when to toilet train?

i've been reading up on toilet training. while my 16 month old is showing signs of becoming more aware about poo and wee, i think it'll still take a few more months before i can really try out potty training successfully.


problem is we have 2 major events coming up that will cause disruption and changes in my little guy's life:

1) come sept, he will attend playschool 3 mornings a week

2) come jan 08, baby #2 arrives.


based on the above, does anyone have any advice on when is the most suitable time to start potty training? i worry about school because he only attends it 3 times a day, will the school cooperate and support in the potty training or will they insist on nappies to avoid inconvenience? or should i wait until he's 2 in mar 08...by then baby is a couple of months old and hopefully he's settled in perfectly into school.


advice is appreciated, thanks!!

you should ask your school.


My daughter's school helped with toilet training - they were the ones who got me started and encouraging me to do so. They were totally supportive and my #1 was SO much better at school than at home. Asian standards of WHEN to toilet train are earlier than western standards - most of my friends who have well over 2 year olds (almost 3 some of them) have yet to still potty train. They want to do it when their child understands and it's a one week ordeal. My mother and grandmother kept on asking me why my 19 month old wasn't potty trained.

Boys are often later than girls in getting the hang of toilet training. It's so much easier when they are ready instead of forcing the issue. I would say over age 2, but then again there are some little ones who are ready earlier.

Buy the potty early and leave it around. Let him run around in your garden with no bottoms on. And if you use cloth diapers, they feel WET and some little ones will train faster because they don't like what the wetness feels like.