For many, training toddlers to use "the big potty" can be stressful and scary for both child and parent. Being a mother of 2 small boys and a childcare provider for the past 4 years, I've done more than my share of assisting and encouraging little ones to use the toilet. Not only can it be frustrating to the parent but also very upsetting for the toddler. Different approaches and techniques appeal to each child. I don't claim to be a professional potty trainer, (hell I'm still working on my 3 year old) but I do have a few tips and tricks that I've picked up along the way that could help you be successful in training your little ones.1) Be sure both you and your child are ready!
More and more I see mommies in a rush to potty train but remember just because you think It's time for your little one to be out of diapers doesn't necessarily mean that they are. A lot of parents don't make sure they have the time and patients it takes to start the potty training process. There is no set age limit for when your child will be ready. Every kid matures and develops at different ages both mentally and physically. I've seen kids completely potty trained as early as 18 months and as late as 10 years old still wetting the bed at night. I've notice (more often than not) girls are usually the early birds of potty training . Still I can't stress enough about the importance of knowing your child, being able to read them, and not trying to push anything for your own satisfaction. 2) Have the essentials!
Make sure you have all the helpful tools to potty train. Pull-ups, training pants for when accidents are less frequent, and a training potty. I'm a fan of the ones that sit directly on top of the big toilet. It's sometimes hard for a kid to go from using the personal potties to the big toilet and many regress with everything they've learned thus far.3) Teach them that the "Big Potty" isn't scary!
he/she knows he'll get a treat. I tried the sticker chart which is basically a calendar that you let your kid put stickers on each time he/she goes. This didn't work for me after the 3rd or 4th try but a lot of mom's I've talked to liked this alternative.4) Get a routine down and stay persistant!
For awhile I was pausing my son with whatever he was doing, (games, eating, movies), and telling him it was time to try to use the potty. I was reminding him every 30 minutes all day long. I know doing it every half hour can be rediculously tedious but believe me, the first time Tyson ran up to me and said, "Mommy I have to use the big boy potty!" It was well worth setting the egg timer for.
It's crucial to let your kiddos know when they're doing a good job and reward them in some kind of way when they're successfull in their task. Now for some success is achieved when the child either poops or pees in the toilet. For me, success came whenever Tyson would even attemp to try to use the toilet. He's a very stubburn child so any small step towards being potty trailed was rewarded with a treat. I usually pick up Kelloggs Yogos which are small soft balls made of yogurt. They're a wonderful alternative to candy and other sugar filled treats. Tyson never knew the difference. You also need to remember to not let your child manipulate you by ONLY using the potty when they know they'll get a treat. You can sometimes prevent this from occuring by only giving them a treat every other time they succeed. Another idea of reward is the sticker chart. It's pretty much a calendar that you can let your child put stickers on whenver they use the potty. A lot of parents prefer this to the treat system but this didn't work for Tyson after the 2nd or 3rd time.
6) Remember no pressure!
This is probably the most important advice I could give. Potty training can be frustrating and I remember on more than one occasion feeling like a failure seeing friends and family succeeding with their kids before I did but remember, theres nothing wrong with taking awhile to train. Like I said all kids are different. Kids can feed off the irritation you put out. If need be take a step back for awhile and give yourself a chance regain the positive attitude you had when you started.
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