Age to Potty Train

Identification of Readiness

• A child's developmental readiness is more important his physical age when it comes to potty training. Elizabeth Pantley, author of "The No-Cry Potty Training Solution," suggests looking for the following readiness skills to determine if your child is ready for potty training, despite his age:
  You can tell when the child is filling his diaper.
  The toddler's diaper only needs to be changed every few hours.
  He understands basic terms, such as, "wet," "dry," "go" and "sit."
  The child can communicate his thoughts well.
  The child understands basic instructions and usually follows through.
  She can take her pants on and off.
  The child can sit for extended periods of time and enjoy things like a story.
  He insists on doing things by himself.

Time Frame

• The University of Michigan Health System says that both girls and boys have the physical maturity and readiness skills for successful potty training between 18 and 30 months of age, but most children are ready to begin between 24 and 27 months. Typically, potty training takes three to six months, with girls, on average, being completely trained at 29 months, and boys being trained at 31 months. In addition, the University of Michigan Health System says that 98 percent of children are trained by their third birthday.

Types of Control

• Being completely potty trained is a complex skill, and it might be a while before your child is dry all of the time without the occasional accident. AskDrSears.com, the website of the Sears family of pediatricians, says that the typical sequence of gaining bowel and bladder control is nighttime bowel control, daytime bowel control, daytime bladder control and, finally, nighttime bladder control.

Misconceptions

• Many parents are under the assumption that girls will potty train earlier than boys. While it's true that, on average, girls will be potty-trained two months earlier than boys, AskDrSears.com says that this is probably actually due the fact that it's usually moms who are helping their children potty train. Moms are likely to be more comfortable training girls, and it's likely that girls will want to imitate their mothers.

Considerations

• AskDrSears.com reminds parents that, like other developmental milestones, every child will potty train at a different age. You cannot force him to go at a certain age; you can simply provide the environment for learning.