Wait until your child is ready to be trained. The later training begins, the shorter time is taken. Usually after the age of two, your child will show signs of readiness including: recognize urge to urinate or have a bowel movement, is able to communicate when wet or has the urge, can briefly postpone urinating or having a bowel movement, is able to stay dry for two hours, wakes from naps dry, prefers clean diapers and wants to be changed immediately and is curious about others’ use of the toilet.

Do not begin toilet training during a time of stress or change such as a divorce, moving, birth of a sibling or illness.

The following techniques may be helpful:

• Before beginning training, make the potty chair special and familiar by letting your child help buy it if possible and encourage sitting on it fully dressed while watching TV or playing. Buy a floor-level type so both feet are on the floor. The portable type which straps to the toilet may cause fear of falling off.
• Encourage practice sessions after waking from sleep and ½ hour after meals, and when your child gives a signal that she needs to go potty.
• Encourage, do not force, your child to sit on the potty. Stay with your child and limit each session to five minutes.
• Praise your child for cooperation and give rewards for success. Be patient and ignore failure. Do not spank or punish for accidents, avoid yelling or scolding and do not force sitting on the potty if your child wants to get up. Pressure or force takes away a feeling of control in a toddler and can result in uncooperative behavior. Do not leave on dirty diapers for punishment.
• Switch to training pants after your child sits on the potty chair cooperatively and goes in the potty at least half of the time. Disposable pull-ups that your child can pull down and up on her own work well. Then use diapers only for sleep. Nighttime bladder control usually happens several years after daytime control, about four to five years of age and sometimes later.