Tales from the Potty: A 1.5 year old boy wants to go
It's been a long time since we've had some good potty talk around here! Lend an ear and your advice to Stef:
I have a 1.5 year old boy that I think has been giving me verbal cues he might be ready to start potty training. Things such as... "poopy mommy" and yet, there is no poop! Is this a sign he recognizes he needs to go? If so, what success have other mom's gotten from videos, books, or ebooks (the infamous 3 day method)? Which ones worked, are any better for boys? I purchased a potty, he sits on it randomly, no production yet. Are stools better for boys? Is it ok to teach them to pee sitting first? I've heard mixed reviews, and my husband doesn't want him peeing sitting down, but understands his lack of balance may render him there initially. I have no day-care crunch timeline, so I'm not very proactive but would hope he's getting there before he's 2 just in case we need to utilize day care. He does watch my husband often, knows that pee comes from his penis, etc. etc. I'm ready for anything, he's been such a breeze so far, and I have great patience and will be consistent with whatever. I've also heard that boys may take longer... Thanks!
1.5 might be a little young, esp. for a boy, but if he's starting to express an interest, then I would definitely take advantage of this window. (I've heard that that there are two useful windows for potty training; one right around 1.5-2 and then another around 2.5-3. In between, they start to be more combative about the prospect.) Buying a potty is a good first step (if you hadn't bought one already, I might have suggested taking him to the store and letting him choose one, as it might get him more excited/invested in the idea; then again, you might have ended up with the most garish character-laden one in the shop!); another thing we did around that age was simply include time sitting on the potty as part of the bathroom/going to bed routine. I'd have my son sit down, we'd read a few books, and then if he'd happened to pee during that time, we'd make a big deal about it and if he hadn't, we'd shrug our shoulders and say "that's okay, maybe next time." I should mention that despite this low-key approach, it didn't really end up happening for us. I mean, he started to pee and occasionally poop in the potty more often, but it really didn't translate into him wanting to go in the potty deliberately. It was just more a coincidence and/or the fact that maybe post-dinner was a natural peeing time. Then again, like you, I didn't have a daycare crunch, so I was pretty laid-back about it. We bought a lot of books about it too, so at least it started to seem like a more natural thing in his world (even if he wasn't actually DOING it.)
However, my son just turned 3 and WILL be starting preschool in the fall, so we've started Operation Potty in earnest now (with the M&M bribes, and all that). I wanted to mention to you though that while many preschools do require potty training, that's not usually until 3 that it's required. I think most daycares (obviously not all, your experience may be different) allow kids in diapers, that being one of the bigger differences between daycare and preschool. Good luck!
Posted by: Anjani | April 29, 2008 at 10:15 AM
When I potty triained my son we started early, I googled elimination method and read a bunch online and just did it. He was in big boy underwear with few accidents at 1 1/2. Try making the sounds, and telling him that his body gives him signs. The signs line worked well again at age 3 1/2 so we didn't play too long and rush to bathroom.
Posted by: carie | April 29, 2008 at 12:37 PM
i believe if he's showing interest, make it available. encouraging him to sit on the potty without pressure is fine. i have 2 boys, one in diapers (22 months old) and one isn't (3 1/2); my experience is that the first sign of being ready to use the potty is when they tune in to either having to go or having just gone, like when they tell you they went.
my older boy spent most of the summer before he turned 2 (21-24 months) naked and that really allowed us some freedom. he noticed before he had to go and would run to the grass to pee.that got him used to the whole process. occassionally he used the potty, which was a bjorn, self contained. then fall set in and we went back to diapers; the following february he was with his grama and it was finalized! we got him a seat that fits onto the big toilet which is lower maintenance, and he started out sitting to pee. i can't imagine teaching him standing up if he's too short to reach comfortably, and using a stool made him too tall and he sprayed everywhere. once he could reach easily he began standing to pee. it's a natural progression, especially if he watches your husband so you shouldn't be afraid that he wouldn't learn to stand if he started out sitting.
good luck!
Posted by: checka | April 29, 2008 at 12:53 PM
I recently saw this http://www.pottytrainwithbabysigns.com/ and I'm curious about it, and thinking of trying it with my young toddler. No idea how well it works.
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 29, 2008 at 01:19 PM
Hi Stef! I have no experience with a 18 month old but we practice E.C. with our baby (now 6 months) and some of the same techniques might be helpful for getting started.
*Offering the potty at times when he's really likely to go, like when he just woke up from a nap, or after feedings.
*Since it's getting warmer, you could let him go diaper free when you've got time (especially if you could spend an afternoon in the backyard, etc) to get a good sense of when he usually goes and whether he makes some sort of sign beforehand (getting extra fussy or squirmy, staring off into space, that kind of thing)
Good luck!
Posted by: Camellia | April 29, 2008 at 02:00 PM
My son was day/night trained by 2yo. He too showed early cues and his daycare/preschool requires so by 2.5-3 years old (I have found this standard for both preschools and daycares). I too thought this was too early, but my mom reminded me that when we were kids girls and boys were typically out of diapers by 18 months. Like you prior to being trained he had a potty that he would sit on. When I do it again I will use the regular potty and not a little seat as it was difficult at 1st to get him to use a toilet when we were out b/c he wanted his little potty. He did sit b/c at this age he really didn't have the coordination to stand and aim but about 2-3 months later showed interest with Dad and then he always stood. My son thought "pull ups" were "cool diapers" so he would wet in them. So after 1 day I got rid of those and switched entirely to regular undies. In the summer it was easier as he could go naked outside with a long t-shirt in the backyard and quickly learned to use the potty b/c he did not like the feeling of pee/poop on his legs etc and it also was easier for me b/c it was not on my wood floor. I started the no diaper process on a Wed and sent him to school on a Monday with undies and he suprisingly did not have an accident. It sounds like your son will also be potty trained early.
He also like the Once Upon a Potty Book.
Good Luck!
Posted by: Melissa | April 29, 2008 at 03:40 PM
Thanks for all your wonderful suggestions and book, I look forward to the warmer weather and some extra long naked time. I wish we had a backyard! We live in a townhouse so being outside isn't an option, but I'm ok with the clean up and so is my hubbie. We've started to spend more time on the potty, sometimes reading. He actually tooted and looked like he was trying to poop! Thanks again ladies!
Posted by: Stefanie | May 08, 2008 at 03:34 AM