Parenting Tips

One of the most pressing questions parents have about their toddlers is, "When can I start potty training?" Few moms and dads enjoy spending money on diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream any longer than absolutely necessary. Yet it is important not to push your child into potty training before she is ready.

Different children develop at different rates, so they reach potty training readiness at different ages. Most children are ready sometime between 2 and 3 years of age. But some are ready earlier, and some aren't ready until later.

More important than age are a child's physical, mental, and emotional readiness. These can be gauged by looking for certain signs, including the following:

* She urinates and has bowel movements at fairly regular intervals.
* She wakes up from naps dry.
* She can pull her pants and underpants up and down.
* She doesn't like the feeling of a wet or dirty diaper.
* She displays interest in going to the bathroom.
* She can follow simple instructions.
* She recognizes the physical signs that she needs to go.

Most children achieve physiological readiness for potty training between 12 and 24 months. This means that they can hold their urine or bowel movements long enough to make it to the bathroom. While this is an important milestone in potty training readiness, mental and emotional readiness must also be achieved before training can be successful.

Several cognitive skills are needed for potty training. Knowing that she is about to urinate or have a bowel movement is an important first step for your toddler. She will need to know and understand certain words associated with potty training, such as "potty" and "underwear". She should also be able to understand instructions so that you can explain to her what to do when she needs to go to the potty.

The final thing your child needs in order to be ready for potty training is emotional readiness. This includes such things as a desire for independence, a need for approval, and social awareness. These factors will determine whether or not your child wants to start using the potty. If a toddler is physically and mentally ready but simply is not interested in being potty trained, there is little hope for success. Waiting until she shows a desire to use the potty will save you both a lot of frustration.

Even if your child displays all the signs of potty training readiness, you may need to wait if there are other major changes going on. If a new sibling is on the way or you are moving, there will be too much going on for your child to concentrate on potty training. This could result in setbacks, so you will probably come out ahead by waiting until things calm down a bit.

There is no right or wrong age to start potty training your child. But it is important to wait until your child is developmentally ready to start. Following her cues can help you determine when she is ready to start using the potty.