Anyone with a toddler will know that potty training can be a daunting task. But, it doesn’t have to be. It can be as easy and relaxed as you make it.
Sr Ann Richardson, author of Toddler Sense has the following suggestions for potty training success:
- Get a potty well before you may need it. Place it in the bathroom near the toilet and explain what it is even if your toddler is not ready yet.
- Let your child accompany you to the toilet from an early age, so that she can get used to the idea and learn from watching you. This will take the mystery and fear out of potty training.
- If you have a son, ask your husband to invite him to accompany him to the toilet. This way he will learn that boys do it differently to girls.
- If your toddler is frightened by the noise of the toilet flushing, wait until she has left the room before flushing. Always encourage her to help you flush, but if she doesn’t want to, don’t force it.
- If your child gets ‘stage fright’, try turning on the taps. The sound of running water often helps them relax.
- Consider singing a special song such as, “this is the way we go to the loo, go to the loo, go to the loo…”, to encourage reluctant toddlers to co-operate. Story books explaining what is happening are also useful.
- Expect some regression if your toddler is stressed in any way, such as starting a new school, the arrival of a sibling or if she is sick. Let her go back into nappies, and with loads of love and encouragement, try again after a short while.
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