Is it possible to start too early? How do you know?

What is the best age?

You can start potty training between 1.5 and 2 years of age. But exactly when varies from child to child. Is your child younger than 2 years old and not yet physically ready? Then you can start by talking about it and reading books. Do you feel like your child doesn’t quite understand it all yet? Then you might be a little early. In that case, it might be better to wait until your child is a few months older. We know that almost all children are ready to take the first step by the time they’re 2 years old.

Holding a newborn baby over the potty

There are methods where you hold your baby over a potty to poop or pee starting in the first few weeks. It’s an intensive approach that demands a lot from parents of young babies. So it’s not for everyone. It might help your little one get a better sense of what’s happening in their body from day one. At that age, your child isn’t physically developed enough to hold in pee and poop. And your child also doesn’t yet understand what the toilet is for. That’s necessary for potty training, and it doesn’t start until between 1.5 and 2 years of age. With this baby communication approach, your child does feel what’s happening, because they aren’t always wearing a diaper. The Ready for Potty is for children aged 1.5 to 2 years and older.

Getting started isn't the same as getting everything done

By age 2, most children are ready to take their first steps toward potty training. That means talking about poop, pee, and diapers, and getting acquainted with the toilet and the potty. The diaper stays on for now. We often see parents wanting to rush to the next step. It sounds strange, but it really helps if you take a little more time. So first, make sure your child understands what happens on the toilet and gets the idea of what a potty is for. Keep the diaper on for now! The phase of becoming curious and sitting on the potty while still wearing a diaper usually takes a few weeks—even if your child is already 3 or 3.5 years old. It’s only during the practice phase that follows that the diaper comes off more and more often. This usually goes more smoothly and quickly if you pay close attention to where your child is at.

Starting too late actually causes stress

Finding the right time to start can take a bit of trial and error. Sometimes you just have to pick a week and take the first step. Is your child older than 2.5 years? Then you can definitely get started. Starting too early is rare. Above all, don’t start too late, because that actually causes stress. It puts pressure on the process. Many parents don’t know when they can start or how to go about it. Or there are all sorts of things going on in the family, which means potty training doesn’t get priority. As a result, they start too late. Then suddenly it has to happen quickly, right before school. That often leads to extra stress afterward.

Child starts school potty-trained

Starting too late could mean your child isn’t potty-trained in time to start elementary school at age 4. Every child is different, and sometimes potty training simply takes longer than you expect. Are you in a hurry and moving too fast? If so, your child may become defiant, anxious, angry, or resistant. In the end, it will take even longer. It also adds a lot of stress. So make sure you start early, well before primary school is on the horizon. This will help you avoid time pressure and stress. It’s best to start when your child is between 1.5 and 2.5 years old. Pay close attention to your child and watch for the signs.

Benefits of being potty-trained early

There are more benefits to potty training early. It’s good for your child’s independence, social development, and physical development. Children who are potty trained well before age 4 have more time to properly train their bladder and various muscles. As a result, they’re also less likely to experience constipation, urinary tract infections, and other infections later on. If your child is potty trained a year earlier—for example, at 2.5 years old instead of 3.5 years old—you’ll also save 1,800 diapers. That saves money and reduces waste significantly.