You might be interested to learn that the average age of potty learning is 30 months with normal ranges between 18 – 60 months of age. Boys, on average, train two months later than their female counterparts. Is it surprising, then, to find out that children are physiologically ready to potty train at the age of 18 months old?
So what’s the delay? Namely, disposable diapers offer us the convenience of laziness! Fifty years ago when disposable diapers were not an option, parents were highly motivated to get their children out of cloth diapers to lessen their own work loads. It is no coincidence that the average age of potty training fifty years ago was 18 months old. In reality, the children AND their parents were “potty trained” since potty training a child of 18 months, while physiologically possible, requires a lot of discipline and motivation on the parent’s part!
Now, thanks to the ease and convenience of disposable diapers, we have lost our motivation, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just a reality of society at this stage in history. We have the luxury of disposable diapers and our children have the luxury of learning at their own pace, since we now know that potty training can be about more than just physiological readiness.
If you are like 90% of American parents and opt for the child-readiness route, you can start looking for signs of readiness between the ages of 2 and 3 years old in most children.
Signs of Readiness include:
- Signs of awareness of the need to urinate or defecate either verbally or through body language. You will help your child to make the associations between these signs and the corresponding action by pointing them out when you see them.
- Shows displeasure about wet or poopy diapers. Talking up how good it feels to be in a new dry diaper can help encourage this.
- Shows an ability to stay dry for more than two hours. Many toddlers are old enough to sleep dry through naps but often won’t stay dry if a diaper is on. Occasionally, have your child nap without a diaper. It may sound risky but you might be very surprised at the results!
- Shows ability to dress and undress self from the waist down.
- Develops a sense of embarrassment over diapers or “accidents”. This, along with peer pressure from other potty trained peers, can be a huge motivator to children to make it to the potty!
- Shows an interest in using the toilet or potty seat. Many children are extremely reluctant to go near the potty and, as long as they are, you won’t get far in the training process!
Once your child shows most or all of these signs, potty training is just around the corner!