The timing of potty training seems like a mystery to many parents. The experts in this field are just as confused as the parents. Some say wait, some say start at infancy, and others advise everywhere in between.
Understandably, knowing how to assess readiness is a challenge. Age is not the most reliable marker for readiness. Assessing your child’s own physical and developmental readiness is the most reliable way to determine if s/he is ready. Let’s take a look at those.
Your child is ready if s/he:
- already shows a pattern of following rules and directions
- can safely walk to and from the potty
- is free of medical problems that might complicate this process
- can follow simple commands
Below are 5 simple commands to try with your child.
Ask these in a natural, playful way:
- Point to your nose.
- Point to your mouth.
- Sit down.
- Stand up.
- Place one object inside another: “put baby doll in a stroller”.
I know, these may seem like surprising ways to gauge if your child is ready to potty train, but they’re all you need. It’s an added bonus if your child is demonstrating an active interest in the potty, but that is not the magic sign. Many parents make the mistake of waiting for this behavior alone. This may come much later, well past the time when potty training is the easiest.
What does this mean?
If your child responds appropriately to the above list then he or she is ready to begin potty training! My potty training strategy advocates that you understand your own child’s development and harness her readiness rather than just waiting for the mysterious magical moment (psst – there isn’t one!). The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
