Potty Training Readiness
Constantly trying to figure out when to introduce your child to good old Mr. Potty?
If you’re smart like me, I decided when to potty train my 2-year old on a whim. I had no idea there were factors to consider before the training. Fortunately, he was interested and very compliant. Training him was a breeze.
The 2 biggest indicators of potty training readiness are your child’s physical and emotional maturity.
Here’s the good news: there is no set age on when children should be trained. Why? Because child development varies per kiddo. However, folks at WebMD.com and TrustyGuides.com seem to agree that most are ready from 2-3.
Age alone does not determine when to begin training. Here are other factors to help you assess your child’s readiness.
Signs That Say Your Child Is Ready For Potty Training
I. PHYSICAL READINESS
1. Can Control Peeing & Pooping
According to TrustGuides.com, children below 2 do not have bladder and rectal muscle control – which is why they need diapers. Past the age of 2 is when they start developing muscle control.
How do you know when your toddler has this? When he…
- Stays dry for a period of 2 hours or more in the daytime
- Follows the same bowel schedule for most days in a week
- Wakes-up dry in the morning – even for a few consecutive days
2. Can Walk Properly
Potty training may require sprinting to the potty. If your child is still wobbly on his feet or resembles someone who has ingested too much alcohol, wait a few more months before getting him ready for the potty party. The last thing you want is an accident all in the name of diaper freedom. It’s not worth it.
3. Can Follow Basic Instructions
Commands such as: open the lid, sit down, close the lid, and pull up your pants make up the potty training process. So, if you bark them out and your child hears them as alien speak, you won’t get anywhere.
4. Has Increased Attention Span
Sitting on the potty for minutes is a cinch if your child actually stays put. But if your precious one has the attention span of a gold-fish, it’s wise to wait a few more months. This way, sitting on the potty will be less of a struggle.
5. Can Undress and Re-Dress His Underwear or Pants
Part of the potty training readiness assessment is whether your child can dress by himself. No potty training can be completed if someone else has to do this for your child.
II. EMOTIONAL READINESS
6. Is Bothered By Soiled Diapers
It’s easier to teach your child using the potty if he despises the icky feeling that soiled diapers bring. Cleanliness is a great ally, wouldn’t you agree?
7. Potty Interest – How Curiosity Trained The Toddler
Toddlers are determined little folk. Your child will be more receptive to potty training if it’s something he is engaged in. If he has no interest in it whatsoever, it’s best to hold-off on the training.
Pass or Fail?
So how did your child fare?
If he missed 2-3 items, it’s okay. You have just officially figured out when to potty train your child. Let the training commence!
If he missed 4 or more items, let time pass before you reassess him. Do keep in mind that emotional readiness weighs heavier than physical readiness. If your child will be uncooperative, don’t push it. Wait until he is a willing student to ensure smooth sailing.
Did I miss anything? I’d love to hear from you!
About Anne Mercado
Great tips! I think my little guy failed
He’s only 20 months though, but I think big sis will be a big motivator for him in 6 months or so! Thanks for following I’m now following back!
Hi there. It’s alright that he failed.. no rush right? Before you know it he’ll be going out on dates so it’s best to preserve whatever “temporary helplessness” they have now. And yes, older siblings are good for peer pressure, read that somewhere. Thanks for stopping by and do come back.
My daughter can’t go potty during the night yet. Hope we learn it soon!
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Twitter: mrskolca
You mean your pretty little daughter? That’s alright I guess, no rush. When you do start training her though, you may try the tips here: goo.gl/b2QYx
Have a great weekend!
I would add if the child can tell you that they soiled themselves, it is time to start as well.
Thanks for following me, following your blog back!
Regina
http://www.thecrazynutsmom.com
What I Want For Christmas
Hi Regina, thanks for that wonderful additional tip.
These are very good tips for parents! Especially first time mommies..
I had a breeze potty training my daughter but had a hard time with my son, weird?
I thought it would be easier to potty train boys, turns out they’re harder to train than girls.. 
I am glad I am done with the whole potty training ordeal and never want to go through it again! 
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Yeah, I guess it’s different for every kid. Luckily my son was very easy to teach.
When I was potty training my children I was amazed at how many mothers were forcing their kids when it was so obvious they weren’t ready yet.
I was so lucky the second time around because my son, in an attempt to be just as “grown up” as his big sister, just made the decision that pee and poop have a proper place and he walzed into the bathroom, dropped his drawers and peed like a pro.
Sandwich, anyone?
Twitter: 2loonsandabook
An older sibling’s influence can really boost potty training efforts. I’m glad your toilet training experience with your son was easy, I know some parents who had trouble. Thanks for dropping by, Pam!
I’ve trained three kids and watched all my friends do the same thing. If there is one thing I’ve learned in my short 13 years as a mom is that kids will do what they will do when they are ready. When you know they are ready then you have to be ready. You as the mom have to ready to be done with diapers. When they are ready and they know you are ready to will go very quickly. Do not fall into the trap of judging your skills as a mom by how quickly your child is trained. Also, you might have a breeze with your first and may really think your second is going to go to college in a pull-up. Trust your instincts, not what your friend thinks, an article, or even your doctor. Trust yourself! And there is my two cents on the subject!!
O Christmas Tree
Hi Kathy! I like your reminder about trusting yourself more than friends, articles, doctors – throw in your family as well. It’s really different for every child. Thanks for the wonderful insight.
Thanks for this post! I actually in the midst of figuring out when to push “THE” issue on my 2 year old. She seems ready–and according to this article, she is on target. I’m so excited to toss out the diapers at last!
