At what age did you begin potty training?

[GaPeach76]

Originally Posted by mkmattingly What I do believe is, that I can take any normal child, barring any genuine physical or mental delays, and potty train them by or around age 2.

But that is just it. There are a lot of developmental delays that are not even diagnosed until they are 5 or older! Take for example my autistic kids. They are high functioning, so on the whole they acted somewhat normal. However, developmentally & socially they were behind. For the first few years when the dr. is telling you that they will catch up...you think you have a normal kid who is just stubborn.

And so I pushed for potty training when they were not capable of doing so! And therein lies the problem with your statement. A child may actually be special needs and you cause more harm by pushing them. I know this from experience and there is no way I'd ever push my 3yo to potty train just in case there is more to his "stubbornness". It's like asking a deaf person to hear...

[SchwoomsMom]

I'm not going to get into the debate on when to train, I have my opinion, but don't feel like "getting into it"

That said...
My ds1 trained a couple months after he turned 3. After the first time, he was so excited, he kept trying to make the stars change colors (something in the bottom of the potty) It took a few days, and he never had accidents at night.

My ds2....a whole nother story!!!
He just turned 3 in Sept, and while he's very interested in watching the Potty training dvd from huggies, and loves his book about Sam and the Potty, he isn't interested in using it often. He does love to go into the bathroom when anyone is in there, but that's the extent of it.

I am perfectly ok with it the way it is, I don't want to rush him. If he can't hold his urine, why force him, so I'm cleaning up pee??

Not to mention, he is SUPER smart, before he turned 3, he could count to 25, remembers the lyrics to 30 songs, can recite the words from all the Thomas, Roary the racing car, Francis and Pingu episodes he's seen, knows his alphabet/colors/shapes, can draw a full person, knows his full name, and repeats and follows 5-6 step instructions.

I don't at ALL take the glory for these awesome things. He is a very smart child, not to forget he's got an older brother (by 7 years) who he's learned a lot from, but he's very inquisitive and curious, and he loves to learn. He's always asking questions.

I have absolutely no intention on forcing him to potty train, he will when he's ready.

I am lucky to be able to stay at home with him, along with my dh, so we are there with him all the time (due to our unique family situation, which most of you know, but I am not repeating at this time)


My 10 yr old, that trained at 3, is an extremely smart and ambitious kid. He is not at all lazy. By choice, he's taking after school Chess, as well as studying the Clarinet. He is also into the normal 10yr old boy "stuff" like star wars, bakugan and pokemon/yugioh.
I don't see anywhere that him training at 3 has impacted his life, one way or another.

Finally, cost of the diapers is one thing (even on our extremely limited income) that is not at all of a concer.

We, here, are couponers. Some more experienced than others, some more "in to it" than others. Some of us are "extreme couponers" and stockpilers, while others are in it to save a little money.

The last time I bought diapers/pullups, I bought 15 packages, they were on clearance at 3.99 (huggies/pampers) and I had 2/1 coupons for them. Plus, I had oyno's, so I spent absolutely nothing out of pocket.
I have not spent full price on one single package of diapers or pull ups in my son's life, and will not.

Some people were lucky enough to get in on the Walgreens deal a while back, and stocked up then.

Being couponers, the price, is something that we should NOT equate into our children potty training or not.

Can they hold their pee?
Can they tell you they HAVE TO pee, vs they WENT pee?
If they can't say "mommy, I have to go pee" and hold it until you reach the bathroom, pull down the pants and seat them on the toilet, they aren't ready.

Making them run naked, taking them every 30 minutes, or any other variation of forcing them to use the bathroom, and do something their body isn't physically ready to do is, IMO, not the right way to potty train, nor to parent.
HOWEVER>>> This is MY OPINION. I really don't care what you (anyone) does with regard to raising their child, so long as they're not hurting them.
I, would appreciate it, if you'd show me the same respect, and not care what I do, with my children.

Just my couple cents.

[BigDog]

I'm still trying to potty train my husband to put the lid down.

[3pink1blue]

My oldest wasn't ready at 3, but we forced her. I feel bad now :( but she turned out okay.
My middle child trained herself at 26 months. Just one day started using the potty. I never instructed her or anything, she just copied her big sister. (This child is a terror in every other way so I got lucky on one thing lol)

My other two are too young, but I'll follow their lead instead of pushing like I did with my oldest. My third baby is 15 months and my fourth is 2 months so we are not even close. :)

[homescrapper]

Sometimes it takes just introducing it to see if they are ready.
ONE HUGE mistake I know I made many times was NOT giving them enough to drink so they HAD TO GO!!
I finally learned that if I expected them to go every 15 minutes then stretch to 30 then an hour etc... I had to give them the liquids to perform.

Keep that in mind when attempting any potty training it really helps to keep things moving.

[talk2ham.1]

Originally Posted by BigDog I'm still trying to potty train my husband to put the lid down.

Thank you! Way to lighten the mood!

Yikes! Who would've thought the way folks potty train their kids would be so controversial! :hectic1: Anyway, nobody's kid is just like another. I think it is important to share what has worked for us if it will help someone else. But to express our opinions so strongly as to leave other opinions out is a little bit . . . well, thoughtless.

For those of you who do things differently, no need to worry. Your child was given to you to raise, not me or anyone else. You have insight and experiences that nobody else will understand. Just do your best, glean what you can out of whatever fair advice is out there, and make your best judgment call. You'll do just fine!

[druidessemily]

We bought Asher a potty of his own when he was about 18 months. We let him pick it out. We haven't forced him into learning how to potty, but we have it next to the toilet. He is welcome to come into the bathroom when mommy and daddy are on the potty. He likes to mimic us, he learned pretty quick how to sit on it.

He's 26 months old now. He hasn't actually used the potty yet, but he really likes to take off his diaper and sit on it. We've taught him how to wipe. I don't think it'll be too much longer, we're just letting him go at his own pace. Sooner or later, he'll figure it out!

[GaPeach76]

Ironically my 3yr old decided that today was his day to begin potty training. He did it all on his own. No accidents so far and I think he might just do this that easy. Yay! Now I have to get him some undies

[ElliesMom77]

DD will be 3 Nov 23 She is in panties all day except at bedtime (wears a pull up to bed). I think it took almost 3 months to get the hang of it. But her teacher (daycare) did a great job with the learning process.

[erinerinerin]

ita with you about the training pants not helping. i think if the timing is good, you don't really need them! when they're ready, it happens fast. i got my dd the dr sears "you can go to the potty" book, and some "big girl undies" when she was just about 24 mo-she liked to wear them, but didn't stay in them all the time. i talked about pottying, she saw me use the potty, then she was interesting in using it at about 2.5 yrs for peeing, but not pooping. she wasn't using it 100% until right at 3, when she literally flung her diapers down the stairs one day and declared she was using the potty forever now. and she did, lol.

i think if they are ready, they'll just do it.
follow the little one's lead. even if it takes awhile. when well-intended relatives made comments about dd not being pt'ed yet (rolling eyes, she was not even 3 yet) i would just laugh and say that "hardly anyone wears diapers at college, so i'm sure she'll be pottying by then!"
:) (i used the same response about extended breastfeeding and cosleeping as well)

eta boys usually train later and may take a little longer to get it than girls. and also eta we bought her a little potty, but she refused to try it-she went straight for the big potty. i bought her a little Dora seat that sat in the big seat, and a stepstool to help her get up and to put her feet up on while she pottyed.