Use words to express the act of using the toilet (for example,"pee," "poop," and "potty").

Ask your child to let you know when a diaper is wet or soiled.

Identify behaviors (i.e., say, "Are you going poop?") so that your child can associate the urge to pee or poop with going to the potty.

Get a potty chair your child can practice sitting on. At first, your child can sit on it with his or her clothes on. Then, he or she can sit on the chair with a diaper. And when ready, your child can go bare-bottomed.

If you've decided that your child is ready to start learning how to use the potty, here are some things you can try that may help:

Set aside some time (say, a weekend) to devote to the potty-training process.

Don't make your child sit on the toilet against his or her will.

Show your child how you sit on the toilet and explain what you're doing (because your child learns by watching you). You can also have your child sit on the potty seat and watch while you - or one of his or her siblings - use the toilet.

Establish a routine. For example, you may want to begin toilet teaching by having your child sit on the potty after he or she wakes up with a dry diaper.

Try catching your child in the act. Children often give clear cues that they need to use the bathroom - their faces turn red, and they may grunt or squat. And many kids are regular as to the time of day they tend to have a bowel movement.

Have your child sit on the potty within 15 to 30 minutes after meals to take advantage of the body's natural tendency to have a bowel movement after eating (this is called the gastro-colic reflex).

Remove a bowel movement (poop) from your child's diaper, put it in the toilet, and tell your child that poop goes in the potty.

Make sure your child's wardrobe is adaptable to potty training. In other words, avoid overalls and shirts that snap in the crotch. Simple clothes are a must at this stage and children who are potty training need to be able to undress themselves.

Let your child have some time during the day without a diaper (if you want). If he or she urinates without wearing a diaper, your child may be more likely to feel what's happening and express discomfort. (But if you opt to keep your child's bottom bare for a little while, you'll probably need to keep the potty close by, protect your rugs and carpet, and be willing to clean up.)

Have "target practice" with your little boy. Show him how to stand so that he can aim his urine stream into the toilet. Some parents use things like cereal pieces as a sort of bull's-eye for their little guys to try aiming at.

Offer your child small rewards, such as stickers or time reading with Mommy, every time your child goes in the potty. To help keep track of your child's successes, you might want to keep a chart. Once your little one appears to be mastering the use of the toilet, you might want to let him or her pick out a few new pairs of big-kid underwear to wear whenever your child puts the pee or poop in the potty.

Make sure you are consistent and all of your child's caregivers - including babysitters, grandparents, and child-care workers - follow the same routine. Let them know how you're handling the issue the same approaches so your child won't become confused.

Above all, be sure to praise your child's attempts to use the toilet, even if nothing happens. And remember that accidents will happen. It's important not to punish potty-training children or show disappointment when they wet or soil themselves or the bed. Instead, tell your child that it was an accident and offer your support. Reassure your child that he or she is well on the way to using the potty like a big kid. Simply say, "Uh-oh. You had an accident. Let's change you. Pretty soon you'll remember to use the potty chair or toilet every time you have to go."