Childrearing is highlighted by many milestones. One of such milestones is to be able to go to the toilet independently. Toddlers are expected to learn the basic concepts of potty training at a certain age. Parents should not view this as a daunting task, but as something rewarding in the end.

Here are some tactics to potty training kids and flush those toileting blues away:

Signs of Readiness – No matter how great the pressure is to potty train your child, parents should not force this process if their child is not showing signs of readiness, to undergo potty training. Although there is no fixed ideal age of when children should be potty trained, children two years and above are generally old enough to control bowel and bladder movements.

Your child is ready when you observe the following signs:

1. He is able to follow simple instructions from you
2. He wants to wear underwear
3. He walks around from the bathroom and tries to undress
4. He has predictable and regular bowel movements
5. He is dry after sleeping or for at least two hours during the day
6. He uses facial expressions to show that he is about to have a bowel movement or urinate

Potty Training Equipment – Use words that are easy to imitate, understand and remember for your child. Training pants, underwear and potty chair should be used at the beginning stage. Potty training begins with allowing your child to sit on the potty chair and letting him know what to expect. Make sure that your child’s feet are comfortable placed on the floor. Demonstrate how wiping and flushing should be done properly.

Careful Conditioning – Detect when is the most appropriate time to put your child on the potty chair. Lead your child to the bathroom and let him know what he should do when he is on the potty. Conditioning can help your child achieve a positive toilet training attitude.

Mix and Match Strategies – Talk to other parents on how they potty train their children. Some strategies may not work for your child. It might help to try other methods. Make potty training fun and enjoyable so that children may view it as something worthwhile.

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