[cckeimig]

If you read my "praise for daycare" comment, you'll know where I got this idea. It's not mine, but it worked really well for my son, and will hopefully work as well for my daughter when we're ready to start with her.
At set times each day (getting up in the morning, just before and just after each meal, before bathtime, and just before bedtime), set the child on his potty for five minutes. If he doesn't go, no biggie. If he does, make a big deal of it, even if it was obviously a coincidental event. At this stage, trainer potties are best, as they're not so easy to fall off of and are therefore less scary. (This step is from 18 to 24 months).
At 24 months, try to go diaperless during the day. That way, if he wets himself, he knows it and doesn't like the sensation. Stick with the potty plan above, and he'll do it more often than before.
At 30 months, training seats on the big toilet are in order. My son never used his little potty for number two, but the second he starting using the big toilet and being able to flush away his results right away, he never looked back.
I recently attended a workshop that said starting before 24 months is too soon, but I disagree. The key is to not put any pressure on the child whatsoever to perform before then. The 18-month stage should just become a new part of the daily routine, and should not have any negative associations at all.
Any comments???

[charli]

I agree- its different with each child. Some are interested in "going" in the potty right away at a younger than most age, when it's first introduced. Some may need several months to warm up to the idea, and then they're only in need of a little encouragment. Then there's my daughter.....we introduced her to the potty right about her second birthday.
I had high hopes- she followed us into the bathroom before she could even walk. She is very interested in "big girl" panties though- so there is hope. She is finally commenting on it when she has done something in her diaper, so at 29 months, we are about to seriously give potty training a go. I have sat her on the toilet so often, only for her to stand up, walk away, and pee on the floor a foot from the potty. It took months for her to get over the fear of sitting on the little training potty bare bottomed, so at least we are making some progress!
*Tip- if your child does not wake up with a full diaper- he/she takes a minute to go in the morning, this is your perfect opportunity! Try putting them on the potty then..

[cckeimig]

Yeah. I'm not going to start her yet, though, as she's not walking on her own. She's soooo close, though. I get the feeling she'll not be too hard to train once we get started. She doesn't like having her diapers changed and almost always wakes up dry, no matter how much she's had to drink during the night. Then after just a bit, we get Monster Diaper to deal with.

[mamaip]

Interesting--look for my upcoming blog on early potty training.

[twinzplus3]

I can agree on the method but it has never taken me longer than a week to train any of my children. And by week I mean business days. With that said, I should also say that all of my children were at least 3 (or close to it) when they were potty trained and there is a good reason for it: sibling trauma.
Around the time that you would start potty training a child, I was expecting another one. My husband and I felt like the addition of a new sibling was significant enough to wait--our pediatrician agreed. Conversely, my almost 2yo potty trained herself, and when her new siblings arrived she completely regressed. We had to retrain her this spring and she has taken the longest out of any of my children--10 days.
I think the original poster is right, part of the trick is to make it natural and not a big deal regardless of when you start. But I think there is a lot of value on waiting.

[MJ7]

I've heard too that esspecially with boys, you will have MUCH quicker success usually if you don't push the potty until 3. Working with 3 year olds for some time, I found this to be true, even with my own son. I had potty chairs out with both boys at 18 mo and didn't try much in the way of encouragement. I just let them sit on it like a chair fully clothed. At 3 I needed my oldest to be trained to start preschool. I then took away his pull-ups and put big boy underwear (no luck with those Feel n' Learn diapers). After about 3 or 4 pottied underwear, he got the message. I still put him in pull-ups at night, and when I noticed he had dry nights, I took them away and just pottied him before bed.

My youngest son is 32 mo and hasn't done more than point to his potty chair. He's TERRIFIED of the big toilet! My son and dh put peer preasure on our little one by modeling going potty.When I have more cues he's ready I'll do the big boy underwear thing. I should point out, my youngest is delayed. He's developmentally much more like a new 2 year old.

[twinzplus3]

My kids hated potty chairs. For the life of me I can't figure out why. . .but I just thought I'd throw that in there. I watched one of my sister in laws push her son to go on the potty chair when he really was happy to use the big toilet (with a little seat on it to make the hole smaller.) Anyhow, every kid is different. . .
I think, especially when kids have developmental delays, that just following thier cues is the best way to go. I think when you follow their cues you are much less likely to experience set backs like regression.

[MJ7]

Originally Posted by twinzplus3

I think, especially when kids have developmental delays, that just following thier cues is the best way to go. I think when you follow their cues you are much less likely to experience set backs like regression.

I agree!

My oldest hated the potty chair. My youngest isn't fond of it and wont dare sit on it bare bum! My oldest went straight to the big toilet with no insert. I tried to get him to sit backward not to fall in , He, of course, never did.

[mommysqueek]

Right now I'm trying with my 19mo. old son. Boys are definitly alot tougher then girls. We are trying to do it every night after dinner. We go into the bathroom take off his diaper, put him on the potty. We will sit and look at a book for a few min. Then as soon as I take him off the potty he pee's on the floor looks at me and laughs! ( little stinker ). He knows what he is doing. He just won't go on the potty.

[QueenAngie]

My sons were potty trained at 2 years, 3 months
and 2 years, 6 months.
If they are able to walk, a child is able to begin potty training successfully.
Positive reinforcement works well.