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In this Article

• What is potty training?
• Are there cultural differences in potty training?
• How do I know if my child is ready to be potty trained?
• How do I know if I am ready to potty train my child?
• How do I begin potty training my child?
• What products do I need to begin potty training my child?
• How can I encourage my child to use the potty?
• How long will it take to toilet train my child?
• Is there anything I can do to prevent accidents from happening?
• When will my child stop wetting the bed at night?
• My potty-trained child has regressed. What should I do?
• Tips for successful toilet training
• Where can parents find more information about toilet training?
• Potty Training At A Glance
• Potty Training Index

How do I know if my child is ready to be potty trained?

Three separate, though related, developmental skill sets are necessary before successful potty training is possible.

1. Physiologic: maturity of bladder and bowel function. Willful control of bladder and rectal sphincter control implies neurological maturity that is generally completed by 18 months of age. The ability to avoid urination and stooling for several hours is an effective milestone for parents to expect before embarking on the potty training pathway.



2. Developmental skills: The toddler can walk to and sit on the toilet, is capable of pulling clothes up and down, has receptive language skills to follow a two-step command, and has expressive language skills to enable the child to verbally indicate his need to use the toilet.



3. Behavioral maturity: The child shows an interest in toilet training, enjoys imitating others, and has a desire to please coupled with an interest in independent behavior while balanced against a lessening of oppositional behavior and repetitive child-parent power struggles.

How do I know if I am ready to potty train my child?

Parental readiness should be present before embarking upon the task of toilet training their child. It is necessary that the child's desire for potty training must come from within rather than be imposed by his/her parents. Parents must realize that certain times are more likely to be associated with failure of successful potty training. These include: impending sibling birth, moving to a new home/bedroom/bed from crib or other new environment (for example, day care) or mother returning to the work force. Parents should realize that a large commitment of time and emotional energy will be necessary during this process, which may last several weeks to a few months. Lastly, parents must anticipate "accidents" during the potty training process and be able to "roll with the punches." Avoid comparison with other parents; potty training is a natural developmental process, not a competition.