Salma Hayek Tries, Without Success, to Delay Potty Training Valentina

MP/WG/Boaz/Flynet

For many parents, a potty-trained toddler is a milestone that can’t come soon enough — but not so for Salma Hayek. In an interview with Access Hollywood, the 43-year-old actress and producer says that daughter Valentina Paloma, 2, potty trained herself…but mom wasn’t ready for the momentous occasion.

“She’s like, ‘Take these off, Mommy. I can go to the bathroom,’” Salma recalls. “But I’m like, ‘I don’t want you to because I still want you to wear the diaper when we go out because I don’t know how to handle the public bathrooms with you. Give me some time.’ But it’s like, ‘No, I don’t want to wear the diaper. I can do this, Mommy.’”

Graduating from diapers is just one of many important markers Valentina has reached of late, Salma shares.

“I had a talk with her not too long ago. I just said, ‘Listen, you have to slow down because I’m a first-time mommy and I’m not ready for some of the things you’re doing.’ She talks and she’s been walking since nine months. She counts. She knows the ABCs.”

Having recently returned to a film set — her first since giving birth — Salma admits she was nervous to take on her role in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant because of the long hiatus from acting. That the part is small “was really important,” however, according to Salma.

“I was supposed to do a movie right after Valentina [was born] and it was the first time in my career that I backed out of something because I just couldn’t. I couldn’t.”

The transition was made easier by Valentina’s presence on location in New Orleans, along with husband François-Henri Pinault and his two children from a previous relationship. “She did great,” Salma says of Valentina. “She’s a pro.”

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is in theaters today.

Source: Access Hollywood

– Missy

Comments

Haha, sounds like Valentina is a mini adult :0

- Xan on October 23rd, 2009

I could not imagine wanting to put off potty training if your kid is ready. How odd.

- finais on October 23rd, 2009

Haha that’s just how my sister was. One day she just said “Mommy, I want big girl panties” and that was that.

- marfmom on October 23rd, 2009

Finais, I don’t think we should judge Selma. She admits she’s a first-time mommy and is not ready for such milestones even if her daugthter is. The article actually made me chuckle.

- Tiffany on October 23rd, 2009

I just love Valentina, she seems to have a great little personality and is always so happy!!! Salma seems like a great, hands on mother.

- Molly on October 23rd, 2009

I totally get where she is coming from. I always tell my niece and nephews that I’m going to give them the magic stop growing pills. They laugh and say, “no way we want to be big big big!” Kids just grow up too fast and parents just are not always prepared or ready for how fast it goes. Of course Salma wasn’t going to delay her potty training I’m sure she’s just thinking in her mind, “no your a baby you can’t be ready!”
It is funny how girls just can’t stand wearing diapers and hate being messy where boys are content to sit in it for hours!

- JMO on October 23rd, 2009

That is the same thing that happened to me, my daughter one day out of the blue just decided she was done with diapers (she was 20 months) I thought she was still too small and I was so scared, what if she had to go when we were in the car? or at the mall? I am a first time mommy and I was so scared, I even took her to the pediatrician..lol

Dr. Ali told me it was fine and I needed to calm down…lol

- XOXO on October 23rd, 2009

My son did the same thing a month after he turned 2…he was ready I was not. I asked are you sure and he said yes he wanted to wear undies. So I know were she’s coming from, I still let him go through the process and he was out of diapers within 2 days, which was awesome but still made me feel a bit sad, he grew up!
Lucky for us I guess that it was so easy!

- Nina on October 23rd, 2009

I don’t think it’s odd at all. I would be a little taken back too if my 2 year old decided to potty train herself out of nowhere.

Valentina sounds like a very bright child, and it’s cute to hear about the mother daughter conversations – I know I love being able to chat with my daughter, who is also quite verbal. It’s fun to have a very small child who forms full sentences and can carry on a conversation, although I never quite know what she will want to talk about.

- Mrs. R. on October 23rd, 2009

My first son ptty trained so easily…fully trained at 2 and a half. My next one…not so easy…

- acorrado on October 23rd, 2009

I have a special needs child. I only wish I had this “problem”. But I do know the feeling of not wanting your child to grow up and out of certain phases.

