Toilet Training 101: Starting the Process.

Each child has their own time line for potty training. There are not magic signals to tell you when to start the process. Children develop their cognitive and physical skills at their own pace. You will see that some develop the skills as early as 18 months, but then others will develop much later around 3 or 4 years of age. Boys tend to develop more slowly than girls. Some children will get the process down in a few days, but others can take a while to get the hang of the process.

So what makes a child ready to master the skill of toileting? Most pediatricians will tell you that timing is everything. However, if you don’t wait for the cues that the child gives or you miss the signals, then no matter what you do, the process will take longer.

So exactly what are the signs and signals that will tell you if your child is ready? Every authority on potty training a child will tell you that your child must be able to hold their urine and stay dry for at least 3 hours before you should start training. This means that their bladder muscles are strong enough to do its job of holding urine. Your child should be able to get their pants up and down pretty much by themselves. Recognition of the signs that they have to go and the ability to signal you that they have to go is the hardest component to learn. Another sign that they are ready is that they are showing interest in bathroom habits.

Keep an eye out for the signs that your child is ready. When all the signals are there, it is your job to then push (gently) the potty training thing. Remember don’t get frustrated. This will just make the whole process much more frustrating for everyone involved.

The next step: Toilet Training 102: What you can do as a parent to make potty training easier.

Edonna Devnat is a retired nurse practitioner who is now an event planner and uses her vast knowledge of babies and toddlers for Baby Shower Ideas to give her clients the best possible event.