Starting too soon

While there's no magic age at which a child is ready to start using the potty, most toddlers will develop the necessary physical and cognitive skills between 18 and 24 months of age (though some aren't ready to start until they're as old as 4). Starting before your child is ready will just end up prolonging the process. Use our checklist to keep track of your toddler's progress toward readiness.

Starting at the wrong time

Beginning training a week before the new baby is due, when you're planning a move, or during any other disruptive event in your child's life is not a good idea. Toddlers are creatures of routine, and any changes are likely to cause setbacks in their behavior. Instead, wait until things have settled down and then start.

Putting on the pressure

If your child has started to show an interest in toilet training, that's great. But don't push her to get through it faster than she's ready to. If she gets nervous, she could start withholding her stool, which can lead to constipation and other problems.

Let her take her time and get used to this new, complicated process step by step; she'll move from one stage to the next in her own time. Of course, it's perfectly all right to try to stimulate her interest with gentle reminders, stories, and encouragement, but if she balks, don't push her.

Listening to your mother-in-law's advice

It will get harder with each passing week, but no matter how many times you hear your parents, your in-laws, or someone else from an earlier generation tell you that you're waiting too long to toilet train, ignore them (unless your child is heading off to college in diapers — then they have a point).

Toilet training methods have changed a lot in the last 40 years, and what was standard practice when you were a child is no longer the norm. Research has shown that children can't voluntarily use the muscles that control their bladder and rectum until they're at least 18 months old.

So if you hear any more stories about Cousin Jim's son, who was trained by his first birthday, smile, nod, and say, \";We have a plan. We're not worried about it.\"; For some helpful support and advice, you can turn to other parents on our toilet training bulletin board.

Punishing your child

Getting angry or punishing your child if he's not interested in training, won't sit on the potty, has an accident, or runs into any of the other common problems of toilet training won't accomplish a thing.

Setbacks are natural, and getting upset or scolding him will only make your child less interested in training; he'll be afraid of making any more mistakes and making you angry. He may also start withholding his stool, which can lead to painful constipation. If you can, respond to messes and other challenges calmly; if you can't, bite your tongue, count to 10, then try again. What does work? Click here to find out!

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Nick replied. Hi Ritu
That was a real good article.I haven't started Ayush yet but hopefully should start soon.I have heard it is time consuming so not at all looking forward to it.
Love to all the cuties.

Sushmita sumana replied. Hi Ritu,

Thanks for the article.I had started training for Kaustubh a week back.But found out that he was nervous, so at present have stopped it.So will start training after some time.
The article was very informative.Thanks again.

Hope u were able to surprise ur friend with a Baby shower.I was out of station on the weekend so not able to write back to u.But i think Kals was able to help u.

Love to Anu,
Take care,
sumana