About six weeks ago I bought some underwear for my toddler. They were Cars underwear. He looked at them, took them out of the package and said: “Lindo!” (which means beautiful in Spanish). Then he heard the Mickey Clubhouse song and he just completely forgot about the underwear. They have been in a closet ever since that day.

Why is potty training such a hard task for many toddlers? According to the Children’s Hospital Guide to Your Child’s Health and Development, 40 percent of three-year-olds still use diapers. Many parents just let it go if there is resistance. Most of the time patience is not the best ally in the process.

According to Potty Training Solutions here are some Potty Time Readiness signs to look for:

• Your child stays dry for at least two hours during the day and is dry after naps, which indicates that she’s able to remain dry for an extended period of time.
• Your child can follow simple instructions, such as a request to sit down or remove his clothing.
• Shows an interest in wearing underwear.
• Walk to and from the bathroom, sit still on his own for at least a few minutes.
• Shows obvious signs of discomfort when the diaper is soiled.
• Has predictable bowel movements on a regular basis.
• Expresses an interest in using the toilet or potty seat.
• Indicates through facial expression, posture, or language that he’s ready to use the toilet.
• Your child asks to wear grown-up underwear.
• Your child may be ready to begin when the diaper stays dry more and more often overnight.
• Your child will begin to notice the potty and want to sit on the toilet.
• The child may express displeasure with a wet or dirty diaper, or may not want to wear a diaper anymore.

When you think your child is ready to start potty training it is always good to have a plan. To assure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, here are some facts about the training:

• Girls usually complete training at a younger age than boys. 80 percent of boys and girls are completely trained by 3-1/2.
• Potty training takes an average of eight months.
• Rewards should be easy and simple

I think I’m just letting it go because he is my last kid and I want to stretch his childhood as long as possible. My other two boys were potty trained quickly and it felt like they changed overnight. They didn’t even use the potty, they went straight to the “big one”.

I’ll probably give it another try this week. During the weekend when my toddler needed a change he came running to me and said: “Caca! Pamper!” He did not want to feel it in his diaper. I’m pretty sure he is getting ready to start his training. The question is: Am I ready?

Posted by momcrazyforkids.