Toilet Training Your Toddler - Its the time we dread, those weeks or even months of hoping and praying they won't do it on the furniture, in the carpeted bedroom or in some nook or cranny where it would never be found! Here are my indicators that a child is ready for toilet training as well as tips for ensuring successful training in the shortest possible timeframe.
I've just toilet-trained my two and a half year old daughter and am so proud of myself (as opposed to being proud of her!) that i'm willing to offer some of my tips to other parents in a similar situation.
Its the time we dread, those weeks or even months of hoping and praying they won't do it on the settee, in the carpeted bedroom or in some nook or cranny where it would never be found! Going on day trips and dreading the car-journey for fear of an accident is another fear to be overcome.
Firstly, how do you know when they're ready to be trained? They may demonstrate some of the following:
They start showing an unhealthy interest in the toilet!
They start sitting on it of their own accord, sometimes taking off their nappy first, even though they may have done the business in it already.
When they make reference to their functions either before or after urinating/defecating.
When they stubbornly refuse to wear a nappy, because they think they are too big for one. This is where pull-ups come in handy.
Here are some tips to get you and your little one through the worst of the process:
Bite the bullet and take off the nappy and allow for plenty of accidents along the way! Trying to train them with a pull-up does not work in my opinion as they treat it like a nappy and just do the business in it. There's nothing more effective than them feeling uncomfortable in their clothes after an accident. It is not recommended however to leave them this way!
Praise them greatly when they use the toilet. Go overboard with it as children love praise.
Be patient as this process takes weeks and maybe even months. Its been suggested that boys take longer than girls. I don't know why this is but may have something to do with boys energy levels and being too busy to bother going.
Never scold the child for an accident as fear/anxiety will only delay their training.
Only leave the nappy off around the house initially and save yourself a lot of heartache when going out and about. Only go out without one when you are feeling confident.
Forget the potty, especially if they have an older sibling to copy - put them straight on the toilet, using a special seat extension if required.
Keep reminding them that they are without a nappy and ask if they'd like to use the toilet. This may have to be done every 5 or 10 minutes. It won't work a lot of the time as they'll just go where they are standing/sitting at the time but at least you are making them aware of it.
The parent's frame of mind and attitude is very important here and one must be committed, be encouraging, give plenty of praise and above all, be patient, in order for the training to be successful in the shortest timeframe. Even after training has been successful, there will be plenty accidents for time to come, but patience and time will resolve that.
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