by Bozena Hartley

Created on: June 11, 2009   Last Updated: July 11, 2009

Going potty is an important stage in young child's development. Every parent, after changing literally thousands of diapers, is eager to help their toddler to master this skill and wants to know when the learning process can start. There is a lot of information about potty training in the form of books (for parents and for toddlers), articles online, and even videos, which indicates that many parents perceive the training as quite a difficult task. As many of us found out, it doesn't work to sit your child on the potty and wait until something happens. Demanding and comparing with other children doesn't help either.

As much as you would like to finish with diapers for good, it is mostly up to your toddler. It's not the age of a child that determines if they can begin potty training, but rather certain indications of psychological and physiological readiness, which may be different for every child.

Here are several clues you can look for to determine whether your child is ready to start potty training:

Dry diaper

As your toddler gets older, you will notice that his diaper stays dry for at least two hours at a time. He might wake up dry after a nap and occasionally even in the morning. It's a sign that your child's bladder capacity has increased and 'bathroom breaks' may be more predictable.

Soiled diaper discomfort

Many toddlers dislike wet and dirty diapers and they can either become irritated, let you know that they need a clean diaper, or simply take their diaper off and hand it to you. Gross, but it happens often.

Awareness of the "need to go"

Your child will start realizing how his diaper got wet. He will be able to recognize when he is about to go. You will either see it through his facial expressions, posture, or he might simply tell you that he needs to go.

Understanding words like potty, go, wet and following simple instructions

Teaching your toddler 'bathroom' words is very important in potty training. It allows for more effective communication and speeds up the learning process. When he can starts asking to use his potty, he is really close to accomplishing the goal.

Interest and desire

If your child shows interest in going potty, it's time to buy a potty chair. Let him play with it and sit on it. For some toddlers a toilet seat insert works better, especially if they like to imitate their parents. However, make sure to provide a stable step stool to make the climbing easier.

Dressing and undressing

Being able

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