Help your child graduate from diaper wearing with these potty training essentials and tips.
Start your child on his/her diaper-free journey with potty training, using positive reinforcement to make this a quick and effective process.
Once your child shows signs of being ready for potty training, set aside a weekend exclusively to teach him/her this skill. With a lot of patience, some rewards, and persistence, your child may soon graduate from diapers.
When To Start Potty Training
When potty training your child, keep the floor clear and your toddler’s clothes to a minimum.
Most children might show signs of being ready to potty train between 18 to 24 months, although others might be ready only when they’re three years old. Rather than age, it might be better to look at their overall development. For example, some signs of whether your child is ready include being able to walk to and sit on a toilet, pulling his/her pants up and down, staying dry for up to two hours. Other indications are if your child can follow or understand basic directions, can communicate when he/she needs to go, and if he/she shows interest in using the toilet or graduating to “big-kid” underwear.
Mental Preparation
Be mentally prepared that it will not be a smooth process, and it’s best to plan toilet training for when you, your spouse or a caregiver can devote a consistent amount of time and energy daily. In other words, our current circuit breaker period is a perfect time to start. Of course, do consider your child's stress levels. For example, a new sibling, moving into a new home, living in a pandemic may negatively affect the potty training experience. Do expect accidents and setbacks.
Be Positive
When talking about bowel movements, avoid negative words like "stinky" or "smelly". This prevents your toddler from feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable with pooping and going in the potty.
Also, refrain from scolding or trying to force your child to use the potty, which may only reinforce your child's refusal to do so. Although the process of potty training your child may be frustrating at times, always be positive and don't scold him/her for any accidents that occur. Patience is essential!
Potty Training Success Indicators
Some indicators of how successful your toddler is at being potty trained include getting in and out of the bathroom on his/her own, getting his/her pants down and back up again, clean him/herself properly and wash his/her hands. All these should be done with minimal assistance.
Essentials You'll Need
The Babybjörn potty is sturdy, comfortable and easy to empty and clean.
First, you’ll need a potty, or a step stool with a toddler-sized seat. Options include the Babybjörn Potty Chair ($49.90) or Smart Potty ($31.92, UP $39.90). Next, you may need a doll that “wets” itself to teach your child. An example of this is the Baby Alive Potty Dance doll, that pees in the potty.
You’ll also want some wet wipes, and cleaning supplies to catch any messes that may occur. Additionally, stock up on lots of underwear (try these for boys, and these for girls) as you’ll likely be changing your toddler frequently.
As for learning materials, try books such as DK Books - Girls’ Potty Time ($12.50) and Boys’ Noisy Potty Time ($24.90). These feature fun rhymes, pictures in the former and celebratory sounds and questions in the latter. Other easy ways to teach your child the basics of potty training are from YouTube videos. Examples of these include songs from Cocomelon, Little Angel and Super JoJo
Train Your Child Quickly
Celebrate the start of achieving the diaper-free milestone with a Potty Training party.
Start With Educating Your Child
While the average toilet training time can take anywhere from three to six months, it can also be achieved much quicker. Start by scheduling a block of time, e.g., one to three days, and arrange for your spouse or a helper to take care of the other children. To make the occasion even more special, you could throw a Potty Training party for your little one, decorating an area of your home to a special theme. For this day, you may want to relax the rules on food and drinks, although nap time should still be followed - you don’t want a cranky child!
Activities should include reading books, singing songs about toilet training, and if available, get a doll for you and your child to teach potty training to for the first part of the day. This takes the focus off your child while helping him/her to learn the essentials.
Put This Into Practice
Once your child can understand the steps, it’s time for him/her to try. Have him/her in just underwear and a top, and then make sure your child drinks lots of fluids. After this, start reminding your child to use the potty every 15 minutes, and go through the process - removing his/her underwear on the potty etc, and let your toddler sit on the potty. Your child will then learn to initiate when he/she needs to go. As you progress, you should be able to spread out the time between sits and reminders from 15 up to 60 minutes at a time.
At the same time you remind your child, check if his/her underpants are wet or dry. Remember to praise your child if they’re dry. Otherwise, continue sitting on the toilet and then clean up the accident. Additionally, praise your child for listening and provide him/her with a small treat or toy each time he/she urinates or has a bowel movement. Another way to track your child's progress is to use a rewards chart, which you can download and print. Make sure to lavish praise on your child if he/she self-initiates and uses the toilet. Other rewards might include visiting his/her grandparents, making or buying his/her favourite meal, or doing an activity your child has been wanting to do.
Bedtime Potty Training
While your child may be able to master potty training during the day, it may be harder to stay dry at night. Some reasons for this include not waking up in time when their bladder is full at night, or being unable to hold his/her bladder for 10 to 12 hours to stay dry at night.
As it's often difficult or even futile to potty train your child at night, he/she can still wear diapers or training pants to sleep. Also, cut down on your child's fluid intake before bedtime, and try to get him/her to use the potty before bedtime. Once your child has been dry for a week, he/she can wear underwear instead.
Relevant Reads:
Hosting a Zoom Birthday Party
Baby Food Cooking Hacks
Baby Safe Cleaning Products
Help your child graduate from diaper wearing with these potty training essentials and tips.
