One of the hardest tasks when it comes to potty training is simply knowing what method or practices to use. There is no single cut-and-dry solution available when it comes to potty training. This can make getting started seem like a rather difficult proposition. If you think you are ready to potty train your child, the first consideration to make is what method is best going to meet your needs and the needs of your child.

With the infant method of potty training, you basically learn the rhythms of your child so that you can take them to the toilet when they need to go. This way, your child will grow accustomed to eliminating on the toilet before they are even old enough to do it themselves.

With the practice method, which is the most common method of potty training, you should wait until your child is old enough to understand the concepts of using the potty. At this point, you give rewards when the child eliminates on the toilet properly in order to condition good behavior. With this and the previous method of potty training, accidents can and will happen, but they should become less common as time goes on and the conditioned response is practiced, rewarded and learned.

There are other structured methods for potty training as well, such as the “one day” method of toilet training that Dr. Phil teaches. He believes that by showing your child a doll eliminating on the toilet, you can teach the child to eliminate on the potty as well.

All of these potty training methods certainly have their pros and cons, and “practice makes perfect” is the best mantra to consider during this time. Do not be afraid to experiment with different potty training methods until you find the one that best fits you and your child. Once you find a potty training method that suits you, and seems to be working for your child, try to maintain consistency with your child. The purpose behind consistency is to make sure that the desired response can be conditioned with practice and praise.