How regimented should potty training be?

True, potty training is specific to a child's readiness, but I also think that this is one situation where peer pressure works wonders. Seeing a friend 'go' independently, makes them want to do the same. The trick is to keep the momentum going even after the peer is no longer present.

I've started Elimination Communication with my infant. This is supposed to speed up the child's ability to learn to use the potty later on. EC states that it is all up to the child and the parent - the two learn to communicate about when the child needs to go and if the child wants to use the potty. The literature states that modeling (as eve7 suggests) is a great tool. When you go, take the child in the bathroom with you and have him/her sit on his/her potty as well. It's ok if he/she doesn't go at that time. A lot of it is training a child to not be comfortable with the diapers anymore.