Potty Training FAQ

Potty training is one of the most important things to teach your child. If it's not your first child you will know the "secrets" of successful potty training. If it's not though, you are likely to need a bit of help. Here are the answers of the most common questions every mother has when trying to teach her child to use the toilet.

When the potty training should start?
Most children can be trained to use the toilet or a potty chair since they become 18 months old. However every child is different and you can try earlier. Some mothers start to teach their child to use a potty chair since the kid can sit. The key secret is to put it on the potty chair and keep it occupied until it urinates. Although little children cannot fully understand why they are asked to sit there, they quickly gain the habit to use the potty chair.

How to make my child sit on the potty chair?
This might be tricky especially for older children. Seating at one place might be quite boring for a child and it may be hard for you to make it stay on the potty chair long enough. Remember one thing never ever punish your child for not staying calm on the potty chair. This can cause a lot of stress and actually make the whole learning process more difficult. Make the potty chair interesting and funny by decorating it with stickers, ready your child a fairytale, bring its toys and play with it. Try to come up with a range of interesting activities that will keep its mind occupied. Of course if you see that your kid is reaching a point where nothing can make it stay on the potty chair it's better to have a break and try again later.

What is the right age for toilet training?
Usually a child that is 2 years old is ready to start using the toilet. Although this age if specific for every child, there are some other factors that should be considered. Is your child able to control its calls of nature? Is your kid ready to recognize when it's voiding? Is your kid able to walk to and from the toilet, to pull pants up and down, get on and off the toilet without help? Finally is your child willing to go to the toilet? If the answer to all of the above is positive, than you can start the toilet training.

What if my child pees and poops occasionally in its pants?Many parents come across the same problem. Although their child is already using the toilet or the potty chair without any problems, from time to time it "forgets". Do not worry this is quite normal considering the age of your child. Te more you make it understand the whole process and its purpose, the easier it will become for your kid to avoid such situation. Read books about going to the toilet, watch videos and constantly explain and guide your child.