How old is too old . . .

[Stacey2grls]

When kids are ready, their ready, simple as that. You can support them in the process, offering rewards, special "big girl" or "big boy" underwear, but, in the end it is up to the child when they are ready.

 

[Hannathy]

I have to agree with Nancy 2 is my limit for diapers. My DD was 19 mos and my son was 2. Once they are talking well thats it, they can tell me they need to. My nephew was 2 also. If she knows she peed in her diaper and can take it off and tell you there is no way I would be putting another diaper on her. I'm very easy going about eating and sleeping but I am not spending money on diapers or putting up with the inconvenience over 2.

 

[MrsKreamer]

I have to agree with Nancy 2 is my limit for diapers. My DD was 19 mos and my son was 2. Once they are talking well thats it, they can tell me they need to. My nephew was 2 also. If she knows she peed in her diaper and can take it off and tell you there is no way I would be putting another diaper on her. I'm very easy going about eating and sleeping but I am not spending money on diapers or putting up with the inconvenience over 2.

I agree with this. We have introduced the potty but haven't started training yet. He knows where the potty is, and generally what it is for. DH and I were both trained before our 2nd birthday. My mom said all it took was one weekend, and it was done.

 

[Nancy]

2-3 days was it for us too. The first day was the worst, but after that it's a breeze. I guess I got lucky because my girls stayed dry overnight and made it really easy to get off to a good start first thing in the morning.

 

[Duchie]

My oldest DS was just shy of his 3rd birthday, my DD was a couple of months earlier than that. My youngest DS started training himself at 18 months because he heard us talking to DD and he wanted to be "like his big brother and sister and go in the potty" (they are all very close in age). We didn't push it, mainly because the daycare didn't have the facilities to help train an 18 month old. He had just turned 2 when we switched daycares, and his teacher told us he was asking to use the potty. She told me to bring in a bunch of shorts and underwear for him and said she was willing to change him as often as he needed. Within a week, it was a done deal. The only reason it worked for him (well, for any of my kids really) was that it was HIS decision, not mine. I just followed his lead.

On the other hand, I have a friend whose son turned 4 in February and he's still not potty trained. She's getting a bit frustrated that he's being stubborn about it.

My mom also swears we were all potty trained by 18 months. She had 5 of us in 6 1/2 years, so she was anxious to get as many out of diapers as possible. And back in those days of cloth diapers, I don't blame her!!!!

All in all, I think parents can only do so much to encourage the kids, but in the end it's their decision. When they're ready, they'll do it.

 

[justhat]

I have to agree with Nancy 2 is my limit for diapers. My DD was 19 mos and my son was 2. Once they are talking well thats it, they can tell me they need to. My nephew was 2 also. If she knows she peed in her diaper and can take it off and tell you there is no way I would be putting another diaper on her. I'm very easy going about eating and sleeping but I am not spending money on diapers or putting up with the inconvenience over 2.

Not to hijack the thread...I agree with your idea, but I have a question about how you enacted this. My daughter is 25 months and has been 'potty-trained' while naked for about 2 months. She'll go to the potty on her own every single time she has to go, without even mentioning anything to us, but only if she's naked. You put underpants on the kid and she pees/poops in them like a diaper. All of her friends at school are potty-trained (though they're all at least 2 months older than her and the younger ones just trained within the past month or so) but this has no effect on her. Well, with me that is. At school she'll use the potty, sometimes on her own, sometimes she'll tell her teacher, and she rarely has an accident, in fact only 1 in the past 2 months. But with me, I could sit her on that potty all day, but once I put underpants on her she will potty in them and she will not tell me she has to go till she's actually peeing already and it's too late. She's dry all night, btw, and has been for months. She obviously knows what to do, just won't do it with me and I have no idea how to break the cycle. We have no choice but to put her in a diaper when we go out cause she doesn't care about pottying in her clothes and is not bothered by the feeling either. So if you have any ideas let me know!

 

[poohandwendy]

I think (barring any medical issues) by kindergarten, it's best if they are not in diapers anymore, LOL.

Seriously, it happens when they are ready, not when the parents are ready. Nothing to stress about. When it becomes a power struggle, you may as well just back off and leave it alone for a while.

 

[FreshTressa]

I agree with everyone here! Most kids will train themselves when they are ready!

It is soooo much easier that way....no accidents etc., because they are doing it for themselves, not to please you.

Also, the older they are, the bigger their bladders are and the longer they can go between potty breaks and the easier it is to take them places.

