need help knowing next steps for 17 month old

[HolliM]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this...

We started exposing my ds to the potty at 14 months. We have him sit on it about twice a day, usually when he woke in the morning and again after his nap. He pees on it on average maybe a couple times a week. Sometimes we would take a break from it for a few days if he seemed particularly aversive to it, but usually he enjoys it as we sing songs, read books, etc. Sometimes he will even point to it when we are going to the bathroom so we'll help him get on it.

Lately he seems to be showing more signs that he is understanding the whole process but I'm not sure where to go from here. I've noticed him staying dry for much longer time periods and even waking up dry from his nap. Then tonight I noticed his diaper was dry before bed so I had him sit on the potty and I could tell that he was actually concentrating and trying to "push." It's so exciting watching him start to really understand the process! Anyway, he peed in his potty after a few minutes and stood right up to take it to the toliet and then we flushed it together. Instead of washing hands though, he kept pointing back to the potty and wanted to sit there again. He sat on it another 10 minutes and kept checking to see if there was anything in there. He seems to really be at a sensitive period with potty learning but I'm not sure what to do next. :

Should I start having him sit on it every hour or so? Should I keep the potty near us while we're playing all day? Help!

[sapphire_chan]

having a potty available seems easy enough. Talk about potty use, keep your eyes open for straining and pee-dances.

[Shannie77]

What I would do is have a little potty available to him incase he wants to initiate. Then I would offer ever hour or so, but if he isn't interested don't push him. As the PP said if you notice any signs that your son has to go offer.

Is he talking yet? My DD signed for the potty until she could verbally let me know. While she was going I would do the sign for potty and say "you are going PEE PEE (or POO POO)". Then when she was ready she got really good at verbally telling.

[saabgirl88]

Hey! First congrats on getting this far! That is great! Emily is 16 months old and we did the same thing as you, bought a potty at around 14 months and just let her kind of "play" with it and sit on it. around 15 months she decided to sit more and more, at the time only really making maybe 3 to 4 times a week So we kept her in diapers. Then she started staying dry for 2 to 2 1/2 hours and waking dry at nap. So at 16 months I decided to try panties and see what happened. That was a week ago. She has done amazing. I offer once an hour but now am finding that if I suggest we use the potty, unless she has to go she will refuse. I have learned to let her decide, I offer if she goes, she gets a sticker (which is her favorite) and an m&m. She loves her m&ms, but she loves the stickers more. We use real panties at home and trainers when we are out or at sleep times. Since she was waking dry at nap I keep her in trainers and she is dry every time. Then she started refusing diaper at night, so we let her sleep in trainers there, making sure it was easy to take her potty at night and keeping extra stuff, easy to get to in case of accidents. Amazing, she has been dry for three night now! So, may long suggestion would be...if you think you and him are ready try going for undies and see how he takes to them. Try taking him once an hour and if he refuses let it go and if he has an accident, as hard as it might be try not to get upset and clean him up and remind him, pee pee goes in the potty, its okay, you'll make it next time. Or something along that line. I am no professional but that is my suggestion. But one word of advise, if you do go to undies at home...make sure you don't go back to diapers (you can use them when you go out and sleep times) but if your home then I would keep them in their undies, even with messes! Good luck! Keep me posted how it goes. Very interested to know, seeing how Emily and your little one is close in age!

Amanda

[dogretro]

I think having him sit every hour sounds good. If he doesn't mind & you are going to be changing him anyway, it is a great place to start to help him learn to hold it. Also, as Shannon said, saying something about what he is doing (giving pee and poo & the process a name) will help him understand what is going on. I would not bother keeping a potty on hand nearby at all times. At this point, he seems interested but relaxed, which is exactly how you want to keep it. If he is wet when it is time to potty, point it out & say that pee pee goes in the potty. Then, sit on potty, new dipe, back to play!

[philosoikou]

Offering often is great. In our house, we don't so much "offer" as initiate. I've found that both of my children would protest or refuse at this age if I *asked* them "do you need the potty?" or "do you want to sit on the potty?" But if I nonchalantly brought them to the potty and plopped them down on it -- no fanfare -- they generally accepted it without issue and peed.

Naked time is what works best, IMO. This was quite feasible for us since we have hardwood floors. My kids have both been no-pants at home pretty much from walking to potty-reliable. Once they "get" it, we can do pants again.