is this a sign he's ready?

[grub17]

hi all,

DS 15 months has started this week to grab at his nappy when it's dirty. Today he tried to take his pants and nappy off after a poo (thankfully he hasn't figured that little step out yet!).

I wasn't going to bother trying to TT until he was closer to 2 or even a bit later as all my friends with boys said their 2.5yr olds just 'didn't get it'. I am due to have a baby when he's 18 months old also so sort of felt like it was 'too hard' or one less thing I didn't want to think about with a newborn.

I'm pretty relaxed about it, whether he wants to or not, I know he'll learn when he's ready but I also don't want to misread his signs that he may be putting it together.

Any advice would be great.. those experienced mums will tell by my post I know absolutely nothing about TT. I don't even know where to start!! lol.

ox

[peanutter]

check out Gina Ford's potty training book (you can get it from the book depository for around $10 including postage!)

I think the three things to look out for are:-

1. they are aware when they're doing a poo or pee
2. they can follow simple, clear instructions ("Archibald, please go pick up your red car")
3. they can basically dress and undress themself

but it's a little more invovled than that. but I think they're the main indicators

good luck!!!

[grub17]

will do. i think we are a little way off then. phew! lol how lazy am i!

[peanutter]

she says that 18 - 24 months is a "normal" starting time ... no stress!!

we have the book because we're using cloth, and so we want to be prepared whenever our little man is showing that Thundercats are Go!!!

GL

[grub17]

yeah cloth users here too... he's just figured out how to undo his snappy on the terry squares!!!! and the velcro on the MCNs! arrrgghhh.

thanks again love. I'll put that in the "do later'' basket

[Freya]

will do. i think we are a little way off then. phew! lol how lazy am i!

Not lazy, good for waiting until he is absolutely ready. Our child psych told us that the average age for toilet training is 3-4yo. People these days worry to much about toilet training way to early.
ALL my kids have done the sitting on the potty, taking soiled nappies off routine but my eldest still wasnt ready to train until 3.5 - and he literally trained overnight! So far Ds2 is 3y2m and can go if he wants but he still cant anticipate the need to go enough to successfully go potty full time (and that normal psychologically for that age).

Dont stress, nappies are way easier anyway, trust me

[nic]

deleted

[Aligater]

Our 3 year old is just TT but has lots of day accident but no night ones my near 15 month old is showing a lot of signs of bieng near redy so i think Ill start her soon. I wont push her and if she shows any sign of rejecting it ill stop but at the moment she crawls to the potty to poo (not on it but near) like her sister but I did do part time EC so I think that helped

[grub17]

that's cool nic. that's why i love this site. I learn so much! even from threads that aren't mine iykwim.

yeah, i am really going for the 'no stress' approach so glad to hear all your stories. I had boys can take a bit longer to 'get it'.


oxox

[Freya]

That is really interesting Freya. I'm so gald you posted this reply.. Our DS is 2y8m, and we haven't started potty/toilet training yet. We are talking about it, but he says no every time we ask if he wants to use the loo. We were thinking of waiting till winter was over then giving it a good go (he turns 3 at the end of June) but were/are worried that we are the ones holding him back.
...sorry for hijacking Grub....

Ive panicked, felt like a rotten mother and cried to my GP about it. He told me to stop being silly; who is NOT ever toilet trained by kindergarten!? Hardly anyone and even then he would never worry about a non- fully trained child until they were 6 or 7 (barring any medical issues obviously). And that it isnt considered abnormal for a child to not be night trained til 9 or 10.

Apparently boys do take longer and so far mine fit that bill. And I have 3 under 4 so its nappy central here lol I prefer nappies, I would never have to worry about Ds1 piping up halfway down the freeway "I need to wee wee NOW, quick!" Its happened before

Also, both my younger ones are "toilet aware" so if they ask to potty or just go through the motions (sit there, wipe, flush, wash hands) I let them go. Its part of the process of becoming comfortable with the loo because I can imagine its daunting, the whole not using nappies anymore thing. But I can feel happy knowing that they have no fear or feeling of harrassment surrounding going to the toilet. Eventually theyll get it, train in a jiffy and alls right with the world