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personally i think very few children are physically ready to potty train before at least 20 months. They might show understanding of the fact that they are wee'ing / pooping, or of where it should be done etc, but the physical control is just not really there younger than that.
I do think it's a good idea to have a potty in the house though and to let them sit on it periodically, so they know what it's for etc, but i really wouldn't push the actual training just yet.
I used to au pair for a family with 2 young kids (11 months apart in age!). The mother was not interested in pushing her daughter to potty train, so just let her be. Suddenly at about 28 months i think it was she just told me one day "nappy off" (she'd been asking to sit on the toilet over and over for about half an hour - it was like a game, i'd let her sit on it, then she'd climb off and i'd put the nappy on. 5 min later she'd want to sit again. over and over). Then when she was done with sitting on the toilet she just told me 'nappy off' and refused to let me put it on again. I explained ot her that she must tell me if she wants to wee. She never had an accident. Was like instant potty training because she was really and truly ready.
Unfortunately logan is at daycare so we won't have the luxury of waiting for him to train himself as they start training them from about 20 months. Thankfully his teacher does say she waits for them to show an interest in the potty though, so it's not forced training. But generally i prefer to let them just train when they're ready - so much less stressful!
I do think it's a good idea to have a potty in the house though and to let them sit on it periodically, so they know what it's for etc, but i really wouldn't push the actual training just yet.
I used to au pair for a family with 2 young kids (11 months apart in age!). The mother was not interested in pushing her daughter to potty train, so just let her be. Suddenly at about 28 months i think it was she just told me one day "nappy off" (she'd been asking to sit on the toilet over and over for about half an hour - it was like a game, i'd let her sit on it, then she'd climb off and i'd put the nappy on. 5 min later she'd want to sit again. over and over). Then when she was done with sitting on the toilet she just told me 'nappy off' and refused to let me put it on again. I explained ot her that she must tell me if she wants to wee. She never had an accident. Was like instant potty training because she was really and truly ready.
Unfortunately logan is at daycare so we won't have the luxury of waiting for him to train himself as they start training them from about 20 months. Thankfully his teacher does say she waits for them to show an interest in the potty though, so it's not forced training. But generally i prefer to let them just train when they're ready - so much less stressful!
I'll still get him a potty, just to get used to it, but I have no desire to push him before he's ready. And just like Ali said, I actually think it will be easier to have two in diapers at first...I would hate to be trying to train Connor at the same time as having a newborn, too many new stressful things all at once!
