When is the right time to start toilet training?

There is no set age to start your child on the potty, although children younger than 12 months have no control over bladder or bowel movements. So instead of looking at the calendar when deciding to get started, look to your child for cues.

• Can your child stay dry for at least two hours at a time during the day, or is your child dry after naps?
   
• Are bowel movements regular and predictable?
   
• Does your child’s facial expressions reveal he or she is about to urinate or have a bowel movement?
   
• Can your child follow simple instructions?
   
• Can your child walk to the bathroom and undress himself or herself?
   
• Does your child seem uncomfortable in a soiled diaper?
   
• Has your child expressed interest in using the toilet or a potty?
   
• Has your child asked about wearing big kid underwear?
   

If you’ve answered yes to some of these questions, you may consider the toilet training process.

How to get started:

• Decide what words you want to use.
   
• Pick a potty chair.
   
• Help your child recognize the signs of needing to go potty.
   
• Make trips to the bathroom routine (first thing in the morning, after nap, after a meal, etc.)
   
• Use lots of praise.

Important note: stress in the home can make potty training much more difficult. So consider whether it’ll be better to wait.

When to hold off on starting potty training:

• Your family has just moved or is going to move soon.
   
• You are expecting another baby or have recently had another child.
   
• There is a major illness, recent death or other family crisis.
   

Click here for more information about potty training, courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics.