If a toddler becomes interested to sit on a potty, parents might be wallowing too soon. Some kids do show signs of potty curiosity as one of the many facets of toddler behavior. However, curiosity over potties does not always indicate readiness for thorough potty training.
Potty training is often set out in toddlers. In fact, toddler girls are earlier set to potty train than boys. But parents should also consider that potty training is not about age and mere child curiosity. It is largely about readiness.
What does potty curiosity mean in my toddler?
If one day your toddler shows huge interest in the potty that she wants to sit on it, does it mean your toddler is ready for potty training? Potty curiosity is one of the clear signs that a toddler may be ready for potty training. If every time she wants to pee on the potty, doesn’t like the feeling of wet diapers, and keep searching for the potty before peeing then she is most likely ready. But if after a while she is no longer interested on using the potty or does not want to even sit on it anymore then that means she is not yet ready.
A toddler curiosity over potties may be all there is to it. Wanting to imitate what the toddler sees is a common toddler behavior. Maybe your child sees you using the toilet and she only wants to imitate you.
What else should I look for to indicate her readiness?
Apart from potty curiosity, other signs to watch out for in toddler behavior include desire for independence, willingness, discomfort in wet or soiled diapers, and insistence to use potty.
Apart from toddler behavior, signs of readiness in toddlers usually include the following:
- Physical readiness, which means the toddler has longer dry periods, regularity and predictability in bowel movements, and body coordination when sitting, standing, and walking
- Cognitive readiness, which means the toddler has words for urine and stool, can follow simple instructions, and with sufficient attention span
Readiness may begin differently between toddler girls and boys. Once you detect signs of readiness, you may begin your toddler with potty training. However, when suddenly your toddler becomes resistant to use the potty, do not force your child to use it. In stead, set a potty break. When your child begins to show signs of readiness then you may try again.
