Potty training is a wonderful, bittersweet snapshot of
growing up - a memorable rite of passage. However, all too
often parents dread the process, particularly after
listening to well-meaning friends and relatives openly
share their own "horror" stories.

Well, I'm here to tell you that potty training has gotten
an undeserved bad rap and it's time we learned to celebrate
the process, not dread it. Just think, your child is about
to experience newfound freedom and you're closer to a
diaper-free household! What's not to like?

Having said this, you might still be uncertain about many
things, such as when to begin potty training, which
methodology to use, and the like. If so, you're not alone.
Successful potty training is definitely a learned skill -
not an instinct.

So, following are five very general "potty tips" - ones
that will get you pointed in the right direction.

1. Normal, healthy toddlers between the ages of 18 and 27
months should be physically ready for potty training, even
though some - especially girls - may be ready as early as
16 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports this
and states that the vast majority of children have fully
mature sphincter muscles (needed for elimination) between
12 and 24 months, with 18 months as a good average.

When toddlers are physically ready they may... * Squat,
grunt, or display other signs of awareness when he/she is
having a bowel movement

* Tug at his/her diaper when urinating

* Stay dry for longer periods and/or throughout the night
(you may notice that they stop having bowel movements first)

* Have more regular bowel movements

* Urinate a lot at one time (but less frequently)

2. Although physical signs are important, experts also
agree that developmental signals (motor, social, cognitive,
and emotional skills) are far better predictors than
chronological age. (NOTE: Consult with your pediatrician if
your child has physical, mental or emotional challenges,
which might affect this process.)

3. If you'd like to potty train your child quickly, be sure
to get a trustworthy, solid accelerated plan. You'll find
all kinds of "potty-train- your-child- in-a-day" plans on the
Internet. Some will promise you instant results with very
little work. Don't believe them. The truth is this - your
ability to potty train your toddler in a day or two,
entirely depends on your preparation, consistency, focus,
and follow-through. Any reliable potty training method
requires that parents devote their full attention to the
process. Period. Also, be sure that the system you choose
is supported in practice and theory by pediatricians, child
therapists, and other respected experts.

Your potty training method should:

* Offer guidelines for assessing your child's potty
training readiness

* Combine positive behavioral modifiers with supportive and
nurturing techniques (e.g. no punishment for accidents)

* Insist on one teacher (usually a parent) who will take on
the bulk of the training

* Provide detailed, step-by-step instructions and supplies
list

* Require that teachers devote full attention to the
training during the specified period of time

* Discourage the use of pull-ups and/or diapers during the
potty training process.

4. Yes, you'll need a potty chair, but successful potty
training is not dependent on "fancy" or expensive
equipment. I strongly recommend that parents use a potty
chair - not adult toilet - during training. However, your
potty chair doesn't have to be elaborate or pricey, it just
needs to look like a smaller version of a toilet. If you
must use the toilet, it's best to purchase a seat reducer
(smaller plastic seat that fits over a toiled to reduce the
size of the opening) and a small step stool for your little
one.

5. Regardless of what method you choose, do not let your
child sit on the potty (or toilet) for more than a minute
or two, unless something is happening. In my opinion, this
is one of the biggest mistakes parents unknowingly make and
one of the best potty tips I can offer. If he or she is
slow to get moving, run water. The sound should help. If
not, take your tot off of the potty and if he or she starts
to go on the floor, place your child back on the potty to
finish.

I hope you've found these high level potty tips helpful. I
wish you successful - and joyful - potty training!

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and other
experts, toddlers have profound and steadfast cravings to
discover new information, observe their environments, and
master new skills. And it's no surprise that when children
are actively encouraged to seek out new information and
their efforts and accomplishments are celebrated, they
learn far more quickly.

Therefore, if your goal is to toilet train your son or
daughter quickly, you must keep these fundamental truths in
mind before beginning the process, because they serve as
the basis for any good fast-forwarding system. In my
experience, far too many well-meaning parents has less than
stellar results because they assume that their little ones
actually prefer peeing and pooping in their diapers! This
couldn't be further from the truth! Rather, children
continually strive to become more independent (and potty
training is one of the biggest first steps towards this)
and with proper instruction and support, they can - and
will - learn to use the potty or toilet quickly and happily!

