Ayfer Erdem Batı (College Deputy General Manager), answered our questions on toilet training practices.

What is the most suitable age to start toilet training? To start toilet training (or potty training), children must have the necessary cognitive and emotional skills. Usually, they are ready around 18 to 36 months. Parents are not recommended to start potty training before or after these ages. The vast majority of children signal their readiness through different cues. It usually takes longer for boys to start and finish the training.

How can I understand that my child is ready for toilet training? If you catch your child when he is ready, his physical development is observed to progress faster, and communication between children and parents is enhanced. If your child stays dry for two hours or signals when he has to go, it means that they are getting ready. Or if they wake up dry after daylight sleep. Although they cannot pull their clothes up and down by themselves, they can indicate their toilet need to their mothers at the age of two. When they are three years old, they start to wet their bed less. If your child familiarizes himself with the potty at nights, he will learn to stay dry.

What are the essentials of toilet training? In the initial phases of toilet training, you should buy a potty for your child. The potty can be placed in the bathroom or the child's room.

Make your child get used to how the seat feels.

You may place him with his nappies on at first.

Afterward, you may remove his nappies or panties.

Doğa College's Children University Preschool Psychological Guidance and Counseling Department suggests that before removing nappies, parents should buy colorful or patterned panties with their children to facilitate toilet training.

What do I have to do if my child does not want to sit on the potty? Please do not push your child by saying, "Sit on this potty." First ask him if he wants to sit on this. You may give him an illustrated book or a toy. If your child is not willing, keep a relaxed and positive attitude. Then explain how to urinate in the potty without too much detail. You can suspend the training for a few weeks if your child is getting uneasy.

If my child continues to pee his pants during training, what do I have to do? It is normal for your child to wet his clothes in the course of training. At this point, you should explain to your child that potties are for making pee. There is no need to frighten your child.

How should I continue toilet training at night? When your child completes 80 percent of toilet training, you may continue to teach him at night.

Do not give him any drinks one hour before he goes to sleep.

You can wake your child up every two hours to go to the toilet.

Mothers may get anxious about disturbing their children's sleep. However, families should wake their children up for the toilet to develop
bladder muscle control.

The second biggest concern of mothers is to see their children wetting their beds.

Parents should lay a cloth on the bed.

Is it rational to start toilet training in summer? For most kids, toilet training can take six t o eight months. Summer may be more comfortable for children since they can stay without nappies.

How can schools support the toilet training process? If you are a working parent, it is necessary to coordinate the people, such as a babysitter or grandparents, who take care of your child during the day. You can inform them about how you prefer to give potty training. This is because your child will behave in the same way when you are away. There are children who stay dry all day, but continuously wet their bed at night. Alternatively, they may wet themselves during the day and at night. You are advised to consult a psychologist to help you make a schedule.

In other words, parents can prepare a calendar with their children. They can use colorful drawing pencils on the calendar by marking cloudy or sunny days when they have a pee. Additionally, there are preschools whose toilets are designed according to students' height. Enjoyable characters are placed on closets to encourage
children.