Q: When and how should I start potty training my child?

Answered by Dr Anthony James Mansul, Consultant Paediatrician & Clinical Head of Paediatric Service at Prince Court Medical Centre.

Potty training age ranges between 18 months and 3 years old. When to begin depends on a child’s physical and emotional maturity. Look out for these physical signs: their ability to walk to the toilet; interest in going to the toilet; ability to pull their own pants down; and can hold their bladder for more than two hours.

Routine will make training easier – so encourage your child to go to the toilet at the same time and for the same duration every day. Do not force or scare them and avoid using negative words, such as smelly or yucky.

Once they are successfully dry, then we have to trade diapers for training pants! Most parents will notice that diapers are very comfortable, so it is not surprising that kids love them! On a final note, night training is different from daytime training and the age to do so can range from 5 – 9 years old.