- Mom2boys on October 23rd, 2009

I agree with Selma. I did not want my 2 year old trained I knew that with the fourth she would be the last. I wanted to cherish the ‘baby’ as long as I could. It’s funny birthdays don’t make me sad, it’s the milestones that each child has gone or is going through. I hate going back to school. To me that is a huge milestone. Every year they are that much older and that much closer to 12th grade. I cry every September for about a month. When Potty training put me in tears she would ask me if my tears were happy tears I said yes but they were not happy tears they were tears of I’m losing my baby tears. Our baby just turned 5 and started kindergarten and let me tell you I was so depressed that our oldest who just turned 17 said I needed major help. And just 2 weeks ago our 17 year old and I were at a college fair. I am soooooo not ready for that step. As much as my kids drive me crazy (husband say’s it’s a short walk) there is nothing more satisfying to me than having all my family around me at dinner time. And one by one they will be out there in that great big world facing challenges I know they need to face, but it scares the hell out of me. I don’t want to ‘look’ younger or ‘bottle youth’ I want to slow time down and enjoy every laugh that comes from my kids.

- mary on October 23rd, 2009

If the child is ready, I think it would be like putting a genie back in the bottle to stop the process. And I don’t think it is the best idea to halt this developmental milestone. Makeup, piercings, yes, but potty training?

I hardly think it is odd for a two year old to want to be potty trained. Certainly when I was growing up, that seemed to be the usual age. And it was the age when my kids were ready. And I was ready! There are a lot of things I miss about infancy, but not diapers!

- AE on October 23rd, 2009

Wow, that’s great! I wish it was that easy for everyone. My son is 2.5 and I am 7 months pregnant and on restricted activity so I’ve decided to delay the potty training until he’s 3, after the baby is born since I’m supposed to limit lifting and bending right now. I can’t believe her daughter just trained herself – that’s incredible. I wonder if there is a nanny or something behind that!

- JS on October 23rd, 2009

My mom told me I did the same thing. At 21 months I would take the diaper off, so she put me in panties and that was that. She even had to convince the ladies at the daycare center that I didn’t need diapers b/c their policy was that a child has to be in diapers until the age of 2. She wasn’t so fortunate with my brother and sister though.

- dee on October 23rd, 2009

Gee, what else does she do, algebra?

All kidding aside, this is just Salma bragging and exaggerating what her daughter can do

- sara on October 23rd, 2009

I don’t necessarily think she is exaggerating Sara. My brother was like a little adult at two. I could see this scenerio playing out with certain two year olds.

- meghan on October 23rd, 2009

I don’t know if this has just translated wrong to print, but come on! A 2-year-old does not talk like that. “Valentina do poo-poo on the potty” I could believe. But not “No, I don’t want to wear a diaper. I can do this.”
I love Salma and am sure Valentina is a clever clogs, but that vocabulary is just too unbelievable for me.
But as I said, maybe it just worded strangely in the translation from film interview to print.

- Sadie on October 23rd, 2009

I’m not judging, I just couldn’t imagine having that perspective. I love every new milestone I get with my daughter. I’m looking forward to everything. It all makes parenting a little bit easier. Plus, diapers are horribly expensive.

- finais on October 23rd, 2009

Sadie- my son who I posted earlier about potty training early also has a huge vocabulary for his age and was able to express his needs/wishes. I highly doubt she’s making it up, some kids are just verbal, doesn’t mean anything in the long run, every child goes through developmental stages differently.

- Nina on October 23rd, 2009

finais, Selma didn’t say Valentina talk like that, she just said it was like she was meaning it!
either way some 2-years-old are able to talk that way

- daze on October 23rd, 2009

I can understand where she’s coming from, I realize how easy diapers are for ME. No running to the bathroom every 20 minutes when we’re out in public, no accidents etc etc. It’s very selfish of me:) My mother is on my case about it and telling me how lazy I am so I’m in the middle of training my 23 month old daughter right now! I can believe her daughter speaks like that, mine is a talker too. Yesterday she said, “Mommy, I’m not going to use the big girl potty today”, clear as day! I get the sense that Salma is sort of bragging and it comes off the wrong way though. I always get that feeling when I read her interviews for some reason. It does seem like her daughter is advanced at EVERYTHING though:) That’s not a bad thing!

- Jessicad on October 23rd, 2009

Also, I don’t think she’s making up or exaggerating anything. Both myself and my mother spoke at nine months old. Not just baby stuff like “dada” and “mama,” but actual words. I was apparently speaking “like an adult” by the time I was 18 months. This is according to my parents. My brother didn’t speak at all until he was three years old. So, every kid is different. Like I said, I’m not judging her, and a small part of me understands the whole “it goes so fast” sort of thing. But, when one thing ends, something new begins. There is always something to look forward to with children.

