The definition of true toilet training means that your child is able to go to the bathroom, take his pants off, eliminate in the toilet and put his pants back on without any assistance.

Toilet training cannot occur until your child is ready. This means your child understands the vocabulary, knows what the toilet is used for, prefers to be clean and dry, recognizes the physical signals of bladder fullness and bowel urge, and he can delay these urges until arrival at the toilet.

There is enormous variability in the timing of successful toilet training. Children are trained any time from 2 - 3 1/2 years of age.

There are three things needed to be potty-trained:

• Sphincter control. Usually occurs around age two.
• Language. The child needs to be able to express self and communicate need to use the potty.
• Desire. The child must want to use the potty and this is most likely to be absent.

The best advice is to take your cues from your child.