For starters, do not start toilet training until both you and your son are ready. You are ready when you're able to devote the time and energy necessary to encourage him on a daily basis for at least three months. He is ready when he can signal that the diaper is wet or soiled, or when he's able to say that he would like to go to the potty. This usually occurs around 18 to 24 months of age. However, it's not uncommon for a child to still be in diapers at two-and-a-half to three years of age.

For starters, you may want to use books or videos to introduce your son to the idea of potty training. When our son started to show interest in potty training, we watched an animated DVD about using the potty; we also read him a book (many times!) about a Sesame Street character who had to go to the potty.

You should then allow your child to be present when you use the toilet to help him become comfortable in the bathroom. If you decide to use a potty chair, before even beginning to train your son you should place this chair in your child's normal living and play area so that he can observe, touch and become familiar with it. Allow him to sit fully clothed on the potty chair, as though it were a regular chair. He should be able to leave the potty chair at any time.

After he has become used to the potty chair and sits on it regularly with his clothes on, try having him sit on it without wearing pants or a diaper. Let him become comfortable doing that for a while.

The next step is to show him how the potty chair is used. Place stool from a dirty diaper into the potty chair. He should observe the transfer of the bowel movement from the potty chair into the toilet. Let him flush the toilet and watch the bowel movement disappear down the toilet.

You should place him on the potty chair whenever he signals the need to go to the bathroom. His facial expression may change when he feels the need to urinate or to have a bowel movement. He will usually stop any activity he is engaged in when he feels the need to go.

Stay with him when he's on the potty chair -- reading or talking to him may help him relax. Remember to praise him when he goes to the bathroom in the potty chair--but don't express disappointment if he does not. (We used a sticker reward system for our son: one sticker for every time he used the potty.)

Once your son has learned to use the potty chair, he can begin using an specially designed children's over-the-toilet seat (coupled with a step stool to help him climb up on the toilet). We found that our potty chair leaked whenever our son used it, so we moved him to the over-the-toilet seat pretty quickly!

If your child is not potty trained after three months of consistent instruction, consult your doctor -- bearing in mind that the most likely reason is that your child isn't yet ready for toilet training.

You will receive tons of advice on potty training. Whenever and however you choose to start the potty training process, remember this: patience is key.

And rest assured, your child will eventually learn to use the toilet!