When to Start Toilet Training
All parents know that their infants still need to wear diapers from
morning until night. But by the time that their toddlers have celebrated
their second birthday, most of them are now asking “Is it time to start
training my child to use the toilet?”
According to the experts, there are some toddlers who can be potty
trained as early as 18 months. However, this is not always the case.
Potty training should not be rushed. There is also no certain age that
the child must be taught how to use the toilet. Some toddlers were
already toilet trained at the age of two. There are also other children
who still don’t know how to use the toilet until the age of 3.
This depends on how ready your toddler is. Of course, you too must be
prepared for the training as well. You must make sure that you have
enough time to spend every day in training your little girl or boy.
Potty training can be a tough job and must be consistent especially if
you are planning to have a routine that your child must follow on a
daily basis. If you would only allocate a day or two every week to train
your toddler, chances are, you will not be able to teach your child
efficiently.
So how would you know if your child is ready to be toilet trained? One
of the main signs is when his diapers stayed dry for at least two hours
at a time. Just like adults, they would only urinate after a few hours
of drinking tons of water or any kind of liquid.
You may start training your toddler to use the toilet or the potty if he
can already follow the simple instructions that you give. Of course, if
your child may not be able to follow the instructions he will not
understand what you are trying to impose and what you want him to do.
Start taking those diapers off and replace it with a panty or with a
boxer shorts if your toddler already feels uncomfortable with their
dirty nappies. They would immediately call your attention since they no
longer want to have that uncomfortable feeling with their wet or soiled
diapers.
Try going to the bathroom along with your child. If they became curious
of what you do in the toilet, then it’s time to buy your toddler a
special potty of his own. Explain the purpose of the potty and make him
get familiar with it. If he wants to use his potty instead of wetting or
soiling his diapers, then it is also a sign that it is time to teach
your child how to use the toilet.
Although the experts do not disagree that you teach your child to use
the toilet at and early age, it is still not recommended until your
child shows that he is ready. Doing so will make your child feel that
you are simply in control of his body. This should not be the case.
Potty training must not be traumatic or stressful for the child. Toilet
training should become a positive experience for your toddler. Forcing
your child to use the toilet if he is not yet ready may lead to more
problems in the future |
