My child isn't speaking very well yet—can we start?

In the first step, read books with your child and take them to the bathroom once in a while. You can start doing this as early as 18 months. You’ll naturally notice whether your child finds it interesting. You can start anytime after age 2, even if your child isn’t very good at talking yet. Children often understand more than they can express. That’s what matters most when it comes to potty training.  Does your child understand what you mean when you talk about diapers, pees, poops, and the toilet? By pointing things out or using simple words? If so, your child is ready.

In the first step, your child still wears a diaper. In the next step, you take the diaper off for an hour, a few times a week. As a parent, you’ll need to pay close attention to the signals your child gives. It’s not until step 3 that the diaper stays off for longer. By then, it’s helpful if your child can tell you what they’re feeling and, for example, let you know they want to use the potty. But they can also do this with gestures or a few words—as long as you both understand each other. Sometimes kids are potty-trained even while they’re still learning to talk. So that’s possible, too.

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