- finais on October 23rd, 2009

I have a niece who turned 2 in July and even before her birthday she would talk in full sentences. “I want to see the dog!”, I don’t want to talk on the phone.”, “Can I watch Dora?” and when we were watching wolverine in the movie theater she plainly said, “I farted mom.” to my sister.

I’ve seen toddlers do and say some amazing things, so I don’t doubt Valentina said what she did, and I’m sure her being tri-lingual helps.

- bre on October 23rd, 2009

daze – I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Please reread what I have written, because I think you are confused.

- finais on October 23rd, 2009

No, not “making it up” Nina, but paraphrasing. I’m with Sara.

- computerag on October 23rd, 2009

Sadie – my daughter just turned 2 a couple of weeks ago and yes, she does talk with that kind of vocabulary and she can sing the ABCs. She is my third child, so maybe that has something to do with it, but there are definitely 2 year olds that talk like that! With my two boys, I wouldn’t have believed a barely two year old had such an advanced vocabulary;-)

- jbmotherof3 on October 23rd, 2009

My cousin, who is now 4, at the age of 12 months, he was walking, talking and starting to potty train. At about the age of 9 months, every time he had to go to the bathroom, my mum or aunt would take him in to the bathroom and trained him quite early. My aunt was keen on him learning early since she was going through chemo and raising him on her own with her adult son who is special needs. He was already showing signs of being ready so it was great!

Also around that time he was staring to talk and was talking in sentences. He was very articulate for his age. We talked to him like an adult (in the sense of full complete sentences) and we reasoned with him to the best that he could comprehend. I really think this makes a difference. He blew me away once at just shy of 18 months when I was setting the table for a family dinner and he went to grab a knife. I calmly said to him “Tavion, knives are dangerous. Please don’t touch.” He looked at me then the knife and said “Oh, dangerous” took his hand away from the knife and it was perfect. None of the mispronunciation that toddlers are famous for. The whole night we had he saying “dangerous” over and over again since we couldn’t believe it. I don’t think he’s ever gone to grab one again. Now, at the age of 4 (after the doctors have said his cognitive functions are that of a 7 year old) he is learning to write (he can write his own name) and he is learning to read. He’s actually so advanced that he is getting bored with pre-school.

It all depends on how you talk to you children and how much you read to them – I really believe this. Salma seems to be teaching Valentina young and it is going to help her so much in life.

- Devon on October 23rd, 2009

My niece basically potty trained herself at 16 months. Nobody was trying to teach her, but she started to ask to go to the bathroom by observing how the adults behaved.

She’s now 20 months old, she’s never had an “accident” and doesn’t even sleep in diapers anymore.

- Clara on October 23rd, 2009

I believe salma with everything she says. salma herself was a bright kid almost skipped a grade, and those smart genes are often inherited. I renember seeing valentina walking at 8 and 9 months a lot too, way more than other celebrity kids and I myself was potty trained before 2. Plus salma seems the type to treat her child like a young person, not all baby talk and stuff like that. Valentina is so pretty and sounds so smart too, salma is a lucky mama.

- gianna on October 23rd, 2009

My daughter was potty trained at two. She didn’t want to be but she got to the point where she was laying down and changing her own diaper, and if you can do that you can go on the potty.

- Micheley on October 23rd, 2009

Her name is Salma, not Selma……

- April on October 24th, 2009

Bre – you took a 2 year old to see Wolverine? Come one – all that violence isn’t age appropriate for a 10 year old, let alone 2 year old!!

- Neelie on October 24th, 2009

Neelie, as I posted it was my niece and her mother was there. She’s a sweet non violent little kid who ate popcorn and slept through most of the film. She didn’t all of a sudden decide she wanted to claw people with hidden indestructable knives that protrude through her fist. My favorite movie when I was 3 was Gremlins, my brother’s first movie was Ninja Turtles both somewhat violent, yet we both turned out to be well adjusted educated adults. I hope you tell those parents whose small children show up at your door dressed up as Batman, Spiderman, and Wolverine how irresponsible they are. Or maybe you just like to spout off behind the safety of the internet.

- bre on October 24th, 2009

I wish my 2.5 year old son would potty train himself–I am so sick of diapers! Anyway, like others who posted I don’t know if Salma is exaggerating about her daughter, but I know a little girl who at 18 months could talk in full sentences and my son now talks in full sentences (just started though). Some kids are faster at some things and slower at others.

