Day Potty Training at 18 Months Old

Time Frame

• The right time to begin potty training varies between each child. Most toddlers are ready to start using the toilet between 18 months and 3 years of age. The average age in the U.S. for boys to be fully trained to use a potty is 39 months. The average age for girls is 36 months. Keep in mind that the process can take time before the skill is completely learned.

Signs

• Your toddler will show standard signs when she is ready to begin potty training. A child must first be capable of understanding simple directions before being able to understand that they are supposed to relieve themselves on a toilet. Your child should also be able to maintain a dry diaper for at least 2 hours at a time and have regular bowel movements. Another sure sign is when she is knowledgeable enough to realize that she has soiled her diaper and lets you know.

Tips and Tools

• Prepare your 18-month-old to begin potty training by first starting him out just sitting on a trainer seat with his diaper on. Let him get familiar with the new seat and its location. The location of the seat can be in a bathroom or even in a kitchen or living room where he will have quick access to it when the time comes that he needs to use it. Once he is familiar with the new seat, you can switch him to training pants during the day.

  To ensure success and keep the training pants dry, make frequent trips to the bathroom with your toddler. At this stage of early toddlerhood, he may not recognize the fact that he needs to use the bathroom, so taking him at regular short intervals will help him to better learn the behavior and build a routine until he can determine for himself that he needs to relieve himself. Also, because at this age it is easier to train for daytime, be sure to establish the difference in day and night. Take your child to the bathroom first thing once he wakes up in the morning. This will help him to realize that it is now daytime and he needs to use the bathroom instead of his diaper. Encourage him but don't push too hard. This is foreign to your child, and he will need time to get used to the idea.

Reward

• After your young toddler uses the potty successfully, make sure to reward her with positive comments. She needs to be encouraged and understand that what she has done is a good thing. Use encouraging phrases that she can easily understand. A clap and "great job using the potty" can be useful in getting your child excited and make him want to repeat the behavior. Also, stickers or rewards of a banana or her favorite fruit will help encourage her as well.

Be Persistent

• Potty training doesn't happen overnight and often doesn't happen over weeks. Your child may learn the trait quicker than other children or slower than other children. Despite the length of time it takes, being persistent is the only way to be successful. Some days will be better than other days. Accidents will happen. Carry an extra set of clothing with you out of the house to be prepared and don't get discouraged when you have to use that set.