Signs That Your Child is Ready to be Potty Trained

Author: Zoe Beerstow

Potty training
your child can be a major parenting challenge. One common
misconception about toilet training is that age is the only
significant determinant. Some parents fall into the trap of
toilet training their child even when he or she is not yet
emotionally and mentally prepared.

Unfortunately, potty training turns into a long drawn-out task
in which parents become more frustrated while the kid becomes
more resistant to the whole process.

Because it cannot be emphasized enough that potty training
takes a lot of careful preparation, there are some important
factors you should take into account in order to make the entire
training process successful.

Here is a very simple checklist for you to use in order
to determine if your child is ready for potty
training.

1. Your child is uncomfortable with dirty diapers. Your
child is ready to be potty trained when he / she is
psychologically ready. One clear example of this is when your
child is already aware that his diapers are soiled or dirty.

2. Your child is physically ready. Your child needs less
supervision from you when walking or sitting down. It will be
difficult for you if you start training your child if his
balance and motor coordination skills are not yet fully
developed.

3. Your child’s bowel movements are moist and regular.
One important aspect of potty readiness is observing your
child’s physiological functions. Newborn babies’ bowel movements
are erratic – some as frequent as every time you feed them,
while some are less frequent – 4 to 5 times a day. But when you
start feeding him/her solid food, bowel movements become more
regular.

In addition, his stools are more moist and well-formed – not
loose or watery. Another important consideration is if he can
control his bladder longer during the day.

4. Your child gets more curious about your bathroom
habits. Curiosity and children are two words that go
naturally together. When your child expresses greatest interest
in your bathroom habits such as observing you while you’re
brushing your teeth, consider this as a sign that your child is
psychologically ready to be trained.

5. Your child can understand simple commands and can express
his thoughts. Toilet training involves a lot of interaction
with your child. If he can follow simple commands from you such
as: “Please hand me the toy.”, you’ll find it easier to explain
the whole potty process. In addition, if your child can easily
express when he’s about to go, it’s one major sign that he is
ready.

6. Your child shows some signs of independence. Some
studies reveal that potty training is one way of instilling the
value of independence in your child. One way to know if your
child has already showed some signs of independence is to
observe if he puts his toys in their proper place.

Although this list provides you a snapshot overview of what
signs to look out for, the key to successful potty training is
still your dedication to training your child.

You’ll hit some snags every now and then but remember, it’s all
part of the process. More importantly, it’s imperative to assess
if you yourself are ready, because potty training always
involves two parties – your child and you.

About the author:
Zoe Beerstow is the blog editor of GetPottyTrained.com - a
comprehensive resource guide for the different how-tos on potty training.