Potty Training

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It can be really hard for any parent to decide when the time is right to start Potty Training. Just remember that you should never feel under pressure to do so by anyone. You know your child best – remember that!

The general rule of thumb is that most children are ready to be potty trained sometime between 1.5 and 2.5 years old. How best you go about potty training will depend on your child’s personality, and how much time you can devote to it. For example, an intensive 'potty train in a week' is never going to work if you are at work and your child is in childcare – this type of approach needs 100% attention from one person for the duration!

There are many, many books and articles out there full of advice telling what to do and how to do it. But potty training is an individual experience that varies from person to person. With that in mind you should go with your instincts knowing what your child is and is not capable of.

Ten Top Potty Training Tips:

Buy them a potty as soon as they are walking confidently all the time and leave it out for them to use. This familiarises the child with the concept of a potty so it's not a big suprise to them when they do reach the stage where they are ready to start 'potty training'
Use it as a seat so they learn that you can sit on it and that it's nothing to be unsure about.
Try not to let them use it as a toy – I believe this can lead to confusion when you start to want them to do something in it!
When you feel they are nearing readiness, start to give them some naked time of an evening (before bath time is ideal) and encourage them to sit on the potty.
If and when they do something on it, give heaps of praise etc!
Having more than one potty around the house is a good idea. Upstairs and down if you live in a house, or in the bathroom/toilet and in the main living areas if you're in a flat.
When you go to the toilet tell your child what you're doing and why you're doing it, and invite them to sit down on the potty next to you and try themselves.
When they do go on the potty, put their offerings in the toilet and flush it away so they get used to the idea that this is where #1's and #2's should go!
If they have a poop in their nappy, take them to the toilet with it and again, flush it away. It reinforces the idea that this is where doo-doo's go!
Everyone knows about pull-ups as the inbetween stage from nappies to pants. Start getting your child used to them before you want to start potty training.

From that point on its all about encouragement. Lots of praise when they get it right, and don’t make a big deal out of it if they get it wrong! Star charts can be really useful with wilful children, as I have found out!

Why not have a read in our forum and ask Mums who are facing or have succeeded in this challenge for their experiences? Remember though - each experience will be different so don't be concerned or put off if you're not doing it exactly the same as someone else has done. You were potty trained once you know!

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