All you need is four things:

1. The right mindset - Commitment, focus, and
follow-through are essential for successful, complete, and
fast toilet training

2. An excellent accelerated toilet training system - one
that combines positive behavioral modification techniques
within a nurturing environment

3. Thorough preparation - You'll need to set aside the time
and have the required equipment (which shouldn't be
expensive or fancy!)

4. Careful attention to instructions and consistent
follow-through - You must be prepared to follow the
directions to the letter and

If you're missing any of the four, you can expect that
toilet training your child will take much, much longer than
is necessary, and it's best to prepare yourself for the
long haul.

My advice? Avoid learning the hard way through trial and
error - there simply is no need to do so. But here's a word
of caution: The Internet is filled with
"faster-than- light" toilet training methods and in my
opinion, many are just plain terrible. Promoters of these
methods will promise you instant results with little, or
no, work.

Don't believe them! Yes, you can potty train your child
quickly - even in 24 hours (I've personally done this many
times) - but it will not happen by accident (no pun
intended!). Like most things, your result will be directly
related to your efforts. If you exert very little time and
effort you can reasonably expect very little in the way of
achievements, regardless of what you may have heard.

Here are four quick reference tips that will increase your
chances of success:

1. Be certain that your child is physically and
developmentally ready for toilet training. The American
Academy of Pediatrics advises that most children are ready
to be toilet trained between the ages of 18 and 27 months.
However, use this only as a guide, because experts also
concur on this other very critical rule of thumb:
Developmental age is much more important than chronological
age for determining potty training readiness. (e.g.
dressing and undressing themselves; imitating others;
frequent "I can do it all by myself!" declarations, and the
like). If you're still uncertain, check with your
pediatrician or take one of the toilet training readiness
assessments on the Internet.

2. Trust that you and your child can work together to
accomplish this joyful rite of passage. As I indicated
earlier, I have potty-trained toddlers of every "make and
model" - younger, older, cooperative, resistant, talkative,
and more. And although each was unique in many ways, they
all had one thing in common: they wanted to learn to use
the potty, even if they didn't seem to at first.

Quite frankly, I've witnessed only two main reasons for
potty training "failures." They are:

* The child was not old enough and/or developmentally
ready. (Refer back to #1)

* The "teacher" (most often a parent) didn't prepare
properly, failed to follow directions carefully, lacked the
necessary focus, and/or wasn't consistent. In other words,
the teacher's efforts must surpass the student's - at least
initially.

3. Choose your accelerated system carefully. Make sure you
select a method that will get the job done quickly and
joyfully and most importantly, one that is supported in
practice and theory by pediatricians, child therapists, and
other respected experts. And, please, don't fall for the
hype! Following are some things to consider.

Your toilet training system should...

* Help you determine if your child is ready

* Offer all-inclusive, easy-to-follow instructions (from
the planning stage through implementation) using plain
language and simple formatting

* Support constructive behavioral modification procedures
within a cheerful and supportive environment

* Call for one teacher only (usually a parent) until the
initial process is completed

* Disallow punishment for accidents or non-compliance and
highly discourage stressful "pushing" of any sort

* Contain a detailed list of necessary supplies and not
require specialized (e.g. expensive, fancy, gimmicky)
equipment or toys

* Prohibit the use of pull-ups (the worst toilet training
aids of all time, in my humble opinion!)

4. Commit the necessary time (24-48 hours), focus, and
stick-to-itiveness to the process - no matter how
frustrating you may feel at times. In other words,
preparation and dogged persistence win this one!
Laid-back, "they'll-figure- it-out-for- themselves" won't cut
it if you plan on toilet training your child quickly. Once
again, if you're determined to approach it with this kind
of attitude, you'll likely be potty training your little
one for months.

Having said that, I want to be very clear on the following
point. Although it's entirely possible - and even common -
to potty train toddlers in 24 hours or less, you should
still set aside two full days to complete it. This will
provide plenty of wiggle room to reinforce your teachings
for children who learn more quickly and allow you to
continue your lessons if your child needs a bit more time.
And remember, either is perfectly normal, and since you
won't know how it will go until you're already well into
the process, it's a good idea to plan for any eventuality.

I hope this advice has proven helpful to those of you who
have already decided to - or are considering - toilet
training fast. Remember, it can be achieved quickly,
merrily, and entirely with a little bit of planning, the
right attitude, and a whole lot of love!