There was no explanation as to why black parents toilet trained their children earlier than white parents. Black children typically began potty training at 21 months and finished at 30 months, while white children began at 29.5 months and finished at 39 months. Parents should start the training when a child begins staying dry during a nap, showing interest in the bathroom and following simple directions. Parents are starting the training later now than parents did two decades ago. Some parents are waiting too long, with increasing numbers of 4 year olds still in diapers.
Children are typically ready to begin training at two to two and a half years old.