First, don’t start potty training too young and don’t get stressed if your child doesn’t get the idea right away. There’s great variation in when parents start potty training – but many start when their child is about two years old and most children are dry in the day by three and a half years old. Night dryness may take another year or two.

Is my child ready for potty training?

Your child may be ready to try potty training if they can stay dry for a few hours, can follow simple instructions and are uncomfortable with dirty nappies – especially if they are asking to be changed or to use a potty.

How do I potty train my child?

Pick the right time so you can give your child attention and you are at home all day. Summer is easier for potty training, as you can let your child wander about with just a T-shirt on.

Talk beforehand about the waste their body makes, using simple words. Avoid words like ‘stinky’ or ‘nasty’, which may make your child feel it’s something to be ashamed of rather than natural. There are some great books to get them interested (see Find out more, below).

Keep more than one potty available, placing them somewhere warm and cosy with books or toys, or even next to a favourite doll with a toy potty, to encourage them to sit down.

Some children will use a toilet seat, but most feel safer with a potty. Stay calm and keep a clean-up kit of baby wipes, cloths and detergent spray for the floor, as you will have accidents before or after they reach the potty.

Stay and talk as they sit – they’ll feel more relaxed and reassured if you are there.

Be positive about everything they try – false as it may feel – and praise their efforts even if they don’t produce anything! Don’t show any anger or upset at accidents or dirty nappies, just remain positive about ‘next time’. They will eventually learn the sensation of needing to go.

Get a friend or relative with older children to help out. Your child may want to copy them and use the toilet more quickly than at home.

Remember, all children regress when stressed or ill so you may find they have accidents or want to use nappies at these times. Go with it and just start again when they are better.

Find out more

• Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence (ERIC)
  www.eric.org.uk
  
  
• I Want My Potty by Tony Ross (£4.99, Little Princess Board Books)
  
  
• My Potty Book for Boys/for Girls (£4.59, DK)
  
  
• Once Upon a Potty: Boy / Girl by Alona Frankel (£3.44, HarperFestival)
  
  
• Successful Potty Training by Heather Welford (£6.99, National Childbirth Trust Guides)
  
  
• Now watch our short film "How can I stop my child wetting the bed?"