Potty training can be liberating for parents and child, but some children can be particularly resistant to the process. It's best to start potty training when you sense that your child is ready, but potty training is typically started anywhere from about 18 to 24 months old, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Step 1
Look for signs your child is ready. Perhaps your child is resisting potty training because she just isn't ready to give up the ease and security of her diapers. The AAFP notes that some children may still be learning to use a toilet at age 3.
If your child expresses that her diaper is dirty, and shows interest in using a toilet or her potty chair, she's probably ready to give the potty a whirl, says the AAFP. The ability to announce when she needs to "go" and tug her own pants up and down are other indicators that your child is ready. Hold off on potty training until your child shows some of these signs.
Step 2
Celebrate the potty. Make a big deal about his potty chair, and tell him that it's his very own. Explain that big kids use the potty, and babies use diapers. The AAFP suggests letting him sit on it whenever she wants, even with his clothes on, and getting up whenever he wants. Don't schedule time when your child must sit on the potty. Move up to sitting on the potty without his diaper and pants.
Step 3
Let her help. Show her what you're supposed to do in the potty by taking the contents of her dirty diaper and putting them in the potty chair, AAFP suggest. Show her how you dump the stools from the potty chair into the toilet, and let her flush the handle. Encourage her to tell you when she needs to go, and ask her if she looks like she needs to use the bathroom (she may stop playing or start behaving differently).
Step 4
Make potty time fun, not stressful. Talk, sing, read a story—sit with him and just help him relax, AAFP says. Celebrate when he uses the potty and offer lots of praise. Try not to put pressure on him or force the issue; remember to make the transition to the potty interesting rather than making it something he has to do. And, remember to still encourage--don't punish--when he can't use the potty or has an accident, says the Mayo Clinic.
Step 5
Offer a reward. Reward her good behavior and encourage her to continue using the potty by giving her a little treat after she's successfully used the potty, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Whether it's a sticker, a special activity or a treat at the story, give her something to work toward and look forward to.
Step 6
Be patient. The AAFP says that it can take up to eight months for your child to be fully potty trained. If your child just doesn’t seem to understand about using the potty, gets anxious or upset about using it or just plain refuses, don't push the potty training issue for a few weeks or even months, suggests Mayo. Look for signs that your child is ready before you try again.
Tips and Warnings
- Let your child help pick out her potty chair, and find one with a fun design that she likes to help her get excited about it.
- Even if your child can successfully get through the day without an accident, you may want to put training pants or a nighttime diaper on your child until he's no longer having accidents at night.
Things You'll Need
- Potty chair
