Potty Training
Potty training is a milestone that most parents eagerly anticipate for their children. If you’re looking forward to relieving yourself of diaper duty, this Web guide can help you determine when your child is ready to start potty training, figure out how to potty train and find answers for potty training problems.
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Email ThisWhen to start potty training
There’s no universal age at which children are ready to start potty training, but the Web sites recommended below can help you gauge your child’s emotional and physical readiness at a more individual level.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Try typing “toilet training” instead of “potty training” into your favorite search engine to get even more results—it’s likely that fewer of the Web sites will be about potty training puppies.
Dulcinea's Picks
The American Academy of Pediatrics
presents a list of qualities a child should exhibit before potty training begins, such as the ability to follow simple instructions.
Parents.com
has a 12-question quiz that can help answer whether a child is ready to begin potty training.
How to start potty training
If you’re unsure how to help your child leave the world of diapers behind, use the Web sites in this section to learn about potty training methods.
Dulcinea's Insight
- For additional professional advice about potty training, read The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Toilet Training. Books that may be more appealing to kids include A Potty for Me!: A Lift-the-Flap Instruction Manual or Too Big for Diapers.
Dulcinea's Picks
For potty training methods …
WebMD
provides a thorough overview of the potty training process, including advice on how long potty training your child could take and what to do if your child resists.
KidsHealth
answers many of the common questions about potty training. The real benefit here, though, is the particularly helpful information about the advantages and disadvantages of training pants, and the explanation of the times that may be too stressful for a child to start potty training, such as when a sibling is born.
Mayo Clinic
explains how to start potty training and walks you through the process. There’s also advice about when to take a break in case you’ve started your child too early.
For infant potty training …
DiaperFreeBaby
explains the principles of “elimination communication,” otherwise known as infant potty training.
FOXNews.com
elaborates on the potential advantages of elimination communication, while also presenting some critics’ views on the matter.
For special circumstance potty training …
Pull-Ups.com
presents information on how to potty train multiples. This article focuses on the point that multiples may not be ready to toilet train at the same time or respond to the same method.
Talk About Curing Autism
details how to teach an autistic child to use the toilet.
Potty training problems
Sometimes parents face so many potty training problems that they may envision their child being the only kid in school who has yet to master the concept. Before worrying too much, check the Web sites recommended below for some helpful suggestions.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Use your best judgment when seeking advice from a message board or blog. If you feel your child’s potty training problems are serious, consult a physician.
- The findingDulcinea Parenting Web Guide recommends some of the best online Web sites for finding age-specific parenting advice, family fun ideas, resources about children’s health and more.
Dulcinea's Picks
For common potty training issues …
Parents.com
presents a list of 12 common potty training difficulties and explains how to solve them.
WebMD
offers thoughts about when to consider bed-wetting a problem, and explains the causes and potential ways to resolve bed-wetting issues.
For parenting message boards …
MSN Lifestyle
features a “Family and Parenting” message board with an entire section devoted to kids who are in the “toddlers, twos and beyond” group. Sign up for a free account to participate in the forums.
Disney Parenting
’s “Parentpedia” provides a handy combination of expert medical and parent-tested advice on toilet training and other child-related issues. Check here for reader-submitted questions and stories about potty training, or sign up to post comments of your own.
For blogs …
The Potty Training Resource
is a blog about handling potty training problems, written by a parent who’s gone through them. While the blog isn’t frequently updated, the tips may be helpful for someone experiencing potty training difficulties.
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