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Ya made me hold my breath when you said “according to this article.” It’s just a humble guide and I do wish you good luck. Potty training can be exciting. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the great tips. I’m having a hard time potty training my son. He wants nothing to do with the toilet and he just turned 3! Congrats on being a featured member this week.
You are welcome. Like Kathy said, kids will be ready when they are ready- let’s just hope it won’t be when they’re in their teens.
Thanks for stopping by!
Great post and chock full of tips! I think you hit the nail on the head when you talked about not rushing things. Both of my kids took 8-10 months from initial interest to being fully potty trained. Once we committed to using underpants, though, we never went back to diapers.
Congrats on being a vB featured member!
Gina
http://www.totallyfullofit.com
What lurks in shadows…
I’m glad you like the post and I’m sorry I just saw your comment now
It was hiding in my “spam” list when clearly it isn’t. Hope you had an awesome new year, by the way! See you around at VB.
great advice– my little M is turning 2 and has started pulling off her pamper and wanting to sit on the potty– I wasn’t going to start the process but now I think it’s time to potty dance!
That’s great initiative on her end. Good luck with your potty training dance and many thanks on stopping by.
Great tips and assessment. My 19 month old is ready in many ways, but in others, not so much. We’ve gone ahead and purchased the necessary items but I feel like we will probably wait until she is a little older to really do “training.”
Congrats on being a featured member on Vboks!
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Since you bought the potty training items already, at least you are all set when she’s ready. Thanks for dropping by, Courtney.
My daughter is 2 years old and she now knows how to poop in the restroom. she tells me if she wants to poop.
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That’s good. Some kids easily adjust to having to use the potty while some don’t. I’m glad you 2 year old is part of the former.
Anne, loved this post. Such great and truthful tips. I’m in the process of potty training my second daughter and it has been completely different than it was with my first. There have been many moments of complete frustration. However, the one thing I can say is the signs of readiness are definitely consistent. The child needs to be both emotionally and physically ready or it just won’t happen.
*congrats on being a featured member at voiceBoks this week!
~Wishing you and your family a beautiful and blessed Christmas!
Rosann
Twitter: ChrstianSuprMom
I’m glad you found this post useful
Thank you so much for your kind words and have a blessed Christmas with your loved ones, Rosann.
These are all helpful tips. I have trained two boys so far and they were both so different. One absolutely refused until he went to daycare. Then my second child refused to wear diapers after 18 months old. I am in the middle of training #3. Just when I think he is ready he decides to prove me wrong. All my kids are so excited that the holidays are near. I think I will force the potty training a little more after the new year.
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Good luck with training #3, Marissa. And thank you very much for sharing your potty training experiences with your kiddos. Happy Holidays!
Hi Anne,
Just stopped by from VoiceBoks. My kids are older but now I am a grammy. In an effort to be reminded of baby and their lifestyle I will be stopping by for your current tip. About potty training, did you see that HouseParty.com is having a PottyParty. I love HouseParty.com . Best of luck in 2012.
Jeantte
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Twitter: lifeithappens
Hi Jeanette. I’m glad you dropped by for your grandchildren. And no, I have not seen HouseParty.com but will head there soon.
We cant seem to get our child to train. He is 3, and passes everything above. He knows when he needs to go, how to hold it in, and that it needs to go in the potty, he just simply refuses to go. In the past month we’ve sat him down every day, sometimes twice, roughly 50 times, hes gone once. About 20 of these times we knew he had to go and so did he, but he sat there for a half hour and held it in, we take him off the potty and immediately after putting his training pants on he pees in them.
Weve tried rewarding him when he goes, and not giving him anything when he doesnt, which he was starting to get at first, but now its gotten to the point where he doesnt care if he gets a reward or not. He absolutely loves it when we go in the potty, and gets excited and cheers us on, but when we ask him if he wants to try, he gets to the toilet and says “You go” and leaves the room. He hates wearing dirty diapers, as soon as he goes he takes them off and makes us change him, sometimes he’ll change himself, so we go through training pants/diapers like crazy.
We have no idea what to do now, we’re thinking of giving up for a month or so and trying again, but money is getting tight and it would be nice to save on diapers and wipes for some extra spending money.
Hi Kevin, thanks for your comment.
First I’d like to ask if your child does not pee or poop in the potty – or both.
Second, one of the following may be happening:
- he isn’t ready/interested in the potty although he is aware of when he should go (in this case you should wait until he is more willing)
- he might be scared of either peeing and pooping in the toilet. Though this might sound weird it does happen so you’ll have to figure out which he has fears of and why
In any case, here’s a great resource I found for common problems parents have when potty training (along with solutions), it may help you.
Also, it sounds like a good idea to wait a month or more before going back to training your child. When the time comes, you may make potty training more interesting by decorating the potty together (stickers, drawings, etc.) or purchasing underwear with his favorite characters.
However, the bottom line is that if he isn’t interested or ready, it’s best to wait. A 3 year old who isn’t trained yet is still okay.
Let me know if you have more questions. 
Should you have some, just ask away!
Thank you for this post! People kept telling me that I should already potty train my daughter (15 months). So I sort of forced her into it and I ended up with a very cranky little girl (and loads of frustration on my part). I felt like I failed as a mum.
We are back to using diapers and I’m glad to know from your post that kids will be ready for this when they’re ready. Thanks again!
Five Years of Love
Twitter: TheMomOD
Hey Kimberley. I really believe that a lot a parent’s unnecessary stress and frustration comes from others – parents, in laws, siblings, friends, etc. Sorry but it’s true. Every child is different which means they won’t always respond the way others do. Some kids are potty trained as early as 1, while some by 5.
End result? Everyone gets potty trained so focus on when your child is ready, instead of when everyone else’s child was potty trained
hi, anne! Lance manifests these signs already but he’s scared of potty and even toilet bowl..