Parents often hear - "you should wait until your child is 'ready' to potty train." The concept of child readiness came about in 1964, when a renowned pediatrician, Dr. Barry Brazelton, declared potty training should be child focused and occur when the child shows signs of readiness. With that declaration and the convenience of disposable diapers came a dramatic delay in when parents start to potty train their child. Currently, the average American family waits to start potty training until after 2 and many not until 3 years of age.

Why the delay? Parents have confused readiness with waiting for their child to express a desire to be trained. Dr. Barton Schmitt, the leading expert on potty training from the American Academy of Pediatrics, advocates a child-friendly but parent-led approach. He advocates preparing your child for toilet training and watching for signs of readiness. Studies show that more than 90% of children show signs of readiness between 18 and 30 months of age.

5 signs of potty training readiness 
Here are the five main signs of potty training readiness:

  • Psychological readiness: your child likes to sit on a potty chair, is cooperative, and can follow simple instructions.

  • Motor readiness: your child can walk, sit, and get on and off the potty chair.

  • Cognitive readiness: your child understands what a toilet is for and shows interest.

  • Bladder readiness: your child recognizes a full bladder, can postpone the urge to urinate briefly, and has a dry diaper for more than 2 hours (dry after naps, for example).

  • Bowel readiness: your child recognizes signs of a full rectum and can postpone the urge to defecate briefly.

The last two signs can be trickier for parents to recognize. Common signs of imminent urination include squirming, dancing, holding the genital area, and pulling on the diaper. Common signals for defecation include squatting, grunting, and pushing on the posterior diaper.

If you see some signs in your child - but not all of them -  the time to use Potty Duck and begin the training is now. Preparing for potty training is as important as watching for signs of readiness and Potty Duck is here to help you and your child succeed.

 

SEE RELATED POSTS

3 steps to potty training: A gradual approach that makes it easier


When to potty train? It's different for each child

10 steps to ready your child for potty training

Potty training: Top 10 must-haves