When is the right to start Toilet training?

I asked my Kenya-based Facebook friends this question, “When is the right age to start potty-training? Is 18 months too late? I got a wide variety of responses.

‎”I potty trained mine at 24 months.”

“Toilet training starts from 6 months. Just put them when you know they’re ready to go and clap for them when they do it. By 1 you’re done.”

“I started at 2.5yrs. There's hope.”

“I started mine at 6 months. She’ll be 8month next week. When she’s on it she is relaxed as long as the TV is on”.

“I tried at 15 months, it wasn’t working. Now at 19.5mths, he’s taking an interest. “

“I started at around 12 months. They are now three years and we are still trying*frustrated mothers of boys”

“My eldest LO learned to use a potty at 2 and a half. There's no "right" or "wrong"…they learn easiest when they are ready.”

“Babies are different..some can use the potty very well at 13months while others at 3 years. Just be patient. Start by explaining the concept of “pee” and “poop” first then the baby will understand the purpose of the potty”

“Mine is 2 and 1 months. Shhe has not sat on that thing even once. She rides it as a scooter in the house but I have chosen not to force her. She will know in due time.”

“I was taught in college that it starts from 6months. You know what time your baby poops so just put them on the potty and encourage them to do it. Soon they know that it’s done on potty. By the time my girl was 1yr I onlu used a diaper at night. She wouldn’t  even do it on a diaper at night so it was always dry in the morning -  she would run to do it in the potty”

“There something called Elimination Communication, where you learn to read your little one’s signs from birth and notice when they are having a wee or a poo. I organized a baby fair and met this lady and she had been doing it since her LO was like 3 months. She said every time she saw the signs, she would rush and hold her baby over a potty. She told me from the age of 7 months her baby had not used a nappy, and I met her baby who was 2 years old ..so it does work, just that you have to be beyond vigilant.”

“My son is 2 & he wears his potty on his head so.......”

“My son has issues with poop, when he wants to pee he runs to the “loo” but poop oh my, we fight daily because of that and he's turning 3yrs late this month.”

From my own personal experience, I started Michelle’s toilet training at 2.5 years. She was at the height of her toddler independence so it was very tough. She eventually learned to pee in the toilet. However, for a long time, she was scared of pooping in the toilet. I read about Elimination Communication and even borrowed a video. Some of my friends recommended starting toilet training as soon as a child is comfortable sitting independently.When it comes to preparing your baby for potty use, the start time really depends on your unique family situation...It's a bit like preparing for a marathon. The expectation when one starts training is not to run the full 42Kms...depending on your fitness level, one can start with 5 KMs and increase the distance gradually so that by D-Day, one is able to complete the marathon.