# When could your toddler pull his/her own pants down w/o help?



## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

This is partly a survey, yeah, but also partly a vent... I'm exasperated with my DD2. She's intensely interested in pottying. She is nearly 100% consistent about getting to the potty, and has been since early December. The thing is that she can't pull her own pants down, and it's starting to be a problem. The obvious solution is to let her stay naked but I can't, always-- we have friends and acquaintances from church and the neighborhood over, and we'd really rather she have clothes on. When she needs to pee, though, she doesn't usually tell anybody. She just goes dashing into the bathroom, sits down, and pees--- ON the potty, but FULLY CLOTHED. There's literally not enough time for somebody to notice what's happening and get there ahead of her, to help her pull her clothes off.

I tried really hard to coach her to pull her pants down. She understands what to do, but when she tries, she can't do it, and gets mad and gives up and just sits and pees-- again, on the potty, but right through her pants. I've even tried pants a size or two too big, cuffed at the bottoms, so they'd be nice and loose, and she still can't.

I've never had a kid so young potty training before--- DD1 was 3 before she was out of diapers. And I guess I'm wondering if it's typical for a child at 23 months to be unable to pull her pants down, or can most kids this age do it? I'm trying really hard not to let her see how frustrated I am, because she's REALLY proud of herself for using the potty. As far as she's concerned, she's peeing on the potty, ya know, so she thinks she's







.


----------



## woodchick (Jan 5, 2007)

I'm sure it varies from kid to kid, but DD (2yrs 8mos) is just now getting skilled at getting her pants down. And I usually have to remind her before she gets to the potty.

I try to keep her in loose pants or a dress to make things easier.


----------



## BarefootScientist (Jul 24, 2007)

I have no idea when it typically happens. My DS is 19.5 months and CAN pull his pants down...however he DOESN'T before he goes potty.







He just started (within the last few weeks) taking his pants and/or trainers off just to run around nude.

Sorry, not much help.


----------



## jjawm (Jun 17, 2007)

My dd trained at 26 months, and now, at 27 months still can't pull her own pants down. She normally wears dresses, but still can't get her panties down or pull her dress up reliably. She tries, but doesn't have the coordination.

So your daughter is not alone. My dd is really good about telling me (or the sitter or nursery worker) that she has to go, though. She hates to get her pretty panties wet


----------



## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

Well, we took a more gradual approach to potty training so she has been dry since 21 months, but she has only recently (maybe two months?) been able to pull down all of her pants herself. Though, at 24 months she could do sweatpants and karate / yoga pants herself, and did. I think it's perfectly normal not to be able to take her pants down but maybe the problem is also partly that she thinks it's enough just to pee there? Maybe just sweats and cotton elastic waists for awhile?

I think it's pretty common to have trouble at that age. Mine still asks for my help when it's hard for her, though. She doesn't do the potty all by herself.


----------



## TinyMama (Sep 4, 2007)

My 21mo can't put any article of clothing on or off. Nor is she interested in trying.


----------



## SeekingJoy (Apr 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BarefootScientist* 
I have no idea when it typically happens. My DS is 19.5 months and CAN pull his pants down...however he DOESN'T before he goes potty.







He just started (within the last few weeks) taking his pants and/or trainers off just to run around nude.

Sorry, not much help.









:

DD has been able to take off her pants since 15-16 months, but she doesn't to go potty. She still needs help.

What about putting her in a skirt or short dress and babylegs when company is around? She is still modestly covered, but can still sit right down to pee by herself.


----------



## mumkimum (Nov 14, 2006)

My dd just recently (past month) got the hang of doing her pants. She's 2 1/2 years old.

You could make some crotchless pants out of an old pair (like used for EC)? Might help her (and you!) out somewhat until she gets the hang of regular pants.


----------



## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

my DD has been trained for almost a year and still can't do it, especially if they are not soft pants like sweat or stretch pants. She'll be 3 in April


----------



## tankgirl73 (Jun 10, 2007)

DD is 26mo and undresses herself head-to-toe all the time. And re-dresses herself quite competently too. I guess she's a prodigy lol???

Anyway, I'll echo the suggestions of split-crotch pants so she can go on her own, since she's doing that so well already, and also of dresses and skirts with babylegs. We loooooooooooooove our babylegs.

What is she using for underwear? Is it possible that whatever she's wearing is more the problem, rather the pants themselves? If she's in panties that's probably not the case, but if she's in pullups maybe??


----------



## SparklingGemini (Jan 3, 2008)

My 19 MO DD can take her pants off but it takes her a while so there is no way she would make it to the potty in time if she took her pants off herself. I sort of work around this by reminding her/asking her about the potty at regular intervals and also taking her every time I need to go!

How about dresses and legwarmers? Then she could be half naked but kind of in secret!


----------



## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

My DD (24 months) can pull her pants off and can put them on at times. She loves to undress herself, its really hard to keep her clothed.


----------



## tumblebeee (Jul 27, 2006)

Have you tried split crotch pants? The EC store sells them or you could take cut the crotch out of a pair of pants that you already have.


