Toilet Training for Girls

Toddler girls benefit from appropriate modeling when learning to use the toilet independently.

According to the National Network for Child Care, most girls are toilet trained by two and half years old. While girls all develop and mature at different rates, parents can still use techniques to know when a girl is ready and how to help her make the transition from diapers to underwear.

Identification

Toddler girls will demonstrate that they're ready to begin toilet training. They should be able to understand commands, have a vocabulary of several words and be able to follow simple instructions, like sit, wipe and wash.

Time Frame

Babycenter says that some girls might be ready to start potty training as early as 18 months, but some girls might truly not be physically ready until they're close to age four. They cite studies that claim that parents who push their children before they're ready sometimes have a harder time training, and that it could actually take longer.

Equipment

Babycenter says that purchasing a girl a potty chair could help her get used to, and feel comfortable with, going to the bathroom. Some girls might prefer using an adapted seat for the adult-sized toilet. Whatever equipment parents choose, they should allow their daughter time to familiarize herself with it. Let her spend time sitting on it with her clothes on. She could also decorate the seat with stickers or write her name on it to make it her own. Girls might also enjoy underwear specially purchased for this new venture with their favorite colors or characters on them.

Teaching

Moms can teach their daughters how to use the bathroom, wipe and wash their hands. If they're comfortable with it, mothers can let their daughters watch them use the bathroom. In addition, parents should set up a training schedule for their daughter. This can vary by child and how flexible the parent's schedule is. Some girls might find that quitting diapers cold turkey can help them train quickly, because they'll know immediately when they're wet. Other girls might prefer disposable training pants that help ease the transition.

While at home, Babycenter says that naked time with a potty close by can help her train. Encourage her to try to go to the bathroom at regular intervals.

Theories/Speculation

Many parents have heard that girls generally potty train sooner than boys. Babycenter does say that girls sometimes do potty train earlier. The website askdrsears.com says that this is not necessarily because girls are developmentally more ready, but that the parent teaching potty training is usually a girl's mother. It's then easier for her to demonstrate how to use the bathroom correctly.

References

• Babycenter: Successful Potty Training for Girls
• Ask Dr. Sears: Toilet Training
• National Network for Child Care