Ask These Girls

After years of changing dirty diapers, you can’t wait for your child to start using the potty. But when should you start potty training? We’ve all read our share of parenting magazines and watched shows like Nanny 911 on TV. The general consensus seems to be that we have to train our kids at just the right moment. You don’t want to start to soon, but also shouldn’t miss the right opportunity. From my experience, it isn’t all that complicated. Here are some general guidelines for you on what to look for. But don’t worry too much about it. You will know when your child is ready to give potty training a try.

Generally children are ready to potty training when they are somewhere between 2 and 4 years old. Now that was very helpful, wasn’t it? While it is true that potty training usually happens somewhere within that 2 year time span, each child is different, making it hard to predict exactly when to start. The good news is we don’t have to. Our kids will let us know when they are ready.

Here are some signs of when to begin potty training:

- Your child shows interest in what you do when you go to the bathroom.
- Your child lets you know the diaper is wet or dirty and he or she would like to be changed.
- Your child is uncomfortable in a wet diaper right away.
- Your child starts pulling on clothing and diapers.
- Your child shows interest in that potty and the potty books you bought months ago.

If you see any of the above signs, give potty training a try. If your child is very resistant to the potty training process, leave the potty sitting around, but don’t push the issue. Give your toddler a little time to warm up to the idea of using a potty chair. He or she might just surprise you and give the potty a try after a few days. If not, use some gentle encouragement but don’t force the issue. Sooner or later your child will catch on.

Susanne Myers shares potty training tips and a free ecourse all about getting your child out of diapers fast at www.mypottytraining.com