Potty Readiness Signs
When it comes to potty training, parents often find themselves wondering “When should I get started?” and “How do I know when my child is ready?” There’s no specific answer to these questions and no “right” age to get started. There are potty readiness signs to consider when deciding on the ideal time for your child to start potty training!
Is your child ready for potty training?
Most of the time, your little one is not going to be like: “Hey mom, I’m ready to start going pee pee and poop on the potty.” So, how do you know when your child is ready? There are some different indicators to consider, including developmental, physiological, and behavior-related signs. Certain potty readiness signs can make certain parts of potty training easier BUT all of these signs DO NOT need to be happening to get started. Also, if your little one has been showing these readiness signs for a bit and you haven’t started potty training yet, you are NOT too late! Mainly, you want to choose a strategy to potty train your child that incorporates their current skills and accounts for any areas they haven’t mastered just yet.
Signs of Potty Readiness
Time between tinkles. Your child’s bladder is more prepared for potty training if they can keep a dry diaper for about 2 hours at a time. This can also include keeping a dry diaper at naps and/or overnight consistently (although not necessary for starting out).
Motor skills to complete the potty routine. This includes sitting, pulling bottoms on and off, wiping, flushing the toilet, and washing hands. Does your child need to be able to do all of these things before potty training? Nope! You can always help them with these steps. But, if you want your child to be more independent with the bathroom routine as part of potty training, you may want to wait until they have the ability to complete all the steps.
Noticing a dirty diaper. If your child recognizes when they peed or pooped in their diaper, this can be a sign they are ready for potty training. It may look like them pulling at their diaper, taking it off, telling you it’s dirty, etc.
Recognizing when pee or poop is coming. If your child is letting you know when they have to go, this is a prime sign that they are ready to be potty trained. Also, if your child is hiding when they go potty (this is more common with poop), that means they are noticing the bodily sensation that a pee or poop is coming, which is a goal for the potty training process. This can also be helpful to you during potty training because if you notice your child is hiding, you can quickly redirect them to the bathroom!
Motivation to go on the potty! If your child has anything motivating them to go potty, great! Maybe they really want to avoid being in a dirty diaper, wear cool character undies, or they’re excited to go tinkle in the toilet like an older sibling. What ever the “natural” motivation is, you can absolutely use that to your advantage to promote potty training. If your child isn’t motivated on their own, you can always consider bringing in motivators during the potty training process like stickers, small treats, or a potty dance party!
Communication skills. If your child has a way to tell you when they want or need something, then you can use that skill to teach them to tell you when they need to go potty. Complete sentences are not necessary! Simple 1-word requests (“potty”), gestures (pointing to the bathroom), and even picture communication (handing you a potty card) can be effective communication methods. Responding to yes/no questions can also be helpful! If your child is still working on their communication skills, you can still work on potty training - your potty training approach may lean more on the parent/caregiver initiating when your child uses the potty.
Some other skills that can be helpful for potty training: Follows simple instructions, imitates actions and words, allows you to help them with physical skills, sits for an activity for 3-5 minutes.
Another thing to plan for when it comes to finding the right time to start potty training is to avoid beginning when your little one is on either end of some big life changes. If a big change is about to happen (like a new sibling) or just finished (like moving to a new house), you may consider giving some time, about 2 months, before introducing potty training.
Are you ready for potty training?
Although there are potty readiness signs for your child, when deciding to get started with potty training it’s also important to consider when you (and other caregivers) are ready. If your child is showing signs of readiness for potty training but you are not quite ready yet, it’s possible the process will be stressful and difficult. Here are some things to think about when deciding when you are ready to get started with potty training your child:
Potty training is a commitment. You want to make sure you’re fully invested and mentally prepared to embark on the potty training journey. Your child will be that much more successful if you have a plan and stick to it!
Potty accidents will happen. If you find yourself dreading potty training because potty accidents make you cringe, you can plan ahead of time and think about how you can work around that. A couple ideas: Have another caregiver take over the potty training duties during the first few days while you are out of the house. Or, you can use an approach that will keep the accidents contained to a specific area that you can line with towels to help prevent too much mess.
You will need some focused time for potty training. Regardless of the potty training approach you decide to use with your little one, you will want to spend some focused time on potty training at the beginning. If you have a busy schedule, plan to start potty training when you have at least a few days to stay home and potty train.
Make sure all other caregivers are on board for potty training. Even if you are the one who will be doing a bulk of potty training with your child, it’s helpful to make sure other caregivers are supportive and in the know on the potty plan. That includes any daycare or school teachers, babysitters, grandparents, etc. Communicate with your child’s “team” to promote potty success!
The take-home: Plan to get started with potty training your little one when you and your child are ready. Most importantly, choose an approach to potty training that is ideal for your child! You’re going to feel at ease getting started if you are comfortable with the potty training method you plan to use. If you and your kiddo are ready to get started and you’re not sure what potty training approach to go with, with my 1:1 potty support, I’ll help take the guesswork out of it with a potty plan specifically tailored to your child. Book a 1:1 potty consult call to chat about my potty support packages!
