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Being a parent is a challenging job. Among various other things, potty training your child is one significant aspect of parenting. Almost all parents have a hundred questions about potty training, and they all go in similar directions. The most common among these is the time when one should ditch the diaper. While there is no fixed answer to this, one can follow a basic guideline that covers the bases. In this article, we have covered the most common questions about potty training and how you should be tackling any potential problems. Read on to know more!
Average Starting Age Of Potty Training
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Since every child is different, there is no particular age bracket within which children should get potty trained. For some children, the age is 18 months, while for others, that does not happen till they are almost 4 years old. However, according to studies, the most common age when children start to potty train is between two to three years (1).
Signs To Start Potty Training
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It is important to closely observe your child while they are growing because they would show obvious signs that would help you to know when to start potty training. Some such signs to look out for are mentioned below.
- You would notice that your child’s diapers remain dry for at least two hours of the day. They would also be dry after taking naps. This can be taken as a sign to gradually introduce potty training.
- If you see that your child is capable of following instructions involving multiple steps, you can start to consider potty training. Since the training would require following instructions, it is important that the child can understand multiple steps and keep them in mind. For instance, if they can go to the bathroom on request, sit down, and change their clothes, then it is probably time for the training.
- You might notice that your child is taking an interest in wearing the underwear of their elder siblings or of older members of the family. This might be a sign that they are wanting to get rid of the diaper.
- Another sign that your child is ready to ditch the diaper is when they show obvious discomfort when their diaper is wet. They would understand that they have soiled the diaper and would cause a fuss, urging you to change it.
- Some children also tend to show various signs through postures, facial expressions, and language when they want to start using the toilet.
How Do You Start Potty Training?
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Once you have figured out when you will be potty training your child, what’s next is to follow certain steps patiently.
1. Introduce The Concept Of A Toilet
It is important that your child gets comfortable with the idea of a toilet before they start using one. It is a good idea to bring up toilets in your daily conversation after your child is around a year or so. You can use their stuffed toys to help in the process. For instance, you can tell them that their favorite toy needs to go potty and is headed to the toilet. In this way, your child would understand the concept of a toilet and its usage. This would help them to developmentally grow to use one.
2. Follow A Routine
Just like learning any other new thing, potty training also requires a routine. For the best results, you should make your child sit on the toilet a few times a day, even when they do not have to use it. Once in the morning just after waking up, and once before going to bed at night are good times to make your child sit on the toilet.
You can ask them to remove their pants and diaper before sitting on the toilet. This would help them to get familiar with the whole process and make them learn faster.
3. Be Patient and Reward The Child
As a parent, it is important to understand that potty training would take time. Losing patience if the child takes longer to get trained, or if they are soiling their pants even at the age of 5 or 6 years is not a solution in any way. Rather, to ensure better results, you can reward them every time they do it correctly. Be it a practice session or a real one, you should reward your child when they implement their potty training properly.
While there is no hard and fast rule that would tell you exactly at what age you should start potty training your kid, looking at their behavior would definitely help you understand. You can also follow this list for a better understanding of the whole process. If there is anything more that you would like to add, let us know in the comment section!
