By Lisa A Mason

There are many challenges you will face as a parent but one of the hardest for many parents is potty training. Whether you’re a first time parent or already have older children, potty training can be a real challenge. Here are some tips and information to help you approach this important milestone in your child’s life with more confidence.

When to Potty Train

One of the most commonly asked questions regarding child toilet training is when to start training. There is no exact age to begin this type of training because every child is different and will develop at a different stage. Most parents give it a try around 2 years of age. If your child is showing interest before their 2^nd birthday, you can feel free to try some introductory training.

If your child goes past 2 years old and still doesn’t seem interested in the potty or learning to go potty, don’t push the issue. You can always try it and if your child isn’t ready, put it on hold and try again later. Studies have shown that trying to push toilet training too early can actually hinder the process for many children.

You should look for signs that your baby is ready for potty training such as showing interest in the toilet or when other people in the house go, taking their diaper off, telling you before they go in their diaper or when they go, expressing discomfort when going in the diaper, etc.

Potty Training Boys

You might want to take a different approach when training boys than with training girls. Every child is different but statistically, boys usually train at a later age. Your boy can learn to urinate standing or sitting, whichever is best and most comfortable for him. If your boy prefers one way over the other, it’s best not to try to force him to do something different.

Potty Training Girls

When potty training girls, you need to teach your girl to wipe properly from front to back to avoid infection. You will also need to help her do this until she’s big enough to do it on her own. Many girls learn well from mimicking or through dolls and other training devices. While the saying often goes that girls learn faster, you shouldn’t think there is anything wrong if your daughter is a bit behind the average.

Potty Training Tools

There are many potty training tools out there available to help you and your child. While tools alone will not replace good parenting support and tactics, they can make it easier for you and your little one to get through the potty training process. You should know that these tools are not requires and you can certainly train your child fine without them but they can be useful.

If you have certain tools at your disposal that can make the process easier for you both, it just makes sense to use them.

Some potty training tools include potty training charts, special potty seats such as musical potties, potty training books and more. Not every child will respond to every type of training tool so you might want to experiment with some different ones and see what works best.

For some additional tips, remember to keep your child’s clothing as easy to get on and off as possible during potty training. Buttons and complicated fasteners can be too hard for a young child learning to go. Sharing toilet with siblings or parents can help a child learn to go faster. Spending time in a bare bottom instead of with a diaper on is also helpful for many.

Now that you have these basic tips for potty training, you can go into this parenting mission prepared. If it’s your first time or you have multiple children, you will have the confidence you need for successful potty training.