on and off themselves.

It will help you get ready for the "No, I want to do it myself" stage!

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

that makes sense...I can't imagine he is comfortable with me dangling him over the toliet.

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

dd is also 17mths and she has been taking her diaper off and telling me pee pee and then she runs to the bathroom and squats on the floor and pees

when she has to poop she tells me me poo poo then she starts to poop in the diaper

sometimes I wonder if I should buy a potty but I dont want to pressure her

I have been pottytraing my nephe since January and he still doesnt have the pooping down yet he was 2 1/2 when we started he is a very very intelligent child but for some reason he doesnt like to poop on the toilet so I am really not into dealing with that with her kwim

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

Jacob is 18 months and has been doing the same thing. We bought him a potty and leave it in the bathroom for him. We ask him if he wants to use the potty or he will tell us. Sometimes he just sits on it and sometimes he will actually pee. He had a few accidents already...he tried to make it to the potty and just missed. We tell him its OK but he gets upset anyway We are not "officially" potty training but since he has an interest, we have his potty ready for him!

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

I would get a potty. I may get one for Matthew...because when he has a poopy diaper he will rip it off, and say 'boo boo'. Evn if he has a full pee pee diaper, he will try to pull it off.
I wouldnt push it, just try it.

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

thanks! I will go get one today

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

I agree -- get him a potty. I would also start putting him in cotton training pants -- no more diapers. I use Pull-ups, as well for daycare and for when we are out, but some people think pull-ups delay potty training.

DS has been going on the potty regularly for several weeeks now and it has actually been pretty easy. Just put him on the potty every couple of hours -- just create kind of a schedule. Start with first thing in the morning, they almost always have to potty then. Then try after naps and go from there depending on how he is responding. If he pees in his pants, no big deal, it's all about learning.

I don't ask DS if he needs to go because he will always say "no," I just say "it's time to use the potty." If we're having a particularly rough day and he is resisting I don't push it. My situation is complicated by 2 days a week at daycare (he refuses to use their potty), but even so we frequently have accident-free days and even a "bad day" means one or two accidents.

In my experience, they are definately ready at this age and will respond well. Good luck!

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

thanks for the info!

Re: moms of early potty trainers...how do I foster this?

For anyone interested in "early" potty training, check out this book.

Diaper-Free Before Three