Hello!

Hi. I’m just wondering when everyone started to toilet train their children? Did you start the process or did you let them lead the way? Thanks


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  • I initiated potty training when my child was three and it worked quite well.


  • I have and am following the child’s lead. My son was almost 3 and trained himself in a day or so. My daughter tried to self train at 18 months and did well for 6 months but then regressed badly. I actually wish I had discouraged her more when she first tried as I believe we would have had more success in the long run. She has always been a stubborn little Miss though so she probably would’t have paid attention if I did try to discourage her. Child #3 is 2.5 and is showing an interest in training #1s in potty but has no interest in #2s (and is actually a bit afraid). We will continue to follow his lead and push forward when he shows us he is ready


  • We started both our boys from 6 weeks. I wouldn’t call it ‘potty training’ but more ‘toilet awareness’ – from the beginning they knew that there was a toilet and not that we just go in our nappies. then it wasn’t such a big deal as they had already been sitting on the toilet/potty all along, it was just natural as they started to use it more.


  • My daughter is 15 months and she sits on the potty, never too early to start


  • From when my babies could sit unsupported I sat them on the potty at the times they usually went. There was no pressure it is not training it is toilet timing. The little one will get the idea and this makes the transition a gradual expectation. Something I have noticed is babies in disposable diapers seem to take longer, they are unaware that they have wet because the diaper keeps them dry and they do not have the experience of discomfort , to signal them to awareness. Just something to think about.


  • Normally when they show some interest, this depends on the child. I started approx. 1 and a half years old, but one was about 2 before he had any real interest. One was toilet trained by 2 (but still in night nappies at 6) the other trained by 2 and a half and out of nappies at 4.


  • I found that with my daughter, when she used to follow me into the toilet I would put the little training toilet on top of the toilet and when she went to the toilet I would praise her and then just put her nappie on after , eventually she would just coe and ask me to put the training seat on the toilet …


  • Let the child lead you on this issue. We tried every potty available. From a simple one to a singing one. She liked them to pretend play with them but never took to them. Then one day she came back home and said she wanted to do her business in the toilet. No more nappies. We didn’t even have to do night nappy on her. It was a 180 degrees change, out of no way. My motto is, treat them like mini adult.


  • My Daughter was around 16 months when she began to show interest in using the toilet. I found that taking her in when I did helped. I would sit her on the toilet after I had just been, clapped and praised her for a second then took her off. Even if she had done nothing I would still praise her. At 17 months I decided to leave her nappy free for a few hours, taking her to the toilet with me and on her own at 15 minute intervals.
    After only three days of doing this took her nappy off and never put it back on. Even of a night time. My son on the other hand was a lot harder, and we taught him to do wees on a tree first lol. I guess it all comes down to if they are ready or not.


  • I think it was about 18month we started talking about it. One was toilet trained for wee’s by 2 and poo took a little longer. Nightime without nappy was about 4. The other one was toilet trained by 2 for both but is still in nappies of a night and he is 6. They are all different. Just try it and see how you go. If it doesn’t work leave it for a monthor two and try again.


  • Child 1 (girl) was 16months. She had been grabbing her nappy for a couple months saying ‘wee’ so I bought her a potty just to have there for when she was ready, she did a wee in it straight away. I was shocked, but went with it and she was soooo easy!!

    Child 2 (boys) had zero interest. Tried all sorts of things with him, but the more I tried the further he dug his heals in. So I have up trying. He told us he was ready at 3 and half years old. And was basically trained day and night from that day on. It had to be his decision, not ours. (He is the same with most things. He has to feel confident and ready before he will do most things!).

    Child 3 (girl) currently 21 months old and she is not trained yet but she is very interested. She has done 1 wee and 1 poo but that’s it. Mostly just sits there and chats away. I’d say we are close to her being ready. I’m not pushing it. Just filling her lead. :)


  • When I stopped trying to make my daughter fit what the books told me then she up & did it herself. Until then it was traumatic for everyone. She was around 22 months. My son showed no interest in trying until we were at a friend’s on holidays & their son didn’t wear nappies…. he was mortified that I was going to put one back on him & never wore one again…. he was 20 months. They did it themselves mostly.


  • I trained my daughter at 25 months and my son at 2 1/2 years old. I suppose it varies with each child as I found one was ready earlier than the other. Good Luck :)


  • every child is different, I had one that was toilet trained by his own choice at 14 months even at night.The other one was going well during the day but still in night nappies at two and a half. This was because he was such a heavy sleeper he sometimes slept through, he could even sleep through the pipe bands parades


  • I started by introducing the potty around their 2nd birthday. We went shopping for big girl pants (Undies) of their choosing but they were not allowed to wear them until they mastered the potty. My third child refused to sit on the potty at all and so we purchased one of the toilet seats with the steps and handles to hold on to. Once we purchased that she was toilet trained within one day but she was the one out of the three that was quick with everything.

    I dont think it matters when others or their kids do things. Do what suits you and your child,


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