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Is my toddler ready?

Get expert answers on your toddler's readiness for potty training, playing with other kids, discipline, learning and more.

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Originally published in Today's Parent March 2010

You asked us: Is my toddler ready...

...to start potty-training
...to play with other kids
...to start talking
...to be disciplined when naughty
...to start learning ABCs and 123s
...to start learning responsibility
...to ditch his pacifier
...to throw or kick a ball
...to name pictures of animals or items
...to go to preschool
...to brush his teeth
...to have a pet in the house

Expert: Umberto Cellupica is a paediatrician with a community practice in Maple, Ont. He is also a staff paediatrician at York Central Hospital in Richmond Hill.

...to start potty-training
After a couple years of poopy diapers you’re probably eager for your tot to start using the toilet, but it’s best to have a good idea that she’s ready before you start training. “The first sign that your child is ready is usually when she can tell you that she is urinating or has a dirty diaper,” says Cellupica. You might notice that your child is showing an interest in the potty. “The best approach is to introduce it in a very casual manner and encourage her to sit on the potty for short periods of time without any other expectation. If your toddler puts up a fight, she’s not ready and persisting in attempts to toilet-train could actually be counterproductive,” he says.

...to play with other kids
“Children play in parallel to one another until about two years of age. Prior to age two, pretend play involves imitating adults and other children. Between two and three, pretend play becomes more involved and more social.” It’s around this age when you’ll notice that your child is truly showing an interest in other kids his age. If your toddler doesn’t have a sibling or other kids around him, get him involved in a play group or music class so he can interact with his peers. “Giving your toddler a chance to play with other children is really important for his social and language development,” Cellupica says.

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