When to Start Potty Training

When to start potty training is probably the biggest question on most parents’ minds. Most children are ready to be potty trained when they are between two to four years old. However you may be able to start potty training only when your child shows signs that he/she is ready to be potty trained. It’s not only about child’s readiness, as a parent you should be equally prepared for the challenge as well.
But many parents tend to postpone potty training process, and this is however understandable since the results of doing things the wrong way could turn out badly for the parent. Do not start the potty training process until both you and your child are ready for the process.

Gender and Potty Training Process

It has been noted in the recent past that when comparing the two sexes, boys generally start to potty train a little later than the girls. Naturally, ladies do have a better grasping level than the guys, and as such it is only relevant that this applies to potty training process as well. Apart from that, you can never exactly put a figure to the time when to start potty training. This is because children are different right from birth. There are babies who will start slightly earlier than the rest, while there are also those who will begin later. All this depends on you as a parent, and the baby’s adaptation and development rate.

When You Should Actually Begin Potty Training Process?

Most parents do think that when their child reaches 18 to 24 months of age, they have to start potty training process. However, remember there is no perfect age to start the training and it all depends on overall child’s development. All you need to make sure is that, to start and complete the process successfully, both parent and child need to be equally ready.
Now that as a parent when you’re prepared for potty training process, look for the following sign which indicates that your child is ready to be potty trained too –

• Child shows interest in using the potty
• Child is able to understand basic instructions
• Child wakes up in middle of sleep with wet diaper
• Child can pull his/her pants down and then up
• Child communicates that his/her pants is wet
• Child can tell you that he/she needs to pee
• Child has regular bowel movements
• Child stays dry for two hours or longer
• Child can stand up and then sit down

You should be able to read your child’s facial expression and infer if he/she wants to urinate or have a bowel movement. If your child begins to communicate with you, then it is clearly an indication to start the potty training process. Never force your child to use the potty.
But what if your child is not yet ready? Still, you can start potty training process by keeping the potty in the child’s playing area or in the toilet and teach him/her how to use it or how to sit on the potty. Remember you should keep him/her seated in potty only for few minutes. If your child resist, then never overdo it.

How to Potty Train Your Child?

When you are confident that your child is ready, you can start potty training process. Following are some helpful tips to potty train your child -

• Let your child watch you use the toilet. If your child is boy, then let him watch his dad or elder brother use the toilet. If your child is girl, show her how to use the toilet by actually using it yourself.
• Leave the potty where your child can see it, especially in the child’s playing area or inside the toilet and teach them about the usage of potty. If possible also show them how the potty is used.
• Empty dirty diapers into the potty or toilet and teach your child what it is for.
• Teach your kid to wash hands after using the potty.
• Be with the child while he/she uses the potty and tell them potty stories to keep them focussed.
• Try to create a schedule and encourage your child to use the potty on specific time during the day like, when your child wakes up in the morning, after meals, before naps and before going to sleep at night.
• Avoid foods which are known to trigger constipation like rice cereals, bananas, cooked carrots, white bread, cheese, applesauce and yogurt.
• If you can predict your child's bowel movements each day, then leave the child without nappies and encourage the child to use the potty for elimination.
• Never forget to encourage and appreciate your child when he/she successfully uses the potty. Researchers have found appreciation to be the best motivation technique to help you succeed in potty training.

When to start potty training process? You need to be aware of all above facts and be very consistent with your routine and follow them every day. These are some of the signs that you need to watch out for so that you can start and complete training process successfully. However, as soon as you start, make sure that you do not rush the baby in the process, especially if you wish to get the best results.

Potty Training