Late Trainer

People often act surprised and even disapproving when they learn that my four-year-old is still in diapers. Is there any real deadline for toilet training?

The average age for toilet training in this country is currently between two and three years. This is why children trained earlier are frequently considered “advanced” (though there is no relation between age of toilet training and a child’s intelligence) and those not trained by age four may be looked down upon.

While no child should be pressured to do something just for the purpose of keeping up with his peers, your child may become aware of others’ disapproval, which can have a negative effect on his self-esteem.

If you see signs that your child is beginning to feel bad about himself, you may want to initiate the training even before he expresses any interest. Chances are he’s ready. He may just be waiting for more active encouragement from you.