The American Academy of Family Physicians states that parents and guardians must teach kids proper bathroom habits to prevent illness and disease. When children learn good habits early in life, there is a greater chance that these will be carried into adulthood behaviors. Children have different windows of maturity for bathroom training and adults must be attuned to the individual needs and abilities of the child.
Toilet Training Readiness
The question of when to begin potty training is easily answered: Each child is different. KidsHealth offers guidelines to determine individual readiness. If a child understands basic directions, comprehends words relating to the bathroom, clothing and toilets, and is able to maintain a dry diaper for two hours, it is then time for toilet training, according to KidsHealth. Additional factors, such as "showing an interest in underpants" and the ability to signal an adult that the child needs to visit the bathroom, also assist in the training.
Using the Toilet
Independence is an important step in teaching a child about toilet habits. The child in training should be able to pull down training pants, or a diaper, and sit on a child-size toilet. Help in pulling up pants or buttoning clothing may be required, but the child should be able to accomplish the basic procedures without a large amount of assistance. Select a toddler-sized, free-standing toilet for the child or add a child seat to the adult toilet. A step stool is an important element to the adult toilet system. It allows the child safety in climbing to and from the toilet, as well as a place to rest the feet when seated.
Time Frame
Children should begin toilet training when life is stable and without major upheaval. The birth of a sibling, time of travel or illness, or the time when a transfer is made from a crib to a youth bed are not the best times for training, according to KidsHealth. Children determine their own readiness, however, and adults must match the schedule for the best results, even when important life events intervene. Kids generally take three to six months to acquire basic toilet habits, but it may take as long as a year for some.
Handwashing
Encouraging handwashing is an important step in maintaining the health of the child, as well as keeping the entire family free from disease, according to the CDC. Place a second toddler-sized step stool in front of the sink. Make sure that soap and toweling are at the child's sight level to encourage appropriate use. Water will be a problem and a small mop-up towel left for children to use after using the sink is encouraged. Ask the child to sing a song lasting at least a minute to scrub away bacteria and germs, and be sure to set the water heater to an appropriate temperature to avoid burns.
Reward Appropriate Habits
The AAFP recommends giving rewards for appropriate bathroom habits. When children indicate the need to go to the bathroom, adults should praise the action, even if the child repeatedly requests a trip to the bathroom. An additional reward for using the toilet and paper correctly and washing hands provides extra incentives for proper hygiene. Rewards need not be large or important and may include stars on a chart or extra playtime during the day.
