Toilet Training Your Child

When should I start toilet training my child?

Do not start toilet training until you and your child are ready. You are ready when you are able to devote the time and energy necessary to encourage your child on a daily basis.

Signs that your child is ready are:

Your child reported that his diaper is wet or soiled.

Your child seems interested in the potty or toilet.

Your child says he or she would like to go to the potty.

Your child understands and follows basic instructions.

Your child feels uncomfortable when his diaper is wet or soiled.

Your child stays dry for periods of two hours or more during the day.

Your child wakes up from nap with a dry diaper.

Your child can draw his pants and then again.

You may start to notice these signs when your child is 18-24 months old. However, it is not uncommon for a child to still be in diapers at 2 and a half years to 3 years.

How should I prepare my child for toilet training?

Allow your child to be present when you go to the bathroom and make your child feel comfortable in the bathroom. Allow your child to see urine and feces in the toilet. Let your child practice the flush.

Before toilet training your child, place a potty chair in the normal life of your child and play area for your child to become familiar with the pot. Consider placing a potty chair on each floor of the house if you live in a house on several levels. Allow your child to observe, touch and become familiar with the potty.

Tell your child that the potty chair is his own. Let your child sit fully clothed on the potty, as if it were an ordinary chair. Allow your child to leave the potty chair at any time. Do not force your child to spend time sitting on the chair.

After your child has become used to the potty chair and sits regularly with her clothes, try to have your child sit on the potty without wearing pants and a diaper. Let your child become comfortable with sitting on the potty without wearing pants and a diaper.

The next step is to show your child how the potty is used. Place the stool of a dirty diaper into the potty. Allow your child to observe the transfer of the bowel movement from the potty in the toilet. Let your child flush the toilet and watch the bowel movement disappear down the toilet.

How can I teach my child to use the toilet?

After your child has become comfortable with flushing the toilet and sitting on the potty, you can start teaching your child to go to the bathroom. Keep your child in loose, easily removable pants.

Place your child on the potty chair whenever he or she signals the need to go to the bathroom. The facial expression can change your child when he or she feels the need to urinate or have a bowel movement. Your child may stop any activity he or she is engaged in when he or she feels the need to go to the bathroom.

Most children have a bowel movement once a day, usually within an hour after eating. Most children urinate within an hour after having a large drink.

In addition to watching the signals that your child needs to urinate or have a bowel movement, place your child on the potty at regular intervals. This can most often be all one and half to 2 hours.

Stay with your child when he or she is on the potty. Reading or talking to your child when he or she is sitting on the potty may help your child relax. Praise your child when he or she goes to the bathroom in the potty, but do not express disappointment if your child does not urinate or have a bowel movement in the pot. Be patient with your child.

Once your child has learned to use the potty, your child can start using a seat over-the-toilet and a step-up stool.

What about training pants?

Doctors disagree about the use disposable panties. Some think that the training pants can confuse children and make them believe that it is acceptable to use them as layers. This can slow down the toilet training process. Others think that the training pants can be a useful step when training your child. Sometimes a training pant are used at night when it is harder for a child to control his bladder.

What if my child has an accident?

Your child may have an occasional accident, even after he or she learns to use the toilet. Sometimes children get too involved in activities and forget that they need to use the bathroom. Suggesting regular trips to the bathroom can help prevent some accidents.

If your child has an accident, remain calm. Do not punish your child. Just change your child and continue to encourage your child to use the potty.

How long does it take to toilet train my child?

Every child is different. It can take as long as three to six months for your child to be clean during the day. It may take more time to teach your child to use the toilet during the night when his bladder control is reduced. It is important for you to be patient and supportive. If after a few months, your child still resists or having difficulty with toilet training, talk to your family doctor. The most likely reason your child has not learned to use the potty is that your child is not ready for toilet training
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