Diapers should be regarded as a useful tool for raising children. They save us a lot of troubles of washing and drying. However, diapers are not cheap and must be changed frequently, otherwise the baby’s bottom will easily become red. So, at the right age, children will finally say goodbye to diapers. The process of saying goodbye to diapers is actually the process of toilet training for children.

Time to say goodbye to diapers

Only by guiding children at the right time can we achieve twice the result with half the effort. Most children can begin to gradually wean themselves off diapers when they are around 2 years old. Some children may start toilet training as early as 18 months old, while others may not start toilet training until they are 2 years old.

In addition to the approximate age reference, we can also estimate whether the time is ripe based on the child’s specific performance. To sum up, there are the following 8 observation indicators:

Diapers stay dry for up to 2 hours.

Know whether you are peeing or pooping, and can use simple words or body movements to remind parents.

Able to pull pants up and down.

Shows interest in the toilet and the action of going to the toilet, and likes to observe adults going to the toilet.

There is a certain regularity in bowel movements every day.

Able to walk, sit quietly for a while, and understand simple instructions.

Be able to express your subjective wishes, such as: yes, no.

Have a certain understanding of the approximate location of items in your home.

Of course, we don’t need to wait until the child meets all the above indicators before starting toilet training. These indicators only give us a general reference direction when judging opportunities. What needs to be mentioned here is that the sooner or later the diaper is removed from diapers, it does not represent the quality of the child’s development. Therefore, there is no need to feel stressed if it is slow, and there is no need to be complacent if it is fast.

How to say goodbye to diapers

Weaning off diapers and conducting toilet training is not a one-step process. We usually need to go step by step. Doing a good job in the early preparations can make the later implementation smoother.

There are three main aspects of preliminary preparation work.

1. Choose a suitable day and try to avoid special periods for toilet training, such as a new caregiver, a new home, a baby being born, etc. Try to start potty training on days when you can be home all day.
2. Observe whether the child prefers the toilet at home or his own bedpan and try it out, and choose according to the child’s preference. In addition, in order to let the child become familiar with the tools and movements of going to the toilet as soon as possible, you can usually let the child sit on the potty or toilet.
3. Teach your children some simple vocabulary related to going to the toilet, such as pee, poop, etc. If you don’t mind, you can have your child beside you when you go to the toilet and explain to your child that you are going to the toilet.

After the preliminary preparation work is completed, the next step is the specific implementation. In the early stage, you can let the child try to sit on the potty according to the time when the child usually defecates. Generally speaking, 30 minutes after a meal or after taking a bath are the more common time points for defecation.

Of course, we can also find out our children’s toilet signals by observing their behavior before urinating or defecating.

After your child starts toilet training, you can continue to use diapers except at night or when sleeping during the day. You can stop using diapers at other times. You can let your child wear ordinary underwear or training pants. In addition, children after one year old are lively and active. When letting children practice sitting on the potty, it should not take too long, usually 3-5 minutes is enough. If there is no defecation or urination, end it in time and try again next time.

When toilet training, you should also pay attention to promptly encourage and praise children’s small successes, try to downplay those small accidents, and allow children to learn to use the toilet in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Every new skill a child develops is inseparable from our joint efforts with the child.

So, how old should I use diapers? How to toilet train scientifically?

Summarized as follows:

1. Appropriate time: usually around 2 years old, 8 observation indicators can be combined.
2. The correct method: do 3 preliminary preparations, and then try it step by step.
3. Patient guidance: The whole process may take weeks or months. It will be different for different children. Take your time with your children and don’t make unnecessary comparisons or be anxious.