1. Your Child is Ready When...
This is the number one question, isn't it? There's no miracle, surefire answer, but here are a couple of good indicators. She poops at about the same time every day. When you realize that you always need to change a diaper as you're sitting down to dinner, it's a good sign that her body is on a schedule. Even though she may need help, she is able to push down her pants and sit on a training potty chair by herself. This is not the time for overalls with complicated buttons! He will begin to tell you when he has a dirty diaper and soon will give you notice right before it happens. When you begin to notice cues before the bowel movement you may have to act quickly and get him to a potty chair fast. She will also begin to show interest in seeing what other members of the family are doing in the bathroom. There is no particular age but generally this readiness happens between 18 and 36 months. Remember, your child should never be forced or scared to sit on the potty chair.
2. What Can You Do to Prepare for Toilet Training
You need to purchase a potty chair. Early on it is less scary to have a small colorful potty chair in or out of the bathroom. It needs to be accessible, such as near the playroom. Some parents prefer to put an insert in the regular toilet, but then you need a step stool so the child's legs aren't dangling. You may want to buy a few books about your child's favorite characters using the potty.
3. The First Steps Involve Lots of Praise
Allow your child to sit on the toilet fully clothed at first and make sure to always praise him for any achievements. Many children respond well to simple rewards like stickers on a calendar for each day of successful potty training. Never punish during toilet training--it only makes things worse. Slowly encourage him to sit with no clothes on, perhaps before the bath or while changing clothes. He needs to feel confident with all of the steps of potty training. Remind your child to wash his hands well after each trial of training.
4. Night Time Training is Entirely Different
Do not expect your child to stay dry at night, even when she is trained during the day. Use diapers, training pants and plastic sheets at night. The last thing any parent wants is a child to stop sleeping through the night during toilet training. Training can take between 3 to 6 months but up to an additional 6 months to be dry at night.
5. When to Avoid or Back-Off Toilet Training
If your child has problems with constipation it may be a good idea to go very slowly with toilet training. Start with an increase in fluids and fiber. Constipation often worsens during potty training since children are likely to hold in stools longer. You may need to consult your pediatrician to solve the constipation problem first. Do not start training right before you will be traveling. It is hard to potty train in public places and when you do not have easy and quick access to a toilet. If there is a trip coming up, it's much better to wait until you return than to start and stop the process. Avoid training before age 16 to 18 months. Studies have shown that children who start training this young often are still having problems until they are 4 years old. There is a new theory to train your infant before age one, but it requires a lot of work and time commitment that few parents are able to keep up with and still get enough rest in the day. If your child cries every time he is put on the potty, the level of fear is too great to continue training. Wait and retry in 3 to 4 weeks. Relax and don't worry--you and your child will be diaper-free before you know it.
