by R. Renee Bembry

Created on: June 10, 2009   Last Updated: June 23, 2009

Toddler interest in visiting bathrooms usually involves pulling tissue from rollers, dipping toys in toilets, splashing in bubble baths, and hanging around because that's where mommy is. Parents who can determine their child is ready for potty training because the child begins visiting the bathroom and tries to sit on the the toilet without coaxing can consider themselves extremely lucky!

Unfortunately, toddlers don't usually enter bathrooms to sit on toilets without assistance. For this reason, at least in the beginning stages, an adult, usually mom, must initiate and escort their young one to the restroom for potty training purposes. Potty training can be tricky so here are a few potty training tips.

One good tip is to talk to the child about potty training. Have conversations with him or her about use of the toilet. See if he or she seems to like the idea and perhaps would like to try it. This tip is most affective when children are about two and very verbal. However, it can work with younger children. Show your child how a toilet flushes. Let him or her push down on the handle and watch the water swish through the toilet drain.

Another tip is to buy a potty, if you don't already have one, and set it in the bathroom. Let your child know the potty is a "special" toilet just for him or her. When the child shows up while you're having a potty break, ask the child if he or she needs a break also. "Do you want to use the potty?" Children love imitating parents and sometimes they will imitate this behavior with little insistence.

Determining when your child is ready for potty training may require dressing them in "big kid" underwear-the real ones. You know-the ones made from cotton that go in the washer after worn. Disposable underwear are very convenient. They do a great job of fattening the pockets of their manufacturers. Problem is disposable diapers prevent children from experiencing wet messy feelings on their bottoms. When they don't feel all yucky, many children see no reason to train on a potty.

When dressing a child in their new underwear, talk to him or her about the importance of keeping their big kid wear clean. If they have an accident - which they wil l- use the accident to explain to the child that when he or she uses the potty that wet messy feeling won't bother their little bottoms anymore. Tell them how "grown up" they will be when they let you know they need to use the potty.

Take your child to the bathroom about every two or three hours. Praise them when they are successful every single time. If your child seems to be learning from these potty tips and is willing to go along with them, you'll know he or she is ready for potty training. If the child, on the other hand, puts up a fuss and simply wants no part of this new routine, grown up or not, your child may not be ready for potty training. Give the child a few months longer and then try potty training again.

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