If you’ve been talking to your parents or grandparents, you’ve probably heard some pretty wacky stories about potty training babies before they could walk or just as they were taking their first steps. Early potty training at one time was considered the norm, and today it is considered almost something of a miracle. Teaching a child to use the toilet before 18 months is very rare nowadays, but is it possible?

Many experts say that early potty training before a child has the physical ability to sit, stand, and especially control bladder and bowel elimination muscles is more of an exercise in a parent’s ability to read your child’s body language and place him on the toilet at appropriate times. Some people argue that until a child can stand up, walk to the bathroom, and relieve herself on her own, the child is not fully potty trained. However, parents who have successfully rid themselves of their need for diapers by observing body cues, etc., are proud to proclaim that their child is, in fact, potty trained.

Many parents and experts today agree that early potty training only serves to frustrate the child if they are not ready through cognitive, emotional, and physical development. Most children do not reach these developmental levels until they are at least two years old, and perhaps even three years or older. Parents need to be in tune with their child to understand where they are developmentally and to know when their child is showing signs of readiness to be potty trained. The fact is, if you’re very attuned to your child’s body signals, you may be able to accurately gauge when your child needs to sit on the toilet at an early age, but your child probably won’t be able to use the toilet independently. later. at least the age of two years.