Toddler Tantrums: What Actually Works (By Age)
Why toddlers have tantrums, what to do in the moment at each age, how to prevent the next one, and when tantrums are a reason to talk to your pediatrician.
Potty Training: What the Evidence Says
When to start potty training, signs your toddler is ready, child-led vs intensive methods, handling accidents and regression, and when to ask your pediatrician.
Key takeaways
- Readiness matters more than age; many children are ready between about 18 months and 3 years.
- Stay positive and relaxed: pressure and punishment tend to slow progress.
- Night-time dryness often comes later than daytime training.
On this page
Potty training is a milestone many parents dread. It doesn’t need to be a battle. Waiting for readiness, keeping things positive and staying consistent do most of the work.
Signs your child is ready
Many children show readiness between about 18 months and 3 years:
- Staying dry for a couple of hours
- Showing interest in the toilet or in others using it
- Telling you when their nappy is wet or dirty
- Being able to pull pants up and down
- Following simple instructions
- Wanting independence
Choosing an approach
- Child-led: introduce the potty and let your child set the pace. Gentle, but can take longer.
- Structured or intensive: a focused few days at home with frequent potty trips. Can work quickly for children who are ready, but doesn’t suit everyone.
Both can work. Choose what fits your child and family, and avoid starting during big changes like a new sibling or house move.
Step by step
- Introduce the potty and let your child sit on it clothed at first.
- Build a routine: after waking, after meals and before bath.
- Dress for success: easy-to-remove clothes.
- Watch for signals and offer the potty.
- Praise effort, not just success.
- Move to pants when they’re using the potty regularly.
Accidents and regression
Accidents are part of the process. Stay calm, clean up without fuss and remind them where wee and poo go. Regression often happens with stress, illness or change, so go back a step and keep things positive.
Night-time
Staying dry at night depends on bladder maturity and often happens later; see our bedwetting guide for what helps. Use night nappies or pull-ups until mornings are consistently dry. A predictable bedtime routine with a last wee before bed helps too.
Avoid
- Punishment or shaming for accidents
- Comparing with other children
- Power struggles: if it becomes a battle, take a break for a few weeks
Toddler independence can also show up as tantrums; see toddler tantrums: what works.
When to talk to your pediatrician
- Pain when weeing or pooing, or blood
- Ongoing constipation
- A child who was fully trained suddenly having frequent accidents
- No progress by around age four
Frequently asked questions
Can you potty train in three days?
Some children trained this way succeed quickly, especially if they’re ready. Others need longer, which is normal.
Are boys slower to potty train?
On average, boys may train a little later, but every child is different.
Should I use rewards?
Small, immediate rewards like stickers can help some children. Keep them simple and phase them out.
Sources
Every article is edited by a human and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
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