- LP on October 24th, 2009

I used to babysit for a 2 year old who had a HUGE vocabulary and spoke clear as day 99% of the time. She’d look at her dad and say “Jason, I want some ice cream.” (She was going through a phase where she insisted on calling her dad by his given name rather than dad or daddy). My 2 year old cousin has been speaking full sentences for quite awhile now, also. If you ask him to do something that he doesn’t want to do his response is “No. I will not do that.” pretty much every time. He has 3 older brothers, so that probably helped. I think it really depends on the child on when they develop certain skills. That’s why the ranges are so long for many of the milestones that doctors look for.

- Sarah M. on October 24th, 2009

OK guys, I stand corrected! It seems there are 2 year olds who talk like adults, though I have to say I have never heard one (and when I say 2, I mean on the early end of 2, not the close-to-3 end).
My son is 22 months and he’s very bright, knows his ABCs, can count, talk in sentences… but he doesn’t talk like that. I have to say though that little girls do seem a little more articulate than little boys, so maybe that has something to do with it (bet Valentina can’t work every function on the remote like my son can though, hehehe).

- Sadie on October 24th, 2009

Micheley – that story about your daughter is quite funny!

I don’t doubt a toddler would be able to say such things at that age, if you talk in correct language to your kids instead of baby talk they will do the same. I think Salma is lucky with the potty training, I took forever to do it and so did my mom. I hope the sadness of her baby growing fast will be balanced by the pride that she’s doing so well.

- Alice on October 24th, 2009

my mistake finais! i was talking to Sadie not you…sorry

- daze on October 24th, 2009

Finais, I think daze confused you with Sadie, who was saying she didn’t believe Valentina has such an advanced vocabulary

- SadieA on October 24th, 2009

I know a little girl who just turned two on friday who potty trained herself at 18 months old and talks like she’s 5. In fact the other day she was rocking her doll baby singing Silent night to her clear as day!!!! Kids work at different paces. My niece could speak fully at 18 months and new 20 words to sign. But I also know kids who are 4 and I can barely understand them. I always believe children should be talked to like mini adults. I hate baby talking after a year old.

- JMO on October 24th, 2009

Oh, okay. That’s cool, daze. I hadn’t even read Sadie’s post, so I was just confused. Oh, and I wanted to add that I apparently willingly potted trained just prior to 24 months. So, I didn’t find it surprising that a 2 year old would be ready and willing to potty train. Again, my brother was a bit more difficult with potty training, too. Are there different typical times that boys will hit milestones vs. when a girl will? It seems like boys potty train and speak later than girls, in general.

- finais on October 24th, 2009

“And a little child shall lead them …”

I love how Salma is so open about her difficulties. You go, girl!

- mp on October 24th, 2009

Sadie,

I have video of my 10 month old saying more than 12 words, by 15 months it was sentences and by age 2 it was full adult sentences. Some kids are just more advanced verbally, I know mine was and I have the proof

- Claire on October 24th, 2009

Oops and he potty trained himself in 2 days without aid of a nanny or any aid from me. He just said “I’m done with diapers I’m a big boy now” and voila.

- Claire on October 24th, 2009

does anyone realize we’re talking about a 13 month old child? She’s counting and knows the ABC!?? C’mon people!!!

- lulu on October 24th, 2009

lulu, the post says Valentina is 2, not 13 months! Yes, at 13 months I would be suspicious.

- LP on October 24th, 2009

Lol… looks like salma isn’t the only mom dying to tell the world about her little genius!

in my OPINION it is a little socially delayed to announce how incredible your child is in an interview… true or not.

- cait5 on October 24th, 2009

I was the same way with my little guy!! When he just one day decided he was done with diapers (a little over 2) I was almost freaked out!! I’d seen my mom friends literally run their little ones to the bathroom (and sometimes not make it in time!) and I totally agree public bathrooms are not my fav place to hang out!!! He was a total pro though and walked me through it!!! LOL!! =)

- mmh on October 25th, 2009

Why is it Ok to brag about your children? Its just disguised narcacissim…how suprising that so many hollywood mothers go on on and on…as do many mothers on this blog! Its so much more respectful to your children to be proud of who they are not how “impressive” they are…

- miaow on October 25th, 2009

Miaow, it sounds as if you are not a mother yourself, am I right?

