Potty training tips

Most toddlers are ready for potty training at around the age of two. However, every child is different and some may be ready a little earlier whilst for others they won’t be able to master using a potty or toilet until around age three. In the main, girls are better at it than boys.

Before 20 months, on average, children can’t really control their bladder and bowel movements, hence they can’t make it to the loo or potty. You will need to assess, largely through trial and error and close observation, when your child is ready to begin potty training. Don’t force this and don’t compare your child to others.

As already mentioned, each child is different, so you need to watch out for key clues that he or she is ready to get out of nappies and on the toilet. One of the most important signs is regular, soft and formed bowl movements, prior to this your child will still need to rely on nappies. They shouldn’t be passing stools or urine too often either. More than once an hour is going to be a nightmare for you to control and manage.

Additionally, your child’s understanding of language should be developed to such a stage they can understand commands and instructions.

Does your child want to be independent? Do they pull up their own nappy, tell you they have done a pooh or a wee or even try and copy you when you go to the bathroom? If you can answer yes to at least one of these questions, your child is ready to try using a potty or toilet.

Training your child using a potty is much easier than using a toilet with a child-sized toilet seat. However some children, particularly those with older brothers and sisters, will want to go straight to the toilet, skipping the potty altogether. This is because they want to be more grown up and imitate their older siblings. If this is the case, you should buy some steps too, so that your child can make it to the toilet seat on its own.

To begin with you will need to familiarise your child with the potty. Put it somewhere they will see regularly and be curious about its function. Explain to your child what to do; show them how to sit on it and when they should use it.

Build up a routine. Get your child to sit on the potty at regular intervals throughout the day, such as after meals and bath time and before bed. Even if they don’t do anything this is not a problem, it’s about teaching them when to use the potty. In the early stages, leave their nappy on. However, once they have used the potty a few times, sit them on it without a nappy.

Ask your child regularly if they need to use the potty. Remind them about it and monitor their reaction. Children often forget to go to the toilet when they are engaged in other activities.

Invest in some training pants because there will be accidents and try to deal with these setbacks rationally. It is a learning process and won’t happen over night. Some children can learn to use a potty or toilet independently after a week. For others it can take several months.

Always praise your child when it uses the potty. Do not punish them if they don’t. Ask them how it feels to be in a dirty nappy. In most cases they won’t like it and this will act as encouragement to use the potty next time.