13 Signs That Your Toddler Is Ready to Start Potty Training

A few weeks ago, I decided that it was time to let my son pick out a potty seat.  We choose to get a potty seat that easily fits on the regular toilet, so that I wouldn’t have to retrain him to use the big potty once he had potty training down.  Besides that the daycare he attends also uses a potty seat  similar to the one that I bought for him. I wanted to try keep things consistent since he will begin potty training at daycare soon.

Disclosure:  This post is for informational purposes only and is based upon my own experience my with my toddler.

I took him to the store with me and allowed him to choose the potty seat design that he wanted.  I showed him a cars and sesame street potty seat which had Elmo on it.  He choose the Sesame Street potty seat.

My son isn’t quite two and was starting to show the signs that he is ready to potty train.  He was walking around the house and saying “I poop”.  He would tell me that each time his diaper was soiled, which meant that he was becoming aware of the fact that he was soiling his diaper.  He has also been waking up from nap time and there has been quite a few mornings that he has woken up with a dry diaper.  This let me know that the muscles in his bladder are getting strong enough to hold his urine until his bladder was fuller.  I try to let him sit on the potty for a few minutes a day so that he can get used to sitting on his new potty seat.  However, so far he hasn’t gone on the potty and will wait until I put his diaper back on to go to the restroom.  This is typical since they are used to going to the bathroom in a diaper and it feels different when using the bathroom on a toilet.

What are some additional signs that your child may be ready to being potty training?

1. Your child should be able to run or walk quickly without falling down.
2. If you find that they are consistently waking up from nap time and the next morning dry, this means that their bladder muscles are strong enough to hold their urine longer.
3. If you begin noticing that your child has fairly full diapers and are pretty heavy with urine, it means that they are going longer periods without using the bathroom.
4. Your child should have regular and well form bowel movements, especially, if your child has somewhat predicable bowel movements on daily basis.  Ie. your child has a bowel movement each morning for a few weeks.
5. If you find your toddler following you to the bathroom so that he or she can watch what you are doing, is a sure sign that your child is paying attention to what you are doing when you go to the restroom.
6. They may begin learning how to pull their pants up and down or even begin taking off their diaper when it is soiled.
7. Your child should be able to sit still for a few minutes which is necessary to be able to sit on the potty seat long enough to be able to use the bathroom.
8. Mom’s, can you tell when your child is working on a bowel movement?  Often times they will go off and hide in a corner or you can tell by their facial expressions that they are working on having a bowel movement.  You might even hear them grunting, find them squatting down, or they might even tell you that they need to go potty, these are all signs letting you know that they are ready to start toilet training.
9. Shows eagerness to be independent and grown up.
10. A child that is ready to use the toilet will be willing to try to use the potty and won’t throw a fit or cry when you set him or her on the potty seat.
11. Your child may have accidents while they are learning to toilet train and parents should expect it.  The accidents will lessen as your child figures out that they need to tell you that they need to use the restroom before it starts coming out of their body or too late.
12. Before you begin potty training, you child should be able to follow simple commands and directions.  This will make it easier to train your child to run to the potty when they need to go to the restroom and have the ability to come get you when they need to go to the bathroom.  If they can go retrieve a toy that you ask for specifically, then your child is more than ready to start toilet training.  Also, your child should also be able to demonstrate putting toys or items where they belong.
13. Your child may even come up with their own creative ways to tell you what their bodily functions are.  It is important that you try and teach them the difference between urinating and having a bowel movement.

I will continue to share my son’s journey with potty training and hope that you are successful at toilet training your own toddler.  Remember that each child is different and learn at different rates.  Also, it is important to be patient with them if they have accidents, especially, during the first few weeks of toilet training.  Children typically begin showing the signs of being ready to potty train around the age of 2 1/2 to 3 years old.  However, don’t be alarmed if your 3 year old seems uninterested.   Some children don’t start potty training until the very end of their 3rd year and sometimes don’t get it until they are 4 years old.  If your child seems to be struggling, you might implement a reward system that they can visually see and once they have completed a reward, give your child the said reward.  Positive reinforcement can help overcome most toilet training issues.

How old was your toddler when you began toilet training?