What age should you potty train a child?

Answer 1

Start as soon as they want to, many children are interested before age two, however I wouldn't stress that the child isnt potty trained until after 2 1/2. The extra stress can make the child even less interested.

Answer 2

Could I suggest a little different outlook to your question? Instead of asking when YOU should potty train a child, I think the more pertinent question concerns the appropriate age when your CHILD can learn to use the potty.

I do not think it is the job of any parent to train their child to use a potty. That is a skill the child needs to master for themselves that may require a parent's help. But, if you start with the premise that YOU are responsible for potty training you child, or worse, that YOU want your child to be potty trained because it is more convenient for YOU, that is what leads to stress and anxiety and a battle of wills in some cases.

All children are different. They will let you know when they are ready to use a potty. And, when they let you know they are ready, it usually doesn't take very long at all. My son was nearly three when he was prepared. He learned in one day on a family vacation where we stayed at a friends house who had two boys a year older and younger than my son and saw them using a toilet.

Don't make this about you. You're not a bad parent if your children are not potty trained by some magic age. This is all about your child learning to take of himself or herself. You just need to be there to help them when they are ready.

All the best.

Answer 3

Every child is different. Some kids pick it up early and some somewhat late. If the child can let you know that he went in his or her diaper than it is definitely time to potty train. I have two boys and they both learned at 2 years and 2 months. Seems kind of late but once they started going on the potty they never wet the bed. Again, it all depends on the child. Be patient.

Answer 4

I feel you can start when the child is about one and a half. Once you get them use to sitting on the potty the faster you have them going.

Answer 5

My mother trained us during the summer of our second year. Whenever it started getting warm you'd just run around in only a shirt and got the idea pretty quick. (I grew up on tiny island in Scotland).

For my own kids we started whenever they were interested (using a different method). They were all completely trained by age three though.

Answer 6

When they are ready. They have to be physically ready, not just mentally ready. Every child is different. Approx the age of 3.

Answer 7

When they start to show an interest in your bathroom activities and show interest in having their own potty.

Between 15 and 30 months.