There are so many variables, and you pretty much don’t know what experience you will have until it’s great, or it sucks.

We waited until 3ish with my first because that is what his daycare did, and how they handled training. He was literally trained overnight.

We started my youngest at 2, he had daily accidents until 3, and pooped in a pull up until he was 4. The first way, FOR US, was basically painless. My youngest was not ready at the time and it was extremely clear.

Anonymous wrote:The disposable diaper industry hired some primary care MD to write “the signs of readiness” that became very popular stating to keep kids in disposable diapers until 3. Made billions for them!

No other reason. Prior to the readily available disposable diaper, all kids potty trained around two or earlier.

Yes, disposable diapers are easier for the parents but not better for the kids.

My kids are early 50's now, so we were near the end of cloth diapers. Late 60's early 70's. Kids trained at much the same time as now, certainly not "two or earlier."

Anonymous wrote:Mom’s on here swear their three year olds potty trained immediately and easily but that has never been my experience as a nanny. The longer they poop standing up in diapers - the longer it takes to get them to sit to poop.

+1 We waited with my eldest and he would only poop standing up. It traumatized me to potty train him at 3.5. I actually cried over it, it was so awful. The next two got potty trained at 2 years and it only took a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potty training young is better for the child. That’s really it. It’s a sense of pride and autonomy as well as independence.

Uh, no.

I actually agree with this. It’s certainly more dignified.

I decided it was time at 2.5 yo because of the monthly cost of diapers, and I heard the horror story of a family friend whose son could not poop normally at 10 yo if not older.

I followed this simple logic and my kids were potty trained about 2.5 give or take a few months.

1-The child is aware they have peed or pooped after they did it.
2-The child is aware they are peeing or pooping while they are doing it.
3-The child is are they have to pee or poop before they do it.

When the child is at level 3 awareness they are ready to be potty trained. Before that you should have a little potty available, talk about what it's for, demonstrate yourself on the big potty after saying "Oh I have to pee, I'll go on the toilet!", have other kids demonstrate if you can, all to make sure the child knows what's going on and what the potty is for and what they are expected to do.

There's no point in potty training before the child is aware they have to go before they actually go. Once they are at that point it shouldn't take more than a few weeks or a month before they are mostly trained, although possibly not while sleeping until later.

Obviously, some kids will not be as cooperative as you might like or will have trouble figuring it all out until they are a bit older, like 3-4, but most kids will do fine within the above guidelines and will be ready for preschool or daycare potty training requirements by about age 3. No place should require it before age 3, if they do it's the wrong place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because having to change a 3 year old’s diaper is disgusting.

Try an almost four year old.

I did that once while I had morning sickness, after I knew she needed to go and had sat her on the toilet but she theatrically acted like the toilet seat was heated to 500 degrees, then she held the poo for her bedtime pullup. That had me starting with my own kid before 18 months.

It is true some 3 year olds will train in 3 days. And some won't.

Anonymous wrote:"Potty training" is not just about the actual pee and poop. It's also about being able to do the whole routine of using a bathroom--recognizing that you need to go and having some idea of how long you have until it's an emergency, pulling underwear/pants up and down, sitting (or standing) patiently while you wait for all the poop and pee to come out, flushing the toilet and washing hands. Developmentally, most kids are not ready for this until somewhere between 2-3.5. Anywhere in that range is pretty darn normal and adding stress into learning/mastering this routine by doing it before the child is ready is just unnecessary. Most preschool programs don't require it for attendance until 3(ish) for that reason.

But to answer your questions, diapers are definitely more convenient until your kid is ready, especially when you're out of the house (despite the very real financial and environmental issues they present). My kids all potty trained between 3 and 3.5 and it took about a week for each. But...I still put pull ups on for long car trips for a few months after that and being able to get through the night dry took a full 1-2 years longer. You know your kid best. When they are ready to learn the routine above, you'll know. Good luck OP!

That's your definition and if we use it, yes it is impossible to potty train an 18 month old. They don't have the fine motor to wipe themselves. My definition is they poo or pee in the potty and I'm not cleaning poop out of underwear or off the floor.

I don't know why everyone gets stressed out. I guess I have a way less hectic life. A poop accident is no big deal to me at all.

Anonymous wrote:Because having to change a 3 year old’s diaper is disgusting.

Try an almost four year old.

Anonymous wrote:Yes diapers are easier. There is no lint of potty training at 2 and then dealing with “accidents” for another year.

Except the 2 yr olds don’t have accidents for a year. My twins potty trained at 21 months and had only a couple accidents. Far less than my nephew who was finally toilet trained at 3.5.

My DD was sensitive to regular diapers so we had to use the chlorine free diapers, which were more expensive. Even then, she got diaper rash easily, so we started potty training when she was little over two. She was fully day trained at 26 months and night trained at 28 months.

Because having to change a 3 year old’s diaper is disgusting.

Anonymous wrote:Yes diapers are easier. There is no lint of potty training at 2 and then dealing with “accidents” for another year.

DD trained at three and had accidents every day for well over a year. I’m trying pre-two training with the next one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The disposable diaper industry hired some primary care MD to write “the signs of readiness” that became very popular stating to keep kids in disposable diapers until 3. Made billions for them!

No other reason. Prior to the readily available disposable diaper, all kids potty trained around two or earlier.

Yes, disposable diapers are easier for the parents but not better for the kids.

Um, no.

My exMIL insists exdh was potty trained by 18 months. When I pressed on this, turns out 'potty trained' meant she strapped him into some potty seat contraption that had a tray-apparently for hours at a time- and set him in front of the tv with animal crackers! I was horrified.

I'm from the cloth diaper era and there were plenty of 2-3 year olds still training. Ask a grandma what 'training pants' were!

You really think all older people were strapped into a potty seat for hours? I am 67 and was toilet trained at 18 months without problem as were all my five siblings.

I didn't say that...but apparently this potty seat with a tray and restraining strap was a commercially available item, like at Sears or something. I thought exMIL was confused or mistaken or something until I googled it.

Never heard of one and never saw one. I did, however, see a potty seat recently with an iPad holder attached which is just mental restraints.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The disposable diaper industry hired some primary care MD to write “the signs of readiness” that became very popular stating to keep kids in disposable diapers until 3. Made billions for them!

No other reason. Prior to the readily available disposable diaper, all kids potty trained around two or earlier.

Yes, disposable diapers are easier for the parents but not better for the kids.

Um, no.

My exMIL insists exdh was potty trained by 18 months. When I pressed on this, turns out 'potty trained' meant she strapped him into some potty seat contraption that had a tray-apparently for hours at a time- and set him in front of the tv with animal crackers! I was horrified.

I'm from the cloth diaper era and there were plenty of 2-3 year olds still training. Ask a grandma what 'training pants' were!

You really think all older people were strapped into a potty seat for hours? I am 67 and was toilet trained at 18 months without problem as were all my five siblings.

I didn't say that...but apparently this potty seat with a tray and restraining strap was a commercially available item, like at Sears or something. I thought exMIL was confused or mistaken or something until I googled it.