How to Know When to Potty Train a Toddler

By eHow Parenting Editor

Rate: (6 Ratings)

Don't push your toddler to potty train until he or she is ready - the age can range from 18 months to 3 years.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Training Pants
Potty Chairs
Hand Soaps
Stickers

Step1

Look for signs of readiness including staying dry for at least 2 hours during the day, asking to wear "big-kid" underwear, having regular bowel movements, or indicating through facial gestures that he or she is about to go potty.

Step2

Talk to toddler about using the potty. Choose words to describe body parts, urination and bowel movements, while avoiding words that may be offensive to others or embarrassing to your child.

Step3

Show toddler how to use the potty and to wipe and wash hands.

Step4

Encourage toddler to tell you when he or she wants to go potty.

Step5

Reward your toddler for a job well done.

Tips & Warnings

Have patience - remember, potty training takes time. Give your toddler a lot of love, support and praise.
Show appreciation by giving a sticker each time your toddler goes on the big potty.
Purchase disposable pull-up trainers or cotton training pants.
Don't discourage your toddler from sitting on the potty because of time constraints.
Accidents are common - never punish your child for them.
Since constipation is common during potty training, give your toddler a balanced, fiber-rich diet.

Comments

Artemisa said

Flag This Comment

on 7/17/2008 Hi,
My son just turned 3 years old and he does only peepe in the potty but not the poop. How can I make him potty? I have tried books and chocolate but still to no sucess. He does detest the smell of it but is so lazy and doesn't go potty.

jkhood33 said

Flag This Comment

on 3/5/2008 I don't think you should put an age on potty training. My daughter started to show interest right around 14 months. I was looking for articles on how to potty train a very young child, and I could not find anything, but she was using the "potty" by 15 months consistently

jkhood33 said

Flag This Comment

motheratheart said

Flag This Comment

on 2/8/2007 Hi I'm a Mommy of a 2 and half yr old and I have been having touble potty training him. He wont sit on his potty for long only a few mins but a lot of times he will have a fit when I sit him on the potty and I don't know when he goes until after he does it in his pullups he does not tell me when he has to go potty my son can only talk some but I don't think he has the idea of knowing how yet. I know how alot of you mommy's feel I'm going though the same problem with my toddler.

momie said

Flag This Comment

on 11/4/2006 HELLO, I AM RELLAY HAVING A HARD TIME POTTY TRAINING MY SON. WHEN HE WAS 2 HE WENT TO THE POTTY TWICE , I WAS SO HAPPY . HE HAS NOT GONE SINCE! HE JUST TURNED 3YO AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE CAN TELLME THAT HE HAS TO PEE OR STINK BUT THAT IS ONLY AFTER HE DID IT IN HIS PULL UP. I TRY DAY AFTER DAY TO PUT HIM ON HIS POTTY BUT HE DOES NOT STAY ON IT LONG. HE CAN COUNT TO 1-13, HE KNOWS THE COLORS BLUE, YELLOW ,GREEN ,WHITE, AND ORANGE. BUT HE JUST WONT SIT ON THE POTTY. I AN STARTING TO GET WORRIED BECAUSE HE WILL BE GOING TO PRE-SCHOOL NEXT YEAR. I FEEL LIKE SUCH A FAILURE!!!!!!

View All