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Are You Ready?
Determining If Your Child Is Ready for Potty Training
By Lisa A. Goldstein
You haven't been counting, of course, but it may feel like you've just changed your millionth diaper. At this point, the thought of having a potty trained child may sound like nirvana!
You may be ready to start training, but it's also up to your child. So how exactly can you determine if your child is finished with diapers and ready for potty training?
Signs of readiness are both emotional and physiological and vary with each child. Nonie Levi, a San Diego, Calif., family therapist who has facilitated a toilet teaching class for 13 years, has found several clues parents can look for. "Children will show an interest in cleanliness," she says. "They may want to start using a toilet, asking to use it, expressing an interest."
Here are some more signs that your child is ready to begin potty training, courtesy of the AAP:
- Your child stays dry at least two hours at a time during the day or is dry after naps.
- Bowel movements become regular and predictable.
- Facial expressions, posture or words reveal that your child is about to urinate or have a bowel movement.
- Your child can follow simple instructions.
- Your child can walk to and from the bathroom and help undress herself.
- Your child seems uncomfortable with soiled diapers and wants to be changed.
- Your child asks to use the toilet or potty chair.