Potty Training Early

This is the reason we decided to start potty training early. Diapers. This picture is roughly a day and a half of diapers 'round here. Ben goes through 15-20 a day and Rémy goes through 5-6. Rémy has always been perceptive and smart and it has been fairly easy for her to catch on to the general idea. I've encountered much disagreement and lack of faith in being able to potty train early...and for this reason I hardly mention it in conversation anymore. Actually there's really only a handful of people that give me any hope in this succeeding. My mom said that all five of us were potty trained by 18 months and certainly by two years. I figure if she can do it with five then I can do it with one, especially since either Walker or myself is home with her every day.

We started setting her on the potty once a day a few weeks before her first birthday. She knows the routine now. Sit down, wipe, flush, wash hands. There have been two times in the past couple of weeks that she told me she wanted/ needed to go. Saying 'diaper' or 'tee-tee' and pointing to the bathroom. I haven't really been able to encourage this behavior yet because of being so strapped for time...but now we're going full steam ahead.

I've read a few books on the topic including Early Start Potty Training, The Diaper-free Baby and Potty Training Your Baby. I found this last one to be most informative and structured. It is by Katie van Pelt and provides encouragement and support to help you as a parent find the best possible ways to promote this natural behavior.

Somewhere along the way Americans have gone coockoo over the whole process. Other cultures don't seem to have the struggle that we do with establishing these habits early and making progress. The main thing she encourages is to find a good potty that works best for you, stick with that model...don't go back and forth between several, if she does do something in it, go overboard with praise and excitement. The author actually suggested to become so excited that the child thinks that mom must have gone crazy...this will make them laugh and realize how proud you are. It's not necessary to promote the behavior with rewards--it's the praise and enthusiasm that is the reward. (I liked this because I don't want to have to carry candy or stickers with me all the time if we are out and about.) Although, I've seen many families use sticker charts and candy rewards successfully.

It is also equally important, if not more important to never criticize or get upset if she has an accident or does not go on command, as this seems to only further the problem and foster shame.

I realize this method is more time intensive. We started at 11 months old and will probably not be finished until 18-20 months. So there's a good 6-8 months of daily training involved. If you start training at 2 years it may only take a month or two of intense training. But this method will definitely start saving diapers sooner and we may have a good 6 months worth of diapers that this method will save being sent to a landfill.

Of course there is the strong possibility that this isn't going to work. In which case, I will not consider it wasted time because Rémy is definitely learning about the process. Do you remember potty training? Are you potty training now, or about to start? What was the process when you trained your kids? What did you find helped most? Any funny stories or experiences you'd like to share?