By Sean Platt

Though children can be potty trained before their first birthday (and often are in the majority of the world) it is far better to wait until both parent and child are ready than it is to start before either one of you are able to commit.

An unsteady start can lead to an unwelcome extension of the overall process, leading to a less than agreeable period for the entire family.

Wise parents pull the trigger on potty training only when they are sure they can commit to a consistent set of patterns, and feel they are carrying the emotional and physical capacity necessary to see the process through to the end.