• The perfect age to beginpotty training is different for every child. Your child's beststarting age could be anywherefrom eighteen to thirty-twomonths. Pre-potty training prepa-ration can begin when a child isas young as ten months.• You can begin training at anyage, but your child's biology,skills, and readiness will deter-mine when he can take over his own toileting.• Teaching your childhow to use the toiletcan, and should, be asnatural as teaching himto build a block tower or use a spoon.•No matter the age thattoilet training begins, most chil-dren become physically capableof independent toileting betweenages two and a half and four.• It takes three to twelvemonths from the start of trainingto daytime toilet independence.The more readiness skills that achild possesses, the quicker theprocess will be.• The age that a child masterstoileting has absolutely nocorrelation to future abilities or intelligence.• There isn't only one right wayto potty train—any approach youuse can work—if you are pleas-ant, positive and patient.• Nighttime dryness is achievedonly when a child's physiologysupports this—you can't rush it.•Aparent’s readiness to trainis just as important as a child'sreadiness to learn.• Potty training need not beexpensive. Apotty chair, a dozenpairs of training pants and arelaxed and pleasant attitude areall that you really need. Anythingelse is truly optional.• Achild’s diet will affect histoileting patterns. Adequate dailyliquids, plus a healthy diet con-taining fruit, vegetables andwhole grains, will make elimina-tion easier – which in turn makespotty training easier.• Ample daily exercise ensuresthat your child’s stool is movedthrough her system easily. Lackof movement can cause constipa-tion and potty training problems.• Most toddlers urinate four toeight times each day, usuallyabout every two hours or so.• Most toddlers have one or two bowel movements each day,some have three, and others skipa day or two in between move-ments. In general, each child hasa regular pattern.• Accidents are expected dur-ing training—it’s a normal partof the learning process. Thesewill decrease over time.• More than 80 percent of children experience setbacks intoilet training. This means thatwhat we call “setbacks” are real-ly just the usual path to masteryof toileting.• Ninety-eight percent of chil-dren are completely daytimeindependent by age four.• Parents set the pace for toilettraining. Apositive attitude andkind patience can make pottytraining easy and fun!

Quick Facts About Potty Training

Pottytraining can be natural, easy, and peaceful.The firststep isto knowthe facts.

Thisarticle isa copyrighted excerptfrom

The No-Cry Potty Training Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

(McGraw-Hill, 2006)

By Elizabeth Pantley, author of

The No-Cry Potty Training Solution

Order today and receive 30% off when you visit Amazon.com

➡

1. I can tell by watching that my child is wetting or filling hisdiaper:

a. Never.b. Sometimes.c. Usually.

2. My toddler's diaper needs tobe changed:

a. Frequently, every hour or two.b. It varies.c. Every two to three hours—sometimes less frequently.

3. My child understands themeaning of wet, dry, clean, wash,sit, and go:

a. No.b. Some of them.c. Yes.

4. When my child communicatesher needs, she:

a. Says or signs a few basicwords and I guess the rest.b. Gets her essential pointsacross to me.c. Has a good vocabulary andtalks to me in sentences.

5. If I give my child a simpledirection, such as, "put this inthe toy box," she:

a. Doesn't understand or doesn'tfollow directions.b. Will do it if I coach or help her.c. Understands me and does it.

6. My child can take his pants off and put them on:

a. No.b. With help he can.c. Yes.

7. When I read a book to my child, he:

a. He ignores me.b. Sometimes listens, some-times wanders off.c. Sits, listens and enjoys thestory.

8. My toddler wants to do things“all by myself”:

a. Never.b. Sometimes.c. All the time!

9. I think that it's the right timeto begin potty training:

a. No.b. I'm undecided.c. Yes.

Total the number of responses for each letter:

a. __________b. __________c. __________

Most answers are a:

Wait.

Your little one doesn't seem tobe ready just yet. Test again in amonth or two.

Most answers are b:

Time for pre-pottytraining—getready!

Your child is not quite ready for active training, but you can takemany steps to prepare your tod-dler for the future. Gradual intro-duction of terms and ideas willmake potty training easier whenthe time comes.

Most answers are c:

Yourtoddler isreadyto use the potty!

It's time to start your potty train-ing adventure. Good luck, andhave fun!

Are you between two scores?

Just like any parenting situation,there are choices to make. If your child is hovering between twocategories, it's time to put your intuition to good use. Your knowledge of your own child candirect you toward the right planof action.

The Potty Training Readiness Quiz