Hey There! You’re listening to the Mighty Mommy with some Quick and Dirty Tips for Practical Parenting. Today’s Topic: Is It Time To Go? Tips To Determine If Your Child Is Ready For Potty Training.

Welcome to what will be the first in a series of potty training-related episodes. This episode will focus on the signs of potty training readiness. I believe it’s important to be sure your child is ready for the process before you begin potty training. There are several indicators to look out for when making this determination. Many different doctors and authors have published lists of what they believe to be the main signs of potty training readiness. I have gathered what I feel is a comprehensive list of the most agreed upon factors, and I’d like to share these with you.

The first and most obvious clue that your child is ready to start training will be the child showing interest in using the potty. This is even better if your child is telling you that they want to use the potty. Other clues may be much less obvious.

There is no set age at which you should begin potty training. Most experts state that your child’s body may not be physically ready to start potty training until about 18 month of age. It’s my belief that your child needs to lead in his own training. Starting to train your child before he is ready may ultimately cause you to be in training longer than if you wait until the child is fully ready. In other words, starting earlier doesn’t always mean ending earlier. Your child will be ready when he’s ready, and you cannot control when that will be. You can, however, encourage readiness by showing a positive attitude toward using the bathroom and reminding your child the he can start using the potty whenever he wants.

Signs of Potty Training Readiness

There are several physical signs of potty training readiness. If your child’s diaper is staying dry for longer periods of time, such as two hours or more, it shows that his body is becoming capable of delaying urination. Another sign to look for is regularly scheduled bowel movements each day. They may never be completely the same day after day, but it is common for them to become part of a child’s routine. When your child shows discomfort because of a soiled diaper or begins grunting or reacting to relieving himself in his diaper, this shows that he recognizes that something is occurring. Now he can begin understanding these events and start relating them to using the potty instead of his diaper. If your child starts removing his diaper and clothing, this is good clue that he’s ready to start using the potty.

There are a few more signs I would like to share with you, but ultimately you are going to be the best judge of whether or not your child is ready. I encourage you to let the child show you he’s ready. I have found from experience that if you push a child into potty training before he actually wants to begin, it can delay the training even further. My daughter was showing signs of readiness for quite a while before she was ever willing to actually sit on the potty and patiently wait for something to happen. She insisted on being in control.

Some additional signs of readiness that have been recommended by many different doctors and experts are the ability to follow simple instructions and the ability to sit quietly for four to five minutes. It is also very helpful if your child knows and can communicate the different words for poop and potty. You child will be doing other things in an effort to please you and will be proud of himself when he has done so. If a child has an older sibling, he might begin mimicking behavior. If this results in sitting on the potty, this can sometimes accelerate potty training.

There are some children who choose to hide when they are relieving themselves. This behavior is normal, but generally does not indicate potty training readiness. It is a step toward understanding that something is going on, but the child would like to keep it private. I would recommend that you not push a child into potty training in this case. You might suggest that he hide in the bathroom and let him know that the bathroom is where such activities should take place. This will encourage your child to use the bathroom, but still give him the privacy he so desires.

Potty Training Timing

The final tips I would like to offer are more about timing than readiness. It is always a good idea to start potty training when everyone’s schedule is calm and regular. If you or your child have had any big changes in your routine, it may not be a good time to start potty training. If mommy or daddy is sick or experiencing a lot of stress at work, you may want to wait until things calm down. Potty training takes a great deal of time and patience. If you have a new baby, pet, school or job, try to wait a little bit until things are settled down. I believe that the potty training process is much more frustrating for the parent, so be sure you are up to the task before you begin.

That’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed listening. I will have many more potty training tips for you in the near future. If you have a question for the Mighty Mommy or if you want to share a wonderful tip of your own, you can e-mail mommy@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voice-mail at 206-222-9148.

The Mighty Mommy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Practical Parenting is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network, so be sure to check out other great shows like Money Girl, Mr. Manners, and Legal Lad at www.quickanddirtytips.com. This is your friend, the Mighty Mommy wishing you happy and fun parenting!

Music – “Golly Gee” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 2.0" creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/