by Deborah Moomaw

Created on: April 15, 2008

Potty Training Without Tears

Can you think of anything that's harder than potty training your child?

I read books on the subject. I Goggled potty training. I asked other parents about their experiences. Everybody agrees that potty training is one of the most difficult jobs of parenthood.

So, how do you get that important task accomplished?

The first and most important decision to make is when to potty train. Most experts agree that earlier is better than later when it comes to potty training.

But not all children are ready for potty training at the same time. Parents and experts alike agree that girls are usually ready earlier than boys. Age two or three seems to be the average age to begin training children to use the potty.

The best way to decide if your child is ready is to watch for the signs of readiness.

The most obvious sign is that diaper changes become less frequent. This shows the child is able to control the right muscles and the bladder can hold more urine.

I have always known when my children were ready when I discovered them hiding while having a bowel movement. It is a natural instinct to desire privacy for that process.

Another sign is the child being interested in the potty. If you take your child to the bathroom with you, it will help to desensitize him and ease the transition from diapers to potty.

Finally, can your child communicate to you that she needs to go potty? Teach your child words that you are comfortable using in public. I began using appropriate words to describe what had happened while they were still in diapers. Be consistent with the words you choose to help your child associate the word with the action.

When you decide its time to begin, it helps to gather the right equipment. Potty training videos are a huge help. They usually have music and funny characters that describe how to use the potty. Another useful aid for the child is potty training story books. My favorite is Once Upon a Potty by Alona Frankel. This books comes in two versions, one for boys and another for girls. I read this book to my children while they sat on the potty. It helped to entertain and get them to sit longer.

You will want to buy a potty chair because many do not feel secure on a regular-sized potty. A potty insert and stepstool are helpful when they are older and more comfortable with the big potty.

A travel potty seat is useful. Your child will be protected from germs and will be comfortable on public potties. Most of these potty seats fold up and fit into

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