The process of toilet training can be considered the most challenging process that parents encounter with their child during the early stages of his life. Toilet training can be described as an individualized developmental process in which all children will progress at their own pace of development and temperament, not based on the child's chronological age. Toilet training should be a natural outcome of your child's developmental readiness. Therefore the primary goal can only be achieved when the child is ready and available. Just like any learning process for a child, including potty training, it affects the development of the entire child and it is important that your child has the physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills needed to get started. Readiness cues are crucial during potty training because, for training to be most successful, a child should gain a sense of independence and self-confidence. There are common signs of readiness that will allow parents to become aware when their child is ready to begin toilet training. These include that the child can: 1. Imitate his parents' behavior 2. Put things in their place 3. Demonstrate independence by saying "no" 4. Express interest in potty training 5. Walk and be ready to sit still for several minutes at a time 6. Communicate one's need to eliminate (urinate/defecate) and 7. Pull up and down one's clothes on one's own (Pediatrics 1999). All of these signs are just the beginning of recognizing that a child can be toilet trained. There are additional, more complex developmental cues that help support the toilet training process as well. The first step is physiological readiness, which means that the child is aware of his needs... halfway through the paper... until he acquires a sense of independence and self-confidence that sets the stage for many future developments. Works cited Fleisher MD, David R. “Understanding the Difficulties of Toilet Training.” Pediatrics (2004). Network. June 24, 2011. Kinservik, Margo A. and Margaret M. Friedhoff. “Control Issues in Toilet Training.” Pediatric Nursing 26.3 (2000): 267. Web. June 24, 2011. "Toilet Training Guidelines: Clinicians: The Role of the Clinician in Toilet Training." Pediatrics 103.6 (1999). Network. June 24, 2011. “Guidelines for Sanitation Training: Daycare Providers – The Role of the Daycare Provider in Sanitation Training.” Pediatrics 103.6 (1999). Network. June 24, 2011.Wolraich, Mark and Sherill Tippins. Toilet training guide from the American Academy of Pediatrics. New York: Bantam, 2003. Print.Zweiback, Meg. Keys to toilet training. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 2009. Print.