OT - Is my DD ready to Potty Train?

[labst60]

DD has a fasination with wanting to wear big girl undies and has gone "poopy in the potty" about 5 times in the last week (and 2x in a diaper) and peed about 5 times as well, but has had many wet diapers. (Of the say 15 times she has sat on the potty, she has done SOMETHING more than 10 times). She gets all excited and claps for herself when she goes. She loves flushing too!

This morning, at breakfast, she was fussing about something (looked like she was pointing that she wanted to go to the kitchen) and my older DD and I couldn't figure out what she wanted. So, finally, I said, do you want to go to the potty and she smiled and kept nodding yes.

So, I took her into the bathroom and sat there for about 25 seconds and then went (#2) and was all proud of herself (as she should be).

I know, on paper, those sounds like the signs, but she is only 17.5 months and says NOTHING other than Mama! I PT young (at 18 months) but my older DD didn't until she was 33 months (but was pretty easy). To be honest, I didn't even believe my mom about me until I confirmed with my Aunt. I hate to discourage her - but she can't even talk! Plus.... (so selfish) we have a WDW trip planned for May and I would *so* much rather her be 100% in diapers (horrible, I know!!!)

Really though, I dont' want to discourage her - or set unrealistic expectations - at first I thought it was coincidental - but really, she's gone #2 in the potty more this week than in her diaper! Anyone have any experience with an early potty trainer???

 

[tam626]

If she wants to do it then I say, let her. Just wear pull ups to Disney, that way she has the option to use the potty or not.

 

[tinker&belle]

I have a DD who is doing the same thing (but hasn't pooped on the potty yet.) Right now I am just letting her do it when she wants, but I don't really expect her to 'train'. If she starts wanting to go potty and ends up with only dry diapers, then I will pursue it more, but I don't want to make an issue out of it.

She will be eighteen months old later this week. She is very proud when she does go in the potty.

 

[clutter]

My daycare providers dd did this, too. She was potty trained at around 18 months, self directed. Until she decided she wasn't.

Anyway, go for it, and if she changes her mind, don't worry either. I've heard since that it's pretty common.

 

[loveysbydesign]

My 19 month old ds uses the potty every day...he does still pee in his pull-up or undies so rightnow we stick with pull-ups. It's great that she is showing an interest...go for it..it's less of a power struggle the younger they are as it's more fun for them! Some kids are ready before others...if you discourage her now you may regret it later. My friend did and then her ds didn't train til he was 4 1/2 y.o!
Also as far as the speech thing goes don't worry about it yet..this time last month my ds could only say a handful of words...now he repeats whatever we ask him to. Now he doens't tell me verbally yet that he has to go potty but he does call "mama" and then run to the bathroom!

 

[patchchild]

It's so good to hear that someone else has a self-led potty babe. My DS is 20 months and is obsessed with the potty. Sadly, he's also in love with wearing overalls so things are a little slow around here.

Have you considered teaching/using the sign for bathroom with your daughter? If she doesn't have the word yet, at least she's have some way of letting you know what she wants.

 

[crisi]

Give it a try - some kids will try that young. But let her do the leading - at that age it is likely to require some "help" anyway.

My nephew potty trained himself at two in a similar fashion - I believe my sister was lucky because he is the most stubborn child ever - and had he not decided to do it himself there would be no amount of bribing or training that would convince him. Everything is a battle with him, and I suspect the only reason he decided to potty train was because it was not what my sister needed to deal with at that moment.

 

[mjkacmom]

When pting, I give my kids the nakey butt test. I put on It's Potty Time, put the potty in the room, and tell them to use it if they have to go. Two of my dd's passed the first time at 2 1/2 (no more than one accident), but ds failed, passed three months later, and pt'd in a few days.

BTW, ds had the same amount of speech at your dd's age, I had him evaluated by Early Intervention, and he qualified for services. He had a speech therapist come to our home once a week, for an hour, and I can't even tell you how quickly he started to talk! The evaluation is free, services are VERY low cost, and if she qualifies, the state is required by law to give her services.