When To Start Potty Training: Let Your Child's Behavior Guide You

For a parent bringing up a newborn baby one of the toughest decisions that they will need to make is determining when to start potty training. This decision is even harder to make in the case of when the baby is a first-born. The best way to determine when to start potty training is to do research on the subject. The Internet has many useful articles and information on the topic that can help you make the right decision.

Don't Start Too Early

The fact of the matter is that after having spent a few years constantly changing diapers you will then want to know when to start potty training. You may also have to understand that starting this process before the proper time can prove to be detrimental to the welfare of the child and too late can also increase the difficulty level of getting your child to potty train.

Of course, there is no magic wand that can be waived that will transform your child into a potty training wonder. However, when to start potty training can follow the general rule that about two years of age is the right time, and though some children will even respond before they have attained the age of two, this age seems appropriate because the child will be old enough to understand what is expected of him.

However, it still begs the question as to how a parent can be sure that the child is in fact ready to potty train. The fact of the matter is that a child of that age just won't be able to communicate his readiness or otherwise to begin potty training. Thus, you will have to look for hints and signs that the time is indeed right when to start potty training. An obvious sign that it is time to begin potty training is when the child indicates some interest in going to the bathroom.

Another sign that can point in the direction of knowing that it could be a sign of when to start potty training is when the little one begins to dislike wearing diapers, especially one that has been soiled or wet. A child that asks for change of a soiled or wet diaper must have begun to understand that the soiling and wetness is not a good thing, and thus you can then make a stab at starting to potty train your child.

Thus, the best time when to start potty training is when you begin to notice such signs in your child's behavior that hint at their willingness to make the switch to learning how to potty.