Potty Training Basics
Potty Training Basics You Should Know!
For months now you have envisioned a world without diapers. Still, you may not know the best way to go about potty training your child or your child may not be interested at all. There are a few basic rules to potty training – the first of which is to know when your child is ready. Trying to potty train before they reach a level of maturity compatible with potty training is like spitting into the wind and will get you absolutely no where. A child is ready to potty train when they can ascertain whether or not they are wet or dry. Another indicator is when they start waking up in the morning with a dry diaper. These two things occur at different times depending on the child. Some may be ready right after the year mark, while others may be two and still not willing. Don’t force or push the issue. Most pres-schools and daycares do not require a child to be potty trained until they are 3-4.
When your child is ready, you have to plan a two-week period of time where you can be with your child constantly. Take your vacation if you work, or enlist the help of Grandma and Grandpa for a few days so your child can transition easier. Start talking about the potty, using books or videos to help BEFORE you start potty training so that your child will develop a familiarity with the basics.
When its time to go, commemorate the big day with a count down. Start weaning them from drinking a full bottle at night before bed and be prepared with some baby wipes, extra clothes and carpet cleaner! While pull-ups may make a toddler feel like a big kid, they really are a waste of money. A pull up is nothing more than a glorified diaper. Pull-ups and diapers these days are so absorbent that your child may not be able to feel that they have peed until they have done so several times. Instead, stock up on some training cloth underwear and commit!
During the day, have your child wear the cloth underwear boasting about what a big kid they are. You have to start by asking them every 30-45 minutes whether they need to use the potty and by taking them whether they say so or not. Keep in mind that a toddler has a small bladder and can’t hold very much. Bring books to the potty so that the experience is a pleasant one, and plan to sit a spell with them until they pee. When they do, prepare some sort of reward. One great idea is to use a bubble gum machine, skittles or m&m’s as a treat for using the bathroom. Remember that YOUR consistency is key and if you forget to ask them, your child will forget to tell you that they need to go.
The other step is to recognize when your child has an urgency to use the bathroom. Point this urgency out to them and take them to the potty immediately. In the beginning, by the time you realize they have to do – they will be in the middle of going, so plan to be very patient. While it isn’t perfectly private, it is a good idea to allow your toddler to be in the bathroom with you or older siblings when they go so that they can see the whole experience as natural. Many kids who have older brothers or sisters potty train with ease for the simple fact that they witness other kids using the potty all the time.
One big mistake parents make is shaming a child for having accidents. Accidents should be expected for at least a year. Even when you think your child is trained, there will be moments when they are so immersed in playing that they just plain forget or try to hold it too long. Again, don’t shame the child and simply change them. The idea of making them sit in it is old fashioned and non-sanitary!
If you have tried for a few weeks to potty train and it just isn’t working, than choose to continue at a latter time. Most kids will spark an interest in the potty at some point all on their own. It could be that your child just isn’t ready. Parents always want their child to fit perfectly in the parenting books as far as readiness and milestones, and sometimes this just isn’t feasible. To continue trying when your child is unwilling or just plain not ready, is a waste of time and causes an uncomfortable association with using the potty that will only lengthen the training.
Some parents find that allowing a toddler to roam the house naked is the best way to potty train. For many kids, this trick can work in no time! The biggest trick to potty training is to remain patient and to make it something rewarding for a child to accomplish. Use cues from your child rather than what a pediatrician or book say about your child’s readiness and you will know the perfect time to potty train. What many parents forget is that there will come a day when your child is potty trained. It may not be as soon as you plan for it to be or it may be sooner, but your child will get it! Once they do, the whole thing happens very quickly and you will wonder why in the world you were so stressed about it.
