Though it can be exciting (yay no more nappies!) potty training is a daunting task
If your little one is ready to ditch the nappies, the question of when and where to start and how to go about it can be overwhelming – to say the least.
Luckily there are plenty of experts and parents out there ready and willing to offer as much advice as possible to help you and your child on this exciting journey.
Here are just a few tips and tricks they recommend to get started.
Stick to a routine
“The key is consistency,” says Jen Singer, who is a mother-of-two, and author of the Stop Second-Guessing Yourself parenting series, “whatever you do at home with your potty training plan, you also need to do elsewhere”.
For example, maybe your child has a favourite toy they like to hold when going to the toilet, if so, you should keep it with you for trips out and about so they have that consistency.
Positive reinforcement
This doesn’t have to be a physical gift every time your child successfully uses the toilet or identifies when they need to go, it can come in the form of praise and attention – just keep it consistent.
“I’ve heard all the potty training tips – stickers, bribing with toys, special underpants. But you have to pick something that’s consistent with your parenting style.
“I didn’t use rewards elsewhere, so I didn’t want to start here. What did work: Lots of undivided attention, positive reinforcement, love, affection, and pride when my kids were successful. Making a big deal about small steps of progress is key,” one mother said to Parents.
Start out seated
According to Dr Maureen O’Brien, director of parenting and child development at The First Years, in Avon, Massachusetts, it’s best to get your child sitting on the toilet first no matter their gender so they don’t have so much to think about.
“When a child is learning, you want to keep the number of variables that they need to think about to a minimum. Deciding whether to sit or stand can cause him to hesitate a few seconds—and those seconds can be crucial,” she explains.
Not only will it help prevent your child from becoming overwhelmed it may also stop any unwanted messes from arising.
Keep it fun
This might sound ridiculous but if your kid sees a trip to the bathroom as a game rather than a task, parents have found it can make things much easier.
Whether it’s through storytelling or challenges keep it interesting and your little one will be more likely to engage.
“Once my kids were interested in the potty concept, we let them run around naked before bathtime and encouraged them to use the potty.
“Then I let them go sans pants at home for extended periods of time (they did really well remembering to go as long as they didn’t have any clothes on).
“After they mastered naked-potty use, we worked our way up to clothes (first just underwear, then eventually pants). This method was extremely painless—very few accidents or setbacks,” said a mother to Parents.
Be patient
Though this can be difficult at times when you’re overwhelmed your stress may affect how your child feels about using the bathroom.
A lot goes into potty training both for parents and their child as many developmental milestones have to line up before they’re ready.
“The child has to communicate well, be aware of their bodily feelings, and understand how much time they need to get there,” Dr O’Briens explains.
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