----------



## GradysMom (Jan 7, 2007)

I didn't read your whole ven but consider this, my ds is now 30 mo and he just started pulling his own pants down a few weeks ago... and He has been wearing underwear, 95% of the time for the last 6 months.

I will add a good friend had sucess putting her daughter in sundresses and such bottomless at home. It would probably give your daughter a sense of self satisfaction.


----------



## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

DS is just 2. He can manage PJs or jogging bottoms but jeans are still a bit stiff for him. I think he could manage unwederpants but he refuses to put them on.

I'm not sure he would be fast enough to get to to the potty in time though, he's gone right off it in the last couple of weeks.

I do remember with DD that we kept her underpants a size bigger than her other clothes, she couldn't deal with them if they were too tight.


----------



## Super Glue Mommy (Jan 4, 2009)

DS1 (delayed) learned this at 3 1/4.
DD tries, but often needs help, at 2 years and 2 months.


----------



## OGirlieMama (Aug 6, 2006)

I'd definitely try dresses and no underwear + babylegs at home for a while.

FWIW, my twins are 3, and one of them pulls her pants up and down no problem, the other doesn't even try most of the time. Both of them are only semi-interested in the potty and only use it here and there.


----------



## dex_millie (Oct 19, 2006)

I didn't read the everyone respond but I have a few suggestions.

Right now at home I make sure DS is wearing just a pants(no underwear) and that the elastic around his waist is not tight so it is easy to just pull down and up. It was hard for him to pull down those Hanes/Fruit of the Loom briefs with that not so stretchy waist elastic so if he has those on I sometimes have to help him, along w/ jeans pants and so on but those are for when we are out. At home I just do the really easy pull down pants.

or

Maybe she can wear a skirt with no underwear and practice pulling that down and if she doesn't them hopefully the way she sits down the skirt wouldn't get into the potty.


----------



## Shannie77 (Jan 16, 2007)

DD started pulling down her pants, which are all stretchy pants, at about 18 months, by 20 months she was pulling them down and up easily. We EC so that might be one of the reason's she started on the early side. I also encouraged her to do it and when I first started working on this with her I put her in really loose fitting jogging pants so she could get the hang of it. She really enjoys getting dressed and undressed so she has had the motivation.


----------



## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Mine will be 3 in June and can get his pants up and down. He's been potty trained for almost a year and I helped him every time until the last few months when he decided he could do it himself.


----------



## meg-momto2 (Apr 23, 2007)

DD(19mo) potty learned on her own about 3 months ago. just in the last week she's finally figured out how to get her pants down. she's been able to get her clothes on and off for a few months just not when she needs to go. i make sure she's in loose fitting pants as much as possible. i had to take her hands and show her how to pull down her pants and underwear everyday to get her to do it.


----------



## earthmama369 (Jul 29, 2005)

I'm sure it varies depending on motor skills, but ds and dd could both pull their own pants down by their second birthday. Pulling their pants back up was trickier and ds (2.5) is still working on that one. He has trouble getting the waistband over his butt.


----------



## Aufilia (Jul 31, 2007)

DD was fully PT at 26 months but not capable of doing her own pants & undies yet. She could pretty much do it a few months later, but somehow got it into her head that she "shouldn't" until she was 3.







I still help her if she gets frustrated (getting pants over your butt can be more of a challenge than you'd think!) but she does it now most of the time.


----------



## lexmas (Jan 9, 2007)

We EC ds (27 months), but he can't pull his pants up and down, and certainly doesn't try.


----------



## Maine Mama Doula (Sep 6, 2007)

About 2.5 for DD1. She runs in, takes off her pants and her cloth diaper (snappi and all!), goes potty (pee and poop) and then runs out naked announcing it to everyone. But she doesn't use the potty all of the time, more like 50% of the time. She's been doing this for a few months now and has 2 younger siblings.


----------



## bdoody11 (Aug 16, 2005)

My 24 month old can get her pants down, but not up. However, we're not PL so we don't have to do it with speed. She most likely wouldn't make it in that situation.

My friend said her daughter just started being able to get hers up and down for the potty at 2 1/2.


----------



## Amylcd (Jun 16, 2005)

I'll also suggest no underwear + a dress at home.

DD started doing this around 16 months. She's 22 months now and can take all of her clothes off... which she does, frequently... and not just at home


----------



## LeahC (Sep 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OGirlieMama* 
I'd definitely try dresses and no underwear + babylegs at home for a while.

Ditto! My mom said that was how she PLed me back in the day. Just a little sundress and nothing else, which is helpful since I think I was all done potty learning by the time my brother was born and I would have been 27 months old when he arrived.


----------



## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

My ds pulls his pants down at 19months, thats how I know he needs to go sit on the potty! (a little embarrasing in public when he does this tho).
He cant pull down jeans, but can pull down everything else, esp with a loose ish elastic waist.

I remember we were having a fancy dinner once, and my sister had to 'go' really bad, she sat on the toilet and went through her clothes - she was 8! Poor kid.


----------