 

[mrsltg]

It's so nice to a thread about potty training where the moms aren't one-upping each other with stories of "my child potty trained at 3 weeks.."! It's also great to see parents advising to let the child do it on their own time. I let dd go when she felt like it. We put the little potty's out when she was 18 months. Sometimes she'd use them, sometimes not. When she was 2.5 she stopped needing diapers. Never had an accident. She was ready. Now, the fact that she's obsessive about clean bathrooms is another issue entirely...

 

[RadioFanatic]

<--------------- Read my tag.

Sorry I just couldn't resest. I have a lot of fun with that tag.



All in good time. Is your issue with your DN using them, or his mother not potty training him? Have you asked her opinon in it? As a mother I learned that potty training actually wasn't about me at all, but about the child. I needed to let go of my trying to control it and leave it up to her. Only then was she able to get it. As a mother I could do "everything right" and if she still isn't ready, that doesn't mater. The right thing to do was give her the "info and encouragment" she needed, and leave the rest to her.

Great tag!

No, I know my DSis is trying to potty train, it's just not working. We're wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that she had a brother born last summer.

 

[Marseeya]

We were worried with DS because he was 3 and still struggling with it, but finally got it at around 3 1/2.

DD, on the other hand, I feared would be wearing diapers to her wedding! She was almost FIVE when she finally got the knack of it. It frustrated me, but after a while, I just let her go at her own pace. She had to want it for herself, and the motivation finally came when I told her she couldn't go to pre-school until she no longer wore pull-ups.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Great tag!

No, I know my DSis is trying to potty train, it's just not working. We're wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that she had a brother born last summer.

Thanks, I like it too. It was in refernce to "How old is too old to enjoy WDW." I have a lot of fun with it though.

I would think that the little brother has a lot to do with it. My DD had issues also. Her 3rd birthday was the end of March. She was potty trained in June and her baby sister was born in Aug. Girls are often potty trained so much earlier then boys that I think there is a lot more presure on them then boys. Taking away the pull ups and having a few accidents is what we needed. If I let her wear a pull up she was much as said "why should I use the potty, I can just go in the pull up."

A book she liked was the princess and the potty book. I can get the author if you want.

What I would say to the mom is it is ok to relax about it. Parents put a lot of pressure on themselves and the kids in potty training. It doesn't help anyone. Glad you are being supportive of them. She will get it in time. Regressing is really normal when a new baby is born too. It just takes a little time, but she won't be in them forever. (or even another year I am guessing.)

 

[RadioFanatic]

thanks! I would love the author's name for that book - maybe a present for her from her Auntie.

 

[MamaLema]

They will do it when they're ready.

This is a true story.

DS7 is extremely stubborn. He would never want to sit on the potty. When he was 3 1/2, we were on a 5 hour stopover in Houston Airport and yes, that was the time he said "OK, no more diapers!" Me and DH were horrified as we only had 1 change of clothes. We thought it was a disaster waiting to happen. Well he never had another accident, not even on the plane. Great timing, huh?

 

[Mermaid02]

My daughter just turned three she wont even put a pull up on she throws a fit, she has p and pooped on the potty but refuses to wear a pull up or underwear, so i am going to wait till the summer and try again, as my pedatrician said" I havent had a patient wear a diaper to the prom yet"

Maybe not- but I know someone whose 9 year old just stopped pooping in a diaper in December. No, I'm not kidding.

 

[DisneyPhD]

thanks! I would love the author's name for that book - maybe a present for her from her Auntie.

I did a search and found it a amzon for you. (instead of going upstairs and finding the book) Wendy Lewison is the author.

We must of read it a 100 times. Even when DD had no interest in using the potty she would read the book. I knew it was getting her ready. My friend gave it to her as a gift because she thought my DD was a lot like the princess in the book. Just had to make up her mind to do it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/06...f=pd_bbs_1/102-3760360-0154503?_encoding=UTF8



Happy reading!

 

[left210]

He still wears a pull up at night though, and he is 4-1/2.

Me too. My son is 5 and still wears pull ups at night. My son was potty trained at 3 for peeing but still pooped in his pants until he was about 3 1/2. We had him wearing underwear and he would still poop in his underwear. I thought we would never get through that. Now my question is how long did it take for anyones kids to not have accidents at night and any suggestions on helping with this. My son is now 5 and still wears a pull up at night. We have tried limiting drinks several hours before bedtime and going to the potty twice before bedtime. Sometimes he wakes up dry but not very often. He is a very sound sleeper and doesnt wake up. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.