 | Here's some tips to make potty training eaiser.
1. Forget "rediness signs". The spincter muscles are mature and ready by 18 months at the latest, unless your child is disabled. Start then. If you start at or after 2, the child will usually take longer to train because they use the potty as a power tool-"I WON'T!" are a 2 year olds favorite words.
2. Buy a small potty chair. One that will clip onto the big potty later can be a great help. To a child, especially one who is a bit small, the big potty can be intimidating, they are afraid they may fall in. Also, don't fuss if your child wants to sit on the toilet facing backward and hold onto the tank, it can make them feel more secure.
3. A month before you start, buy pull-ups. Put them on your child along with sweat pants or elastic-waist pants or shorts and take them to the bathroom to you every time you have to go. Sit them on the potty while you are going and show them how it is done. Your child will not be scarred by seeing your private parts.
4. If you are worried aobut messes, buy plastic diaper covers and put them over your child's training pants/underwear.
5. Let them pick out their underwear. Don't worry if your boy wants barbie panties or your daughter wants boy truck underwear (my daughter insisted on boys batman underwear). They won't wear other sexes underwear for long.
6. Do not switch back and forth. Use diapers or pull-ups ONLY at night. If you must go out, use training pants, 2 pairs, and a plastic diaper cover to keep your child's clothes dry. bring extra pairs of underwear with you. Switching will only confuse your child and show them you are not serious about using the potty.
7. Make sure your babysitter/nanny/daycare center will help you, not just put the child in diapers. If they won't, find someone else. I have heard so many stories of parents who had their kid finally almost fully trained on vacation or a long weekend who relapsed as soon as they went back into daycare.
Do all these, and your child will likely be potty trianed in under 6 months. My daughter was day trained fully in just 2 months. |
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