Experienced moms agree that forcing your child into potty training before she’s ready can be very frustrating for you both, and can even make the whole process take longer. Since every child is different, there’s no magic age at which children are ready to tackle the toilet. But there are some definite signs that she may be ready to try. Look for these signals before starting a potty party of your own (and remember, these don’t mean she’s ready for success, just ready to start trying!):

• Can keep pants dry for at least two hours
• Has regular bowel movements
• Can follow simple directions, like “put the toy in the basket.”
• Can pull her pants down and up
• Shows interest in the potty
• Tells you when she has to go, or is going
• Has a growing sense of independence
• Has words for urine and bowel movements
• Tells you when she has a wet or dirty diaper
• Shows interest in “big kid” underwear
• Is proud of herself when she does something new
• As soon as your child is ready to start trying the potty on her own, think about switching from diapers to training pants. Many moms have found that making this “big kid” switch not only gives her the independence to remove and put the pants back on by herself, it also helps build interest and excitement in the whole potty training process.