Potty training tips, advice and methods for helping parents dealing with this stressfull milestone!
Potty Training
Most parents eagerly anticipate potty training as a milestone in their child’s development — if for no other reason than that it means an end to changing nappies. But few mums and dads are prepared for how long it can take. Yes, some children get it within a few days. But many more take several months. You and your child have a better chance of success if you know the basics of training and can make the process clear to your child.
Most people begin training when their child is about two, but some kids may not be ready until well into their fourth year. Watch for the right signs, such as imitating others’ bathroom habits, and don’t pressure your child to start before they are ready. It’s worth running through a basic checklist to see if they are ready.
First and foremost, this means investing in a child-sized potty or a special seat to attach to your regular toilet. Whichever you choose, make sure your child can stabilise themselves with their feet so he can push when they are having a bowel movement. You may also want to pick up an explanatory picture book or video for your child to help them get interested in training.
Potty Training In 3 Days!
Proven System For Potty Training Toddlers Within 1 To 3 Days, Without Stress.
Potty Train Your Child In 5 Hours!
A proven and well documented method for potty training in 5 hours. Click here to visit our review of this excellent book.
Sit your child fully clothed on the potty seat once a day — after breakfast, before their bath, or whenever else they are likely to have a bowel movement . This allows them to get used to the potty and accept it as part of their routine. If they do not want to sit on it, that’s okay. Never restrain your toddler or physically force them to sit there. And especially don’t push the issue if they seems scared.
In both cases, it’s better to put the potty away, or at least aside, for a few weeks or a month and then try again. If they are willing to sit there, fine. But at this stage, don’t even try to explain why they should use it; you just want them to get used to the thing. Make sure it’s always in a convenient place — since it’s portable, your child’s potty can be used in the garden or the playroom.
Click here to go to our toddler toilet training books information page
Click here for tips and advice for toilet training boys
Click here for information on training girls on the potty
Potty Training Continued
Sit your child on the potty seat without a nappy. Again, let them get used to what it feels like to sit there this way. At this point you can start explaining that this is what Mummy and Daddy (and any older siblings) do every day. That is, undressing before you sit down to go to the bathroom is the grownup thing to do. If they get the idea and produce something, that’s fine. But don’t push them to perform. Again, wait until they are ready and demonstrates a clear interest in using the toilet on their own.
It may help to show your child where their bowel movements go. The next time they go in their nappy, take them to their potty, sit them down, and empty the nappy beneath them into the bowl. This will help them make the connection between sitting and producing. After you’ve emptied their potty into the big toilet, let them flush it if they want to (but don’t make them do it if they are scared) so they can see where it goes. Teach them to dress theirselves and wash their hands when they are done.
Encourage your child to use their potty whenever they feel the urge to go. But make sure they know that they can tell you, too, and that you’ll take them to the bathroom whenever they want you to. If you can, let them run around sometimes without a nappy (or any clothing below the waist), with the potty nearby. Tell them they can use it whenever they want to and remind them occasionally that it’s there if they needs it.
You may like to try using training pants whilst potty training. Some children like them and they help, others just think of them as a slightly different type of nappy and they defeat the object of the exercise. Some children are encouraged by having real underwear instead.
Virtually every child will have several accidents during potty training before being completely trained during the day and at night. Don’t get angry or punish your child; after all, it’s only recently that their muscles have developed sufficiently to allow them to hold their bladder and rectum closed at all. Mastering the process will take time. When they have an accident, calmly clean it up and suggest that next time he try using his potty instead.
Even when your child is consistently clean and dry all day, it may take him several more months or years to master night potty training, so don’t throw away his nappies just yet. At this age, their body is still too immature to reliably wake him up in the middle of the night just to go to the bathroom. You can help cut down on wet nights by not letting your toddler drink too much before bedtime and telling them that if they do wake up in the middle of the night they can call to you to help them get to the potty. You can also try leaving their potty near the bed in case they want to use it.
Believe it or not, when your child is ready to learn this new grown-up skill, they will. And if you wait until they are really ready to start, the process shouldn’t be too painful for either of you. They will eventually be trained, and you won’t have to think about it again — at least, not until the next baby…