Start your child on his/her diaper-free journey with potty training, using positive reinforcement to make this a quick and effective process.
Once your child shows signs of being ready for potty training, set aside a weekend exclusively to teach him/her this skill. With a lot of patience, some rewards, and persistence, your child may soon graduate from diapers.
When To Start Potty Training
When potty training your child, keep the floor clear and your toddler’s clothes to a minimum.
Most children might show signs of being ready to potty train between 18 to 24 months, although others might be ready only when they’re three years old. Rather than age, it might be better to look at their overall development. For example, some signs of whether your child is ready include being able to walk to and sit on a toilet, pulling his/her pants up and down, staying dry for up to two hours. Other indications are if your child can follow or understand basic directions, can communicate when he/she needs to go, and if he/she shows interest in using the toilet or graduating to “big-kid” underwear.
Mental Preparation
Be mentally prepared that it will not be a smooth process, and it’s best to plan toilet training for when you, your spouse or a caregiver can devote a consistent amount of time and energy daily. In other words, our current circuit breaker period is a perfect time to start. Of course, do consider your child's stress levels. For example, a new sibling, moving into a new home, living in a pandemic may negatively affect the potty training experience. Do expect accidents and setbacks.
Be Positive
When talking about bowel movements, avoid negative words like "stinky" or "smelly". This prevents your toddler from feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable with pooping and going in the potty.
Also, refrain from scolding or trying to force your child to use the potty, which may only reinforce your child's refusal to do so. Although the process of potty training your child may be frustrating at times, always be positive and don't scold him/her for any accidents that occur. Patience is essential!
Potty Training Success Indicators
Some indicators of how successful your toddler is at being potty trained include getting in and out of the bathroom on his/her own, getting his/her pants down and back up again, clean him/herself properly and wash his/her hands. All these should be done with minimal assistance.
Essentials You'll Need
The Babybjörn potty is sturdy, comfortable and easy to empty and clean.
First, you’ll need a potty, or a step stool with a toddler-sized seat. Options include the Babybjörn Potty Chair ($49.90) or Smart Potty ($31.92, UP $39.90). Next, you may need a doll that “wets” itself to teach your child. An example of this is the Baby Alive Potty Dance doll, that pees in the potty.
You’ll also want some wet wipes, and cleaning supplies to catch any messes that may occur. Additionally, stock up on lots of underwear (try these for boys, and these for girls) as you’ll likely be changing your toddler frequently.
As for learning materials, try books such as DK Books - Girls’ Potty Time ($12.50) and Boys’ Noisy Potty Time ($24.90). These feature fun rhymes, pictures in the former and celebratory sounds and questions in the latter. Other easy ways to teach your child the basics of potty training are from YouTube videos. Examples of these include songs from Cocomelon, Little Angel and Super JoJo
Train Your Child Quickly
Celebrate the start of achieving the diaper-free milestone with a Potty Training party.
Start With Educating Your Child
While the average toilet training time can take anywhere from three to six months, it can also be achieved much quicker. Start by scheduling a block of time, e.g., one to three days, and arrange for your spouse or a helper to take care of the other children. To make the occasion even more special, you could throw a Potty Training party for your little one, decorating an area of your home to a special theme. For this day, you may want to relax the rules on food and drinks, although nap time should still be followed - you don’t want a cranky child!
Activities should include reading books, singing songs about toilet training, and if available, get a doll for you and your child to teach potty training to for the first part of the day. This takes the focus off your child while helping him/her to learn the essentials.
Put This Into Practice
Once your child can understand the steps, it’s time for him/her to try. Have him/her in just underwear and a top, and then make sure your child drinks lots of fluids. After this, start reminding your child to use the potty every 15 minutes, and go through the process - removing his/her underwear on the potty etc, and let your toddler sit on the potty. Your child will then learn to initiate when he/she needs to go. As you progress, you should be able to spread out the time between sits and reminders from 15 up to 60 minutes at a time.
At the same time you remind your child, check if his/her underpants are wet or dry. Remember to praise your child if they’re dry. Otherwise, continue sitting on the toilet and then clean up the accident. Additionally, praise your child for listening and provide him/her with a small treat or toy each time he/she urinates or has a bowel movement. Another way to track your child's progress is to use a rewards chart, which you can download and print. Make sure to lavish praise on your child if he/she self-initiates and uses the toilet. Other rewards might include visiting his/her grandparents, making or buying his/her favourite meal, or doing an activity your child has been wanting to do.
Bedtime Potty Training
While your child may be able to master potty training during the day, it may be harder to stay dry at night. Some reasons for this include not waking up in time when their bladder is full at night, or being unable to hold his/her bladder for 10 to 12 hours to stay dry at night.
As it's often difficult or even futile to potty train your child at night, he/she can still wear diapers or training pants to sleep. Also, cut down on your child's fluid intake before bedtime, and try to get him/her to use the potty before bedtime. Once your child has been dry for a week, he/she can wear underwear instead.
Relevant Reads:
Hosting a Zoom Birthday Party
Baby Food Cooking Hacks
Baby Safe Cleaning Products
0 comments