Be careful when it comes to your child. Think twice when someone says your child may not be ready. If your child is meeting all their developmental milestones at their well child check-ups with the pediatrician they are ready to potty train.  A child obtains bladder control between 18-24 months (I’ve seen earlier). If your pediatrician doesn’t tell you your child is developmentally delayed (speech doesn’t count; non-verbal children can still communicate with body language) then anyone that says, “maybe your child just isn’t ready” take it as an insult!  If you have a hard time training-find a different approach. Not all children learn the same way and it’s moms job to teach them in a way that interests them or helps them understand. For example, not every child finds it amusing to pee and poop in the potty, just like not every kid enjoys learning how to read but we don’t stop teaching them just because they say no and refuse to practice reading, we find out what interests our children and let them read those books.

 

The test listed below is for a child between 18-24 months old.  Ask yourself these questions:

 

•    Can your child understand and follow basic directions?
•    Does your child tell you through words, facial expressions or posture when he or she 

     needs to go to the bathroom? 
•    Does your child stay dry for periods of two hours or longer during the day?
•    Can your child pull down his or her pants and pull them up again?
•    Can your child sit on and rise from a potty chair?

If you answered mostly yes, your child is ready for potty training. If you answered mostly no, you might want to wait until your child is at least 28 months old.  

​

​