Your child is at that age where you need to potty train them. Most children are not ready for potty training before the age of two and you will have to wait until they are three-and-a-half years old to potty train them. You should never push your child to use the potty, but motivate them to use it. 

Keep in mind, all children are different. Some may be developmentally ready for potty training while for others, it may take longer. How will you know your child is ready for potty training? You will know your child is ready for potty training if the following six signs are true for your little one:

• Pull at their wet or dirty diaper.

• Hide to poop or pee.

• Interest in other people using the toilet or mimicking their behavior.

• Not peeing or pooping in their diaper for a longer duration than before.

• Wake up with a dry a diaper for several days in a row.

• Informing you that they are about to go or are going to or have just pooped or peed in their diaper.

If your child exhibits one or more of these signs, you can start to potty train them by following these tips:

Before you let your child be diaper-free, tell them about the various benefits of using the toilet. You can tell them about how fun it is to wear underwear, how they will be able to use the toilet all by themselves or how they can soon flush the toilet after using it. You should never ever tell your child that using diapers is childish or say that babies wear diapers because doing that can cause them to rebel and become stubborn, resulting in them not wanting to use the toilet at all.

When you use formal and big words like defecate and urinate in the bathroom, it makes your child feel older. Since using the toilet is a big boy or girl thing to do, using everyday terms or “baby language” will not make them feel older. When you use big words, use them consistently. Additionally, never refer to their diaper as gross, yucky, or smelly. If your child views the potty training process is not disgusting, they will be more likely to use the toilet. 

Each time your child successfully uses the potty, you need to commend your child. You can even tell them if they use the potty for a month, you will take them shopping for baby toys. You can let them choose a toy for themselves. You can also have a gold star system, putting a gold star on a chart each time they use the toilet. Give them positive reinforcement as well by telling them that they did a good job or how proud you are of them.

If you want your child to use the potty all by themselves, make them wear clothes that they can easily pull on and off. If the clothes are difficult to take off, they may have an accident, which may demotivate them to use the potty.

You should teach your child to check for dryness. This gives them more control. If your child is dry, pat them on the back or pull them in for a hug. If they are wet, it is okay because they are still learning.

When you are potty training your child, you need to be patient with them. It will take a few tries for them to be fully potty trained. Do not scold, shame, or punish your child because that will discourage them from using the potty.