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When should I potty train my child?
According to research, here are things to keep in mind to make potty training a successful process:-----
Signs That Children Are Ready for Potty Training----
Most children develop control over their bowel and bladder by 18 months. This skill is necessary for children to physically be able to use the toilet. Some children are ready at 18 months, and others are ready at 3.
Your child is ready to learn to use the toilet when he or she:-----
•Stays dry for at least 2 hours at a time, or after naps---
•Recognizes that she is urinating or having a bowel movement. For example, your child might go into another room or under the table when she has a bowel movement.---
•Is developing physical skills that are critical to potty training—the ability to walk, to pull pants up and down, and to get onto/off the potty (with some help).---
•Copies a parent’s toileting behavior.---
•Can follow simple instructions.---
•Most importantly, your child wants to use the potty.---
When Not to Start Potty Training-----
When children are going through a significant change or several changes at once. At these times, children often feel overwhelmed and sometimes lose skills they have already learned or were making progress on, like potty training:-----
•An upcoming or recent family move.---
•Beginning new or changing existing child care arrangements.---
•Switching from crib to bed.---
•When you are expecting or have recently had a new baby. ---
•A major illness, a recent death, or some other family crisis.---
What to Avoid When Potty Training a Toddler-----
It’s important to approach toilet training matter-of-factly and without a lot of emotion. Think of it as just another skill you are helping your child learn. If you show anger or disappointment when it’s not going well, or overwhelming joy when it is, it lets your child know this is something you want him to do badly. Refusing to do it becomes a very powerful way for your child to feel in control.-----
It is also very important not to force your child to use the potty because it can cause intense power struggles. These power struggles sometimes lead to children trying to regain control over their bodies by withholding urine or bowel movements. This can create physical problems, like constipation. So if you are starting to see power struggles developing over potty training, it might help to take the pressure off. Stop talking about potty training or doing anything about it for a little while, until your child shows signs of readiness and interest again.-----
To Use Rewards for Potty Training or Not-----
Many parents wonder about offering rewards for using the potty—a sticker, an extra sweet, or a little toy every time their child is successful on the toilet. -----
While these kinds of rewards may encourage progress in the short run, the concern is that for some children, the pressure of “success” in the form of the reward creates anxiety or feelings of failure when they have a (very normal and even expected) potty accident.-----
The other risk is that the use of rewards for toileting can lead children to expect rewards for doing almost anything—finishing a meal, brushing teeth, etc. When parents are matter-of-fact about potty training and don’t make a big deal about it, children are more likely to follow their own internal desire to reach this important milestone.-----