4 Potty Training 'Signs of Readiness'

If this is your first time preparing for potty training, you might be waiting for your child to meet a long list of 'signs of readiness'.

But with the Montessori approach to potty training - often more respectfully referred to as 'guiding the child towards toilet independence' - your child doesn't need to meet any 'signs of readiness'.

And they can start sooner than you think.

Many Montessori families introduce a potty around 12 months, only making the transition to underwear when they feel the child is ready.

It's a slow, gradual process that follows the child, as with most things in Montessori.

So Where Do You Start?

Guiding the child to complete toilet independence simply begins with introducing a potty into the home - allowing your child to explore the potty, sit on the potty with their clothes on, talk about what the potty is used for... all without the expectation that they begin using it right away.

The four steps to gradually transition from introduction of the potty to underwear are fully outlined in this article from last year: The Montessori Approach to Potty Training (Toilet Independence)