It is perfectly normal to be proud of your children and commenting on their developmental achievements is not bragging it is simply stating a fact. Would it be considered bragging or disguised narcissism to celebrate your child walking, speaking words, sentences, winning a trophy, winning an art contest? What you are saying makes no sense. It is a parent’s job to notice the milestones and achievements of their children.

- Claire on October 26th, 2009

Sorry I disagree. The most unpleasant part of joining mummydom is having to endure the endless thinly disguised bragging of “socially delayed” mothers. I get they love their kids but why not save it for the grandparents who like actually care? Because I don’t give a flaming flambe WHEN little Tarquin first counted backwards in Greek or about that adorable time wee Ophelia whipped her nappy off in gymbaroo and demanded to be taken to the nearest bidet (I mean she wasn’t even CRAWLING then daaaahling). Honestly, if your kid is THAT smart/advanced whatever, we’ll hear about it when they cure cancer in 15 years but till then…TALK about your kids, sure, the funny things they say and so on, but don’t BRAG because people aren’t dumb, we all know what you are doing and its just crass. Or at least have some balls and brag about yourself.

- miaow on October 26th, 2009

My, my Bre – aren’t we defensive. You rationalize all you’d like about what movies you saw at whatever age, but the bottom line is, taking a two year old to a movie like that is irresponsible and selfish. Fyi, while my computer may be a safe haven to post whatever I’d like, I most certainly tell someone in the theater, like you or your niece’s mother exactly that.
I think it’s really sad that you’d defend that choice, the reality is that we wouldn’t have to worry about what type of negative childhood behavior is the result of violence in entertainment if we just didn’t expose our kids to it in the first place. Not to mention that it is rude (and again, selfish) to disrupt an adult themed movie by bringing a small child with you. Next time, you should skip the popcorn and hire a baby sitter.

- Neelie on October 26th, 2009

Good for Salma’s daughter! Babies around the world potty train far earlier than our kids here in the States.

As for the people above who are saying unkind things about a child who counts or knows her letters early: I tell my girls we all have our own gifts. You should think about that before you accuse Salma of lying!

Both my kids (one is now 6, the other is 16-months) counted to ten by 13 or 14 months. They both sang the alphabet around the same time. We have stairs. Every time I carried them upstairs we would count. Kids are like sponges. They soak up whatever you throw at them.

- Karen Bannan on October 26th, 2009

There seems to be a lot of debating on the vocabulary and also potty training. I have four children, ages 14, 10, 7, and 6. My son, the oldest, was late to potty train (over 3) but was speaking clear words before he turned one and by 18 months was speaking in complete sentences. My second child barely spoke until after she turned two, but was potty trained early, number 3 spoke and potty trained early and number 4, she did both LATE. Its all up to the child and their personality. I let each child potty train without pushing them and it worked well, they did it when they were ready. But I do understand Salma’s want to wait. With my last two, given they are only 16 months apart, I was hoping one would be late in potty training and the other early so I could possibly do it at the same time. When the older girl decided she was ready I was trying to stall her but to no avail.

As far as the movie Wolverine goes, it is none of our business what age child saw the movie. My favorite movie at 3 was GREASE:) which is very sexual, but I loved the music. My son has watched action films since a young age and he is not violent and my middle daughter loves any movie that gives her a scare. I adjust the viewing based on my child not on some preconceived notion of what is and is not ok for children.

- KD on October 26th, 2009

i think i may be in love with you miaow.

in my mother’s group we have a weekly “most outrageous bragging award” which is the only way we can stand to sit through some of the bollocks that we hear at the park, at school pick-up etc. I think I may print off this entire article and comments section and bring it along for our amusement. thanks ladies!

Don’t let my comments bother you though ladies – my children are in no way gifted and have never done anything particularly early or well (other than bite, my son was a legend biter for a while there). I’m probably just jealous.

- cait5 on October 26th, 2009

Wow, what a debate! I have no idea if Selma is exaggerating or not and I don’t care. It is obvious taht she is a proud mommy and I think the little girl looks like a very bright, beautiful child. As a mother to 3 boys, my oldest two were potty trained completely at night before the day and my youngest who is 2 years old and is on the autism spectrum is incredibly bright and sweet and afraid of the toilet flushing, so potty training him should be quite the adventure.

- Lisa on October 27th, 2009

cait5 – I want me a mummy’s group like yours!

- miaow on October 29th, 2009