Q&A: When is the best time to start potty training my 15-month-old son?

While there certainly are some toddlers who are ready to begin the toilet training process early, many children aren't ready until after their second birthday. Boys, in general, tend to be ready a little later than girls.

Although this varies among cultures and across generations, we currently advise that the training process be child-driven and not adult-driven. In other words, we wait until we see certain signs of readiness in the child:

1. Bowel movements happen on a fairly predictable schedule. (Bowel training usually occurs first).
   
   
2. Your child can follow simple directions.
   
   
3. Your child shows some interest in the process and in imitating others in the bathroom (usually others of the same sex).
   
   
4. He or she has periods where the diaper is dry, indicating that the child's body can store urine for a while.
   
   
5. Your child should be able to show you in some way, through words, gestures or expressions, that he/she recognizes the need to urinate or to have a bowel movement.