Potty Training
Learning to use the potty is a big milestone for toddlers. You shouldn't expect to be able to stop buying diapers anytime soon, though. The days of trying to potty train at a very early age are mostly over — although you might still be pressured by older family members to begin potty training by nine or fifteen months.
When thinking about potty training, keep in mind that the average child doesn't begin this stage until eighteen months to three years. And most recent studies have shown that starting early, before your child is ready, usually just prolongs the whole process. This means that a child who started early would likely end up being potty trained at about the same time as children who started later.
The average toddler isn't developmentally, psychologically, or physically ready to begin potty training until eighteen months at the earliest. This, plus the fact that starting very early doesn't lead to finishing any sooner, should discourage you from beginning potty training until your child is ready.
How will you know that your child is ready? Watch for the following signs:
Staying clean and dry for several hours at a time
Being bothered by a dirty diaper and wanting to be changed
Not being overly negative about things in general anymore
Being eager to please; able to follow simple directions and imitate others
Having the physical ability to walk to the potty and get on and off of it by herself
It also can help if you are able to determine when your child needs to use the potty. You might already know this because she is consistent in when she goes, or because you can just tell by how she is acting. Remember that if your child isn't ready to start training, you probably should wait. While most children are ready somewhere between eighteen months and two years, some aren't ready until much later.
