Early Potty Training: How Early Is Too Early?

If you’ve been talking to your parents or grandparents, you’ve probably heard some pretty wacky stories about potty training babies before they could walk or just as they were taking their first steps. Early potty training at one time was considered the norm, and today it’s considered almost something of a miracle. Potty training a child before 18 months is very rare these days, but is it possible?

Many experts say that early potty training before a child has the physical ability to sit, stand, and especially control the bladder and bowel elimination muscles, is more of an exercise in parenting ability. to read your child’s body language and place it on the potty at appropriate times. Some people argue that until a child can stand up, walk to the bathroom, and relieve herself, the child is not fully potty trained. However, parents who have successfully rid themselves of their need for nappies by observing body cues, etc., are proud to proclaim that their child is, in fact, potty trained.

Many parents and experts today agree that early potty training only serves to frustrate the child if they are not ready through cognitive, emotional, and physical development. Most children do not reach these levels of development until they are at least two years old, and perhaps even three years or older. Parents need to be attuned to their child to understand what level of development they are at and to know when their child is showing signs of toilet training readiness. The fact is that if you are highly attuned to your child’s body signals, you may be able to accurately gauge when your child needs to sit on the toilet at an early age, but your child will probably not be able to use the toilet independently. after. at least the age of two years.