A lot of patience, praise and encouragement are needed when potty training a toddler. You need to have ten times more self discipline in order not to show anxiety when things are not going according to plans in the beginning of toilet training. Make it a fun and exciting learning experience for your child as well as yourself and before you know it, your child is potty trained in no time at all!
Things To Consider When Potty Training A Toddler
Your child must be ready. Do not push your child if he or she is truly not ready. Every child is different so do not rush to compare your child's development with your next door neighbors' son. Some toddlers as young as eighteen months are ready to be trained while others do not become ready until they are as old as three years old.
Start when you as the parent have a lot of time to spend with your toddler. Potty training is more effective when they are a few distractions in your toddlers' small world. This is the time that they want to please you so giving them extra attention is much needed.
Punishment for unsuccessful attempts at using the potty is a definite no-no! Never punish your child when "accidents" happen. It will have a negative impact on your child's esteem.
Encouragement is very effective when potty training your child. Praising successful attempts and saying things like "what a big boy!" or "well done! You are a big girl now" will not only boost your child's self-esteem but will also make him or her more determined to please you the next time.
When do you know that your toddler is ready for potty training? As said before, every child is different but one most common sign is if your child changes his actions because he knows he is about to go. For example my daughter would move to a corner of the room behind a chair. The following are signs you can look that shows your child is ready to be potty trained:
1. Bowel movements happen at around the same time each day.
2. Wakes up from napping dry or can stay asleep for a few hours without wetting.
3. Can manage on her own when pulling her pants up and down.
4. When your child likes to stay dry and lets you know when she has soiled her diapers.
5. Tells you when she needs to use the bathroom.
6. Understands words associated with potty training like potty, pee, poop and wet.
Here are some important tips on what to do when your child is ready for potty training:
1. Make a big deal out of shopping for big kid underwear.
2. Pick out a special potty just for them.
3. Let them put stickers on it.
4. Instruct the child to tell you when they have to go to the bathroom and get excited about it.
5. Have them sit on the potty during periods when you think it might be time to go (i,e, 20 minutes after a meal)
6. Celebrate successes (we had a Potty song and dance)
7. Use encouraging words when they forget - "You'll get it next time, you did it before you can do it again, you're my big boy."
8. Top tip; consistency - try to spend a solid uninterrupted 4-7 days getting the child started, thereafter all other caregivers should follow your technique.
9. For boys: draw a big red circle in the potty with a permanent marker and tell him to hit the circle (you'll thank me later).
Making potty training a casual occurrence will surely help your child learn how to use the potty in the shortest time imaginable. Always encourage and praise your child whenever she uses the potty successfully. Giving your child incentives such as gold stickers or marks for successful attempts will make potty training a fun and exciting activity that your child will enjoy.
And, I invite you to visit my Great Toddler Info CLICK HERE for more parent-tested tips and techniques for successfully navigating the toddler years.
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