Many parents equate successful parenting with early toilet training. It is important to keep in mind that children will naturally show interest in toilet training when they are ready and there is no set age that a toddler “should” be potty trained. All tot’s have their own development clocks so where they might have a brother, sister or friend who potty trained at 18 months they themselves may not be ready yet either emotionally or physiologically.  In fact, starting too early, before your tot is ready may be detrimental to their progress.

When and how is Potty Training Initiated?

Somewhere between 18 and 36 months of age, toddlers begin potty training.

At this stage, toddlers start to become aware of their own bodily functions. At the same time, they are developing the muscle coordination needed to begin to consciously control their bladders and bowels. This self-awareness and the ability to control certain muscle groups are the first things a child must develop in order to begin training. Parents that push or urge their children to begin training before this time produce anxiety and stress for their child and will most likely prolong and complicate the process.

Between the ages of two and three, parents should be on the lookout for the signs that indicate that their toddler may be ready to start training.

• Your child should be able to understand simple instructions like, go get a diaper please, or, can you please shut the door?
• Your child should be able to mimic your behavior.
• Your child shows an interest in the bathroom. ( example, flushing the toilet)
• Your child may begin to show discomfort with having wet or soiled diapers, and want them changed promptly.
• Your child may recognize and be able to verbalize to you that they went potty in their diaper.
• Your child may verbalize when they feel like they need to go potty.

Signs your child might not be ready for potty training

• You have the potty chair, treats and incentive tricks at hand yet, your child goes to the potty chair (or seat) and misses completely (consistently on purpose).
• Your child soils their diaper with a bowel movement and is not yet uncomfortable sitting down with a dirty diaper.
• Your child is showing resistance via not wanting their diaper taken off  and is very stressed when taken to the potty chair or seat .

Tools for Potty Training

As your toddler begins to toilet train, some tools can be helpful:

• “Big kid” underwear can be utilized to give a child a sense of accomplishment. Pick a time when you are relatively sure that your toddler can stay dry for a couple of hours and then let them wear their new underwear. After a couple of hours, praise them for staying dry.
• A children’s potty chair can be a useful tool when placed in the bathroom. At first some children are intimidated with the big potty so starting them off with a potty chair or toilet seat can help. When your child is ready they may experiment with it by just sitting on it. Having it there will let them know they can use it when they are ready and helps your tot in training get familiar with the training seat.
• In training while traveling, bring a potty seat or cover with you like our Egg Cushion Toilet Seat Cover, this will help them in unfamiliar places and be less intimidating.
• Timing. Place your child on the potty every 20 to 30 minutes in the initial stages of training especially after meals and liquids. This will help them realize the typical “go” cycle.

Incentives & Rewards Help. (ok a little bribery and praise works wonders)

• Keep a little sealed jar of treats that is only offered in the bathroom as a reward for successful potty training use. Maybe cut up their favorite Organix Cereal Bar into little bits and offer a piece as a reward.
• Keep a piggy bank in the bathroom and let your tot put in a small coin reward into the bank.  Not only are you creating a incentive for “going” but teaching them about saving money at the same time.
• Magic Water Trick. Put a few drops of blue food coloring into the toilet, when your child tinkles in the water changes color, whew its magic.
• Perfecting aim for standing up at the potty training boys. Float a few “o’s cereals” in the potty and make it a game of sink the “o’s” .
• Give them a gold star. Reward your child with a sticker for every successful outcome. At the end of the day count the stickers and make it a point to praise your child for their accomplishment and maybe an extra story at bed time.

  Download Our Potty Training Calendar -
  We made a blank “accomplishment calendar that you can use to keep by the potty and let your child a fix stickers to for  a successful day of potty training with space at the end of the week to tally stars or make notes or enter a reward for the week, its up to you.  There is even a blank space for you to put their photo or let them write their own name on the top of the calendar. (you could use the calendar for all their milestones)
  (print in landscape mode it’s formated for 8.5 x 11 paper)

Remember all kids are different and develop at their own rates.

Night training is one of the most difficult steps for parents and their kids.  First off, unless your child is fully “day potty trained”, goes on their own for a reasonable period of time a dry bed might not be in the picture yet.  During the day your child is learning to control their bladder when they are awake,  while their a sleep is a bit more difficult as there are multiple factors that come into play.  First your child’s  sleep patten must be mature enough to recognize and wake up when they have the feeling of a full bladder. Secondly sphincter muscle control, bladder development (some kids bladders take longer to develop) and hormones (antidiuretic hormone (ADH) which controls urine production) come into play too when controlling night time bladders.    So at this stage don’t worry it takes some longer to master a dry night.   Remember also that the stress you feel also effects your child and their sense of self esteem so be patient, continue the potty training pants at night as needed.

Did you know that according to Children’s Hospital in Boston USA, 12 to 20% of 5yr olds are not able to stay dry all night?  So you see often it is just a matter of maturity and not a defiant choice by your child.  Of course if your child has mastered being dry all day for a extended period, and is still having bed wetting issues , you should always discuss your child’s health, development and concerns with their doctor.  This way both you and your child will have peace of mind as to what may be the issue with their night time bed wetting .

Developing a Sense of Independence

Toddlers have a need to develop a sense of independence. One way that toddlers develop autonomy is by being in control of their bodies. Parents can help their children learn to pay attention to physical cues that indicate when they have to use the potty. As a toddler displays cues like their tummy hurting, parents can point out what is happening and help their children tune in to their bodies.

Children also feel a sense of independence when they can effectively convey their needs to their parents. When parents talk to their toddlers about going to the potty, they are teaching their children the words and concepts that they will need to adequately communicate with parents and caregivers.

Toilet training your toddler is an exercise in patience and consistency.

Watching a toddler make strides towards independence is an exciting time for parents as they help their children learn and grow. It is important for parents to remember that they can help their toddlers in the toilet train process by acknowledging that children become ready at different times and there is no “right” age for toilet training.

If you have helpful toilet training tips to share with our readers we would love it
if you would share your success stories with us.

At Baby Central we offer a nice selection of potty training seats and toilet covers, step stools
as well as helpful books on toilet training your tots.
Go See Our Potty Training Products In The Store