Have you tried potty training your child and it just isn’t going well? Some children fight every potty training attempt you will make, while other children are interested in potty training. You as a parent will have the ability to tell when your child is ready to start potty training. Two or three years of age is the average age for your child to start the potty training process. Here are some simple methods to assist make things easier on both you and your child.
1. Start practicing using the toilet around the age of two. Go out and purchase a small potty chair or a potty seat that fits over the regular sized toilet. If you are potty training a boy make it has a shield in front so they do not make a mess. Bring the potty chair into the room that your child spends the majority of their time in on a day or weekend when you have some spare time. Let your child playing around in just a shirt with their diaper off. If this nudity bothers you then have your child wear underwear. If you have them in a diaper they will never get the idea that when they urinate it will run down their legs and make a mess.
2. Clear your schedule before starting to potty train your child. Pick a time when you know that you and your family’s routine it least likely for being disturbed with vacations, guests, moving to a new house et cetera. Long holiday weekends are a good time to start potty training your child.
3. Decide what words you will use to describe body parts, urine and bowel movements. Try not to use words like “dirty”, “stinky,” or “naughty”. Using these negative terms can make your child feel self-conscience and ashamed. Talk about urination and bowel movements in a simple, matter-of-fact way.
4. Use your child’s favorite action figure or doll on a pretend potty, explaining “the baby is going pee in the potty.” Put diapers on their favorite stuffed bear and then eventually graduate the bear to underwear.
5. Discuss with your child the advantages of being potty trained. Talk to them about not having diaper rashes anymore, not needing to take some time away from playing to have their diaper changed and the wonderful feeling of being clean and dry. Assist them to understand that potty training is an important stage of growing.
6. Use books and videos to help your child understand the process of potty training and see other children learning to use the potty. There are tons of books and videos available online or in your local bookstore. Let your child look at their favorite book while sitting on the potty to help the minutes go by.
7. Take off your calendar and declare a potty day. This is the day that your child wish to start potty training. Use a bright color and circle that date. Keep reminding them that “potty day” is almost here.
8. Does your son or daughter like to unroll the toilet paper? Try squashing the roll so that the cardboard roll inside is no more round. This way, it will not unroll as quickly. Also, little ones who are potty training will not get an excessive amount of paper per pull on the roll.
Usually, it takes several practice sessions for a child to understand what they are supposed to be doing and be totally potty trained. Just remember to keep trying, your child will eventually understand and be successful.