Potty Training 16 Month Old...

[Dragonfly]

One of my DCMs started potty training 16 month old. I've been down this road before with another DCM starting hers at 17 months. It took forever!! DCG is over 2 and still has accidents, cannot get clothes pulled back up, and RARELY asks to go potty. I have to tell her throughout the day to go. Do other DC providers help potty train at such a young age?!

[Cradle2crayons]

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

One of my DCMs started potty training 16 month old. I've been down this road before with another DCM starting hers at 17 months. It took forever!! DCG is over 2 and still has accidents, cannot get clothes pulled back up, and RARELY asks to go potty. I have to tell her throughout the day to go. Do other DC providers help potty train at such a young age?!

Some providers will. I WILL NOT potty train any child unless the parents have started it first at home, AND thhe child can verbalize "I have to potty". After they have been accident free for two weeks, ill place them in underwear and go from there.

[Maria2013]

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

One of my DCMs started potty training 16 month old. I've been down this road before with another DCM starting hers at 17 months. It took forever!! DCG is over 2 and still has accidents, cannot get clothes pulled back up, and RARELY asks to go potty. I have to tell her throughout the day to go. Do other DC providers help potty train at such a young age?!

I do not!
The parents "at home" can start when they want to, but for me to start the process, I have to first see for myself that the child is ready

[blandino]

I would follow the same rule. I would make it known from the beginning that you will not prompt her to go potty, and that she needs I be able to communicate her need to go potty, has to preform the toileting process by herself (aside from
Bm wiping) and that she has to be accident free for two weeks before she can wear underwear.

I have gotten into these type of situations before, that have turned into all kinds of headaches. I think the three principles listed above will keep your part to a minimum and will really only involve you when she is actually ready.

[Brooksie]

No way! The child needs to be able to recognize and verbalize that they need to go potty. If they can't, but the parents still want to train... that's on THEM. Not me.

[JoseyJo]

If they are not yet able to dress/undress, get on the potty, know when they need to go, wipe, and hold it until they can get there I wouldn't even consider having them out of diapers/ pullups. I also wouldn't take them any more often than you do the potty trained children I will ask if they want to go potty when they show interest (usually when another child says they need to go and that sounds fun) and help them learn pulling down/up their clothing, getting on the potty, flushing, wiping if they did anything, etc. I don't expect them to stay dry, but when they do they get lots of praise. It is totally a positive only experience. I DONT take them every 30 minutes, or have them stay on the potty forever so they can "try".

[Cradle2crayons]

Originally Posted by Brooksie

No way! The child needs to be able to recognize and verbalize that they need to go potty. If they can't, but the parents still want to train... that's on THEM. Not me.

I have a potty training policy in my handbook and I talk about it at interviews too so parents know we are on the same page.

Potty training a 16 month old is called PARENT TRAINING not potty training

[nannyde]

If they can SAY the words “I have to go potty" BEFORE they have to go potty, I will start working with them. I don't take nonverbal cues. They have to be able to say those words and then go potty after I put them on.

[Laurel]

No, it's too young.

Laurel

[blandino]

It is definitely too young. But when I put an age to it, I get Parent's who know that their child is so exceptional that they are going to be able to do it earlier. That's why I like saying when your child can do a,b, & c. That way it doesn't matter if they are 12 months or 3.5, they have to be able to do a,b, & c - very little room for argument.

[Heidi]

Ditto PPs here....

[JoseyJo]

All that being said I had a new 22 mo start a few weeks ago whose parents said he hates to be wet and started potty training on his own after watching his big bro- said now he was almost completely potty trained. I said "Oh! Great!" but totally didn't believe it. Turns out he actually is. He is almost completely non-verbal, but he goes to the bathroom door, gets the adults attention and does a little sign to show he want to go. Then he goes in, pulls down his pants (needs a little help over the bum sometimes) and goes pee. Then he flushes, pulls p/u and pants back up and goes and washes. I am working w/ him on the sign language sign for potty and once he gets that he will be pretty much potty trained at 22 mo!

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by JoseyJo

All that being said I had a new 22 mo start a few weeks ago whose parents said he hates to be wet and started potty training on his own after watching his big bro- said now he was almost completely potty trained. I said "Oh! Great!" but totally didn't believe it. Turns out he actually is. He is almost completely non-verbal, but he goes to the bathroom door, gets the adults attention and does a little sign to show he want to go. Then he goes in, pulls down his pants (needs a little help over the bum sometimes) and goes pee. Then he flushes, pulls p/u and pants back up and goes and washes. I am working w/ him on the sign language sign for potty and once he gets that he will be pretty much potty trained at 22 mo!

I have also had the same situation, but it is rare. Mom had to convince me to give him a week's trial period. I did with the promise that if there were any issues, he'd go back to pull-ups. That guy never had 1 accident.

[nanglgrl]

I had to put "I only help train a child when tjey can verbalize that they need to go potty. Making a face or squatting behind furniture does not meet that standard." I also insist they can dress/undress, wash their hands, stay dry for 2 weeks and everything else the other posters do. I can't tell you how many times I've had a parent say "I think he/she's ready to potty train, every time she needs to go she makes a face". Ug!

[sharlan]

I refuse to potty train before the 2nd birthday. I seem to have good luck with it at that age.

Both of my dds were potty trained by 18mos. It was the biggest mistake I made as a parent. Both ended up seeing a urologist who told me their problems were caused by potty training before their bodies were ready. He said to never do it before the 2nd birthday and I've followed that advice ever since.

[Dragonfly]

Thanks, ladies! I agree that 16 months is way to early. My personal preference to start PT is right at 2 yrs. They definetly need to have SOME self help skills and be able to comunicate the need to go. I need to revise my handbook, asap!! I really didn't think I would have another parent who wanted to PT at a super early age, again!

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

Thanks, ladies! I agree that 16 months is way to early. My personal preference to start PT is right at 2 yrs. They definetly need to have SOME self help skills and be able to comunicate the need to go. I need to revise my handbook, asap!! I really didn't think I would have another parent who wanted to PT at a super early age, again!

I wouldn't place a specific age on when to start toilet training as each child is different. I've had very verbal and physically skilled 16-18 month olds and have had non-verbal, non-skilled 3 yr olds.

It really depends on the child's development and ability to do the things required to be trained.

They need to show some sign of readiness, need to be able to dress and undress (not all clothing, but basic pants/undies) and they need to be able to tell me in some manner that they either need to go to the bathroom or just went...kwim?

My own daughter was VERY verbal by 16 months. She had NO issues dressing/undressing herself and was easily potty trained.

My son was non-verbal until closer to 2.5 but he was still trained at 2 because he could undress/dress himself and he could signal he had to go.

You definitely have to know the child in order to really know if they are ready or not and you also need to remember that what a child can do at home IS often times VERY different than what they can/can't do while at daycare.

The environments are completely different so it's expected that the child's behavior could be different as well.