Positively Potty-Trained!

Parenting can be one of the toughest jobs of a lifetime and adding potty training to an already busy schedule can make life even more hectic. Making sure your toddler is ready to potty train is as important as remembering, "No child ever starts school in diapers."

Most parents are completely unsure about when to start their toddlers on the path to leaving diapers behind. And even those parents with other children will find out quickly that each child is different and pose problems as unique as their personalities.

IS MY CHILD READY TO START POTTY TRAINING?

For all parents and toddlers there are universal signals marking the readiness of each child for potty training.

If your child is able to:

* Follow simple instructions

* Understand words about the toileting process

* Control the muscles responsible for elimination

* Express a need to go verbally

* Keep a diaper dry for two hours or more

* Get to the potty, sit on it, and then get off the potty

* Pull down diapers, disposable training pants, or underpants

These signals may start appearing anywhere from 18-24 months for most children, but some may reach this milestone at an earlier or later age. The important thing to remember is to make potty training fun and totally stress free. As soon as your toddler thinks you will et upset if they make a "mistake" they will withdraw from the process and you will have to start over at a later time.

Parents must also remember potty training will not be achieved overnight. Usually the total time for completely potty training a toddler can take between three months and one year. All parents will need support from family members and child care providers during this time.

TIPS FOR TOILET TRAINING BEFORE YOU BEGIN

The best bet for the parents of a toddler approaching the toilet training age is to start training mentally before the physical training starts.

* Use words to express toilet use such as "Pee", "Poop", and "Potty"

* Talk with your child about letting you know when their diaper is wet or soiled