Eighteen months to three years old is the average age to show interest in and start trying to potty train.
Your child may be ready to begin potty training if your child:
- begins to communicate having a dirty diaper—your child may verbally tell you or draw your attention to his diaper by patting it or pointing to it;
- begins to show discomfort when wet or soiled—walking in a wide stride or beginning to pull and take off his soiled diaper;
- shows interest in the potty— models potty training with toys, dolls, or even themselves;
- demonstrates independence— starting to pull his pants on and off, follows basic one- and two-step directions;
- is able to stay dry for up to two hours between diaper changes— shows that the bladder is maturing and is able to hold it in longer;
- starts to have regular bowel movements at the same time every day.
Ready to Start?
- Stay close to home.
- Try no underpants or underwear
- Try to encourage the most tries as possible so your child can get used to the feeling of going
- Use a timer to teach the feeling of going regularly
- Give your child salty snacks to make him thirsty or let him have a special juice he likes
- Have all materials present at the potty (toilet paper, underwear or pullup, clean clothing).
- Let him bring his favorite toy, doll, or stuf fed animal to model pot ty training.
Follow Through
Potty on the go
Invest in a travel potty to encourage consistency. It is important to keep up with your routine even when at Grandma’s house, with your babysitter, or at school. Routine allows you to be able to know times to encourage your child to try if she has not expressed to you herself that she has to go.
Verbal Praise
Be excited about your child using the potty!
- Sing a song, do a dance, clap your hands, and tell her with a smile you are proud of her.
- Don’t be upset or annoyed when she has an accident.
- Remind her that pee and poo go in the potty.
- Have her help you clean up, do laundry, or get clean clothes together.
Verbal Praise:
Be excited about your child using the potty!
- Sing a song, do a dance, clap your hands, and tell her with a smile you are proud of her.
- Don’t be upset or annoyed when she has an accident. Remind her that pee and poo go in the potty. Have her help you clean up, do laundry, or get clean clothes together.
Potty time doesn’t mean missing play time!
Don’t make your child feel like going potty means she is missing out on an activity or other interesting or exciting things going on.
- Move the potty to the activity. If everyone is outside, let your child use the potty while she is outside so she doesn’t put up a fight to leave because she feels like she is missing out.
- Encourage your child to try before you start an activity or before you go somewhere. Have your child try before lunch and after lunch, as well as before you start a game or put out different toys.
Potty training tips for help along the journey:
- Every 15 minutes, put your child on the potty, then put back on the diaper or pull-ups for three days. On the third day, have an all-day no diaper or pull-up session. * Have naked time; let your child wear nothing so that your child has to put the pee and poop somewhere.
- Give rewards such as stickers for the first full day in underwear.
- Make sure you read (see to the right) the differences in pot ty training boys and girls.
- Be proactive when you go out or drop your child at a neighbor’s house. Bring a portable potty chair with you and encourage your child to ask to use it when she needs to.
Things that come with time...
Pooping on the potty usually takes children a little longer to master because it involves having to push out their poop, and that can take some getting used to and definitely requires a longer time sitting on the potty.
When you start to see a pattern as to what time of the day your child has a bowel movement, try to plan your schedule around that time so that she is more encouraged to try on a regular basis. For example, if your child usually poops about half an hour after lunch, plan a short activity or extend cleanup time and then have her sit down and try. That way, she won’t get too busy with another activity and try to speed through potty time.
Boys vs. Girls
Have girls sit farther back on the potty with their knees apart. This will relax their muscles as well as make them more comfortable if they end up sitting and trying for a few extra minutes. Adding a stepstool for her when she gets older and is sit ting on the toilet can help her relax, too.
Boys will start using the potty while sitting down so that they can focus more on the feeling of having to urinate and take the pressure off learning to aim. When they are ready to urinate standing up, it may be a good idea to get a stepstool for your toilet to make it easier on him.
Finding something flushable for boys to aim at will help. Gummy bears or mints work great and can be an incentive as well. If he aims at the gummy bear in the toilet, then he can have a fresh one to eat when he is done.
Remember: Every child is different. Do not force your child into potty training. If your child doesn’t show an interest right away or puts up a f ight, try again in a couple of months.
Encourage your child to keep trying. Charts with stickers are a great way for your child to be proud of all the times she sat on the potty.
