Potty Training Advice, Tips & Potties

Potty Training
Potty training your toddler can be a traumatic experience for both you and your little angel. Some parents and children seem to breeze through the process and can have their children potty trained within a couple of days while others seem to struggle for months with tantrums galore from both parent and child.

• Checking if your child is ready. Do they:-

  • tell you when they want a wee or a poo
  • hold themselves when they need to go to the toilet
  • want a clean nappy as soon as they have filled it
  • want privacy when they are filling their nappy
• The potty training starts here

  • take your child with you when choosing a potty, there are plenty of designs around from car shaped ones to ones that make a tune when they are used
  • let your child get used to the potty by sitting them on it when they don't need to go to the toilet
  • encourage your child to tell you when they need to go to the toilet
  • give your child plenty of praise or even a little treat when they use the potty
  • do not tell your child off if they fail to use the potty or if they have an accident
  • If your child is not fully ready, (they may display the signs but you are battling every time) stop for a couple of months but tell your child what you are doing
  • get a rewards chart that you can do together
  • Use training pants during the day (encouraging your child to go on the potty tehmselves) and nappies on a night
  • Let your child help you empty the potty into the toilet, this might help with the transition of potty training to toilet training.
  • Encourage hygene by reminding children to wipe properly, with girls wiping from front to back and washing their hands after every visit 

Toilet Training

Whether you are toilet training straight away or making the transition from potty training to using the toilet the principle remains the same. Some children might find the prospect of using a toilet very scary, they might think something is going to bite them on the bum (I remember thinking Jaws would get me - yes I'd just watched Jaws 1 and was frightened out of my skin) or they might think they will fall in.

Here are a few more hints and tips to help you and your child to potty/ toilet heaven!

• Buy a step or a childs toilet seat, ensure it is age appropriate - again involve them in the buying process
• Help your child by putting on clothes that can be removed easily ie button, velcro etc, this might encourage them to go on their own more
• Let your childminder/ nursery know the process you are using, if not this could give your child mixed signals
• Let your child see you on the toilet, they will learn quicker by being shown what to do rather than being told
• If you are trying to stop nappies on a night take your child to the toilet before you go to bed, they will probably still be fast a sleep and you can have some very funny conversations with them
• Above all else be patient!!!

Further Potty Training Information Pages

• ask baby.com - tips and advice for starting and succeeding in potty training
• Potty training tips (US) - Free tips in establishing a routine, staying dry through the night plus many more. Buy charts, video's and books etc