Potty training is one of the most unglamorous aspects of parenting responsibility, but it is something all parents have to go through. These days there is a whole range of hypothesis and methods available to potty train children of different ages. But, the big question is, What is the right age to potty train a baby? Should you start early or wait till the child is ready?
When to Start Potty Training Your Child?
In many parts of the world, parents start potty training their kids as early as four months. In a method called elimination communication, parents watch for signs of imminent wee or poop and catch it in the potty. Some experts do not advice this method and similar to potty training age at 1 say that it can lead to problems later on. Most experts agree that children are not physically and emotionally ready to go in the potty until they are in between the ages of 18 months to three years old. Also, boys take a few months more than girls to get trained properly. However, parents who are wondering when to potty train a baby need to realize that not all children are the same, some may ace it before 18 months and some may take more than 3 years to get there.
Ideally look for these signs of readiness in your children before you choose to potty train them. Some of the signs are as follows:
- They poop regularly and you notice that they will poop at a specific time of the day.
- They will give you a clue that they are about to poop. The clues involve clutching the nappy area, bending the knees or crouching down.
- They will look for a little privacy when they need to poop.
- They will ask for a change after pooping.
Even when you are confident about their cues, there are times they shouldn’t be pushed into potty training, such as:
- When there is a birth of a sibling or other family changes.
- When moving to a new house or transitioning from a crib to a bed.
- Starting at a new daycare or pre-school.
- Stopping the use of the pacifier.
- Illness.
Potty Training at Age 2
- By the age of 2, children notice that their parents use the potty and show curiosity in them.
- Parents should also look for potty training readiness in their children and try to introduce them to it.
- Two-year-olds are also easier to potty train as they are still in the development phase of pleasing their parents.
Potty Training at Age 3
- Most children are ready to make the leap in potty training by 3 years of age and can be fully trained by the time they are 36 months old. Some may take a little longer and extend to 3.5 years of age.
- They may still have moments of lapse in control, especially when they are sick or nervous and that’s normal.
Potty Training at Age 4
- By the age of 4, most children are fully potty trained. However, if they experience incidents three to five nights per week, consult a paediatrician. The common diagnosis is nocturnal enuresis or bedwetting” as it is popularly known as.
Set aside your expectations on when they must be trained and let them take it at their own pace. On an average, it takes about 8 months to potty train a child.
