What to do next?

[Positana]

After months of potty strike, my now nearly 17-month-old not only happily sits on his training seat to poop and pee but has also been signaling! (Sometimes at "normal" intervals. Sometimes as frequently as 3 times in 10 minutes, but peeing just a little each time. Sometimes right after he just peed. Sometimes we have dry runs where he taps and then doesn't go, but I suspect constipation or a bedtime ruse to delay sleep.)

He has been staying dry for, I would say up to 80% of the day for nearly a month now. When he does wet his nappie during the day, he's not sopping. He's only wet a little. My question: what do I do next?

I feel like I need to do something soon to help him graduate, to not miss his 18-month window. I've heard that it's much more difficult to potty train after that.

I have put him in training pants a few times, but he sops it every time. Do I keep trying training pants even though it seems to regress him? Let him run naked? (But is that safe for a toddler? He's so active, climbing, etc. -- he's so used to wearing a tarzan-like diaper cushion that I fear he might accidentally hurt himself down there if he's exposed.) Wait until he's 100% dry with a diaper? Thank you so much for listening and for your kind help!

[hrsmom]

First thing is celebrate the end of the potty strike! We had a rather long strike here as well! (That tapered off at about 17 months, too.)

I hadn't heard of the 18-month window, so I kept doing what I was doing. She was at the point where she would go if I reminded her and took her, in other words, no longer refusing the potty. I just kept doing that. She started peeing more around the holidays, and then at about 21 months she became even more consistent. For the past couple of months (she'll be 2 in a couple of weeks) we have been in a very easy groove. For the most part, it's me taking her every so often, and her going. Once in awhile she tells me ahead of time, once in awhile she refuses and ends up going somewhere else.

As far as how to dress him, can you introduce underwear? My little one got a big kick out of wearing panties! (A little older, but you could try with your guy!) I don't like to let my little one run around naked outside, either, and for the most part, she likes to have panties on. Or if it's working to have him in diapers right now, I'd go with that. I always like the "three miss idea" from Christine Gross Loh's book. Try something (nakey, training pants, whatever) and then after three (or whatever you decide) misses, go with diapers. I know my dd held it longer with a diaper on, it was like she was "reverse diaper trained."

Personally, I wouldn't try to do anything to hasten grad-hood at this point, unless you have an external reason like trying to enroll him in a daycare or class that requires potty trained little ones for example. It will happen!

[sapphire_chan]

The 18 month window is a window of cooperation to *start* potty learning. It's a time when diapered kids will have an interest in the potty and won't automatically refuse to try like a 2 or 2.5 year old will. In other words, you're already ahead of the game on that one.

He tells you about needing to pee, that's so awesome!

I think Hrsmom's idea of underwear is a good next step.