The right age to start potty training is different for all children, however here are some guidelines parents can follow to help almost all children determine if they are ready to start potty training.
Average age to start:
The average age that children’s bodies are physically capable of controlling bladder and bowel movements with some regularity is 18 to 22 months, as determined by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Researchers at the Pediatric Academy estimate that by this age, most children have enough control over their voluntary muscles and can interpret signals from their nervous system to begin to anticipate when they need to ‘go potty’ and communicate this to their parents. .
While this is the normal or accepted age to begin potty training, it should in no way indicate that your child should be fully potty trained by 22 months.
The path to full potty training is different for each child. Although most child development experts agree, most children should be fully potty trained by age 3.
Key development points needed:
The key point in your child’s development that must take place before potty training can begin in earnest is the point at which they are aware of their body and can begin to “read the cues” so to speak. what your body is saying. them.
Until they reach 18-20 months, most infants and toddlers have little or no control over most bodily functions, the body running pretty much on autopilot while waiting for the brain to establish control.
Another sign that your child is nearing potty training age is that she tells you when her diaper is dirty, instead of you noticing when you pick it up or check her diaper.
When they get to the point of being able to alert you that they “need to go now”, rather than waiting until they have, that should be taken as an important milestone and potty training should begin as soon as possible.
This ability to say
A) they have to go,
B) can communicate their needs to you, and
C) they have enough control to be able to ‘hold it’ for a short period of time are all positive indicators that potty training should start as soon as possible, before bad habits form or, worse, the child start going back and reversing your progress.
Another good sign is when your son or daughter begins to walk on their own and is able to pull their pants up and down, as this is a necessary skill to be able to get to the bathroom on their own and to be able to drop their pants to sit on the toilet. .
With no set roadmap, look for the signs of ‘your child’:
Just as there is no set age for walking, talking, reading, or any other milestone in a child’s life, there is no set age for when they will be fully potty trained or how long the process will take. Every child and circumstance is slightly different.
As I mentioned earlier, there are a variety of signals that need to be taken together to determine when your child is ready to begin their full potty training journey. When those signs come and you know your child is ready, that’s the time to start potty training in earnest.
