When it comes to potty training, parents must first determine when to start the process and determine the best age to start training. While some experts recommend a particular age, such as Lora Jensen, author of the Potty Training in 3 Days Method, who insists all children are ready to train at 21 months. Most agree that it's more about observing signs of readiness in your child. Since most children are not physiologically able to control their bowels and bladder until after 24 months. There is a sweet spot between 24 and 27 months when most children exhibit the potty training readiness signs in the table above.

Around 10 months after being trained for the daytime, most children are fully potty trained for the night time. Night time training requires an ample supply of ADP, or anti-diuretic hormone, which inhibits urine secretion from the kidneys. Children do not produce enough ADP for night training until around 36 months or 3 years. Kids usually learn to control their bowels during the daytime first, followed by their bladder, and then their bowels for the night time and finally their bladder at night.

As with anything related to potty training, there are always outliers on both ends of the spectrum. A small number of children train much earlier than most and a small number train at a much later age. So don't stress if your child falls into the later group and takes a little more time than their peers to get the hang of things. Remain calm, flexible and positive, they will learn eventually!

When preparing to start potty training, parents must decide which method to use. There are various approaches available, including popular accelerated methods like Potty Training in Less Than a Day and The 3 Day Potty Training Method. These accelerated methods can provide households with both parents working the means to complete training over a long weekend. While this is a viable solution for some children, it can be too intense and stressful for many kids and parents.

For situations where children require a slower pace, child-led potty training may provide a less stressful option. While the method encourages children to proceed at their own pace and provides a low pressure, low anxiety option. Many parents have found success with this method over the years. However, the method is not without its detractors. Some suggest it has led to unnecessarily extending the potty training age in the US. The age has grown from 12 months of age in the 1920's and 1930's to more than 36 moths in the 2020's

The most common approach is a hybrid method in which parents pick and choose components from various methods that fit the personality and preferences of the child. This flexible approach is appealing to parents as they are able to adapt to how their child responds to training.

Regardless of which method or strategy one chooses, the key to a successful potty training experience is to remain calm, flexible and positive at all times while navigating this daunting task. Parents, relax, there will be ups and downs and you may have to change your strategy mid-stream, but you will figure out how to get your child through this challenging milestone. And it's alright if you have to pause and restart the process, a break may provide a little extra time to mature and get the hang of it!

The final decision parents must make is what products or supplies to use when potty training. The primary concern in regard to supplies is whether to use a potty chair or a potty seat. In most cases it's best to start with a potty chair since they are made to fit the smaller body of a child and provide stability and comfort for kids who are often intimidated and scared of the process. Potty chairs come in numerous child-friendly colors, sizes, shapes and themes of popular cartoon and movie characters. Having a favorite character on their chair can help motivate and excite a child about potty training and any help goes a long way! Kids usually graduate to a potty seat or seat reducer that makes the child comfortable and safe sitting on a seat that fits their size. The next step is to transition from the potty seat to the toilet. Other products that can be helpful are potty training books for both adults and ones written just for toddlers with pictures that help explain the process to them. Interactive stickers also called pee stickers change into different child-friendly characters when in contact with urine and can excite and motivate children to use the potty. Reward charts and stickers available in numerous different child-friendly themes help track and encourage children throughout their potty training experience. There are also some potty training sets by a number of manufacturers that include a child potty or potty seat, transforming stickers or pee stickers, a reward chart, reward stickers, a tips and instruction brochure, a potty training steps place card, a downloadable e-book, and a certificate of completion among other things.

Having the essential supplies to start your child's potty training experience can help make this very challenging process much smoother and less stressful for both parents and children!