There is no standard age that a child is ready so it is better to be guided by these
The decision to begin toilet or potty training is one that shouldn’t be taken lightly as once you start it is hard to go back so it is better to be sure your child is ready. There are some signs you can look for and here are the reasons why it is probably time to start potty training your child.
- Your child is getting older- They say you should begin toilet training by the time your tot is 20 months but it doesn’t mean you specifically have to stick to this. Some children are ready earlier and some much later, and that is perfectly ok.
- Everyone is saying you should be training your tot- You shouldn’t listen to other people’s opinions but if you find all your toddler's friends are trained or nearly trained maybe you should be looking at starting it with your child.
- You are changing less wet nappies- A sure fire sign is when your nipper is not urinating as much and you are consequently changing fewer nappies. Now your kiddie can space out the times they may need to go to the toilet and have the time to tell you and get to the toilet with your help.
- Your child has predictable bowel movements- Whether it is first thing in the morning or late in the evening knowing when your child will want to poop is a huge advantage when toilet training. Even more so if your child is able to tell you when they want to do poo or even wee so that they are familiar with the urge to use the toilet.
- Your child is embarrassed and doesn’t like using nappies anymore- Some kids as they get older will feel shy about pooing in their nappy and want to get it off straight away, as they don’t like the feeling in their nappy. Other kids will just want to be free and use big girl or boy pants rather than their usual nappies and this is a huge sign that your nipper is ready for training.
- Your child wants to start toilet training- If your tot understands all about toilet training and has seen their little friends using the toilet they will want to give it a go. If he can broadcast to you when he feels the need to go to the loo or is able to pull up their bottoms with a little help it is time.
- You are ready and on board, as is your childcare provider- As long as everyone who cares for your child is on board then that is a good enough reason to start training your kiddie. Plan ahead and tell your child of the changes, go and buy stickers for rewards, pants, and make sure you have plenty of spare clothes for little accidents. Take your time and accept that it won’t be plain sailing but in time you will have a perfectly potty trained child and no dirty nappies to change-Bliss!!
