Parenting is all about patience. And the biggest test of this patience comes when you try to potty train your child.
Those who have gone through this much dreadful experience will definitely agree with me. And those who are about to have this experience, be ready for a milestone to accomplish!
But the best thing comes now. Like any other skill, potty training a child is another of a skill that parents can learn over time. Lucky you, we’re going to make the job easy for you and fun for your kid!
We are sharing with you some practical and handy tips to help you potty train your child within a few weeks.
1. Pick the Right Time
Before indulging in the drill of potty training, make sure that your child is ready for it. There’s no use in starting potty training exercise without the readiness of a child. Let the child grow enough to start giving you signs.
How to notice a child’s readiness?
If your child can notice whether the diaper is wet or dry, it is an indicator. If you’re choosing the best diapers for your baby, the baby may keep enjoying even the wet diapers. But it’s all your job to stay alert and pick the signs.
Sometimes kids are mature enough to tell you they’re about to do a wee or a poo.
Look for the readiness and promptly start the potty training, if you find your child ready.
2. Use a Potty Chair
Using baby-friendly equipment, like a potty chair, is a much helpful trick.
When the child’s feet touch the ground while sitting on the potty, it relaxes pelvic muscles. This makes them comfortable and is familiar with the new potty equipment.
Using an insert is another option. In some cases, parents keep on trying for months on a potty chair but nothing works. And using an insert works magically.
The learning for parents here is not to be afraid of letting your child use the regular toilet. Every child has his or her own learning ways which you, as a parent, need to understand.
3. Prepare Yourself, Your Child, and Your Home
Don’t jump into potty training activity randomly. Be prepared for it first.
Firstly, you need to be prepared mentally for some hard work, patience, and persistence for quite some time now. Remember, there will be some accidents initially. But you don’t have to give up or get frustrated while cleaning up the messes.
Once you are ready, look around your house and keep it safe from getting contaminated if the child pees or poops anywhere. Remove the rugs from the house, as they are hard to clean up in case of a mess. Also, keep the area covered where you’ll be potty training your tot.
The most important element during the whole drill is none other than your child. Tell your baby at least a week before that you’re about to start the training of potty in the toilet like adults. It helps the baby getting prepared mentally as well as emotionally for something big in life!
4. Set some Motivation
We all are driven by some sort of motivation. So do our kids too!
Figure out the motivational factor for your naughty angel. For some kids, M & M’s work like magic, and for some, it is a chocolate bar.
Do give some reward to your child on the efforts they make to learn this skill. Giving them their favorite candy or letting them play with favorite toys is not a bad idea to motivate them.
5. Take them to Toilet Often
The first few days, maybe a few weeks might be a challenge for you. It is because you need to stay alert and take them to the toilet very often.
In the beginning, take your child to the toilet after every 30 to 40 minutes. Don’t forget to do this exercise especially after meals. This time will, later on, increase when your baby would be habitual of telling you the need to visit the toilet.
During the period of training, it is better for Moms to stay at home. It is because potty training requires a mother’s time, patience, and vigilance.
6. Don’t Make them Sit Forcefully
When taking a child frequently to the toilet, don’t make them sit on the potty for more than five minutes. If they want to get up, even without doing anything, let them go.
Appreciate the effort they make. This will help to make the exercise less frustrating and more fun.
7. Engage Your Child
Potty training is not a much appealing task for children as they don’t find anything to do while sitting on a potty.
Make the potty time the most engaging one. Giving your toddler a colorful book to read, or a toy to play with can be a much more engaging experience. Singing a song (for some referred to as a potty song) can be great fun too!
8. Use Big Pants to Ditch Diapers
Use appropriate dresses for your babies during the training period. Preferably big pants or loose knickers or underwear with their favorite characters can be very helpful.
And if children are given a choice to select for themselves, that will be more fun for them.
The idea of using big pants can help you get rid of diapers for kids very soon without much resistance.
9. Plan a Play Date With Older Cousins
Children learn when they see others doing the same.
Plan a play date with older cousins and let you see how older siblings and cousins use the toilet by themselves.
This activity serves as a motivation and also a sense of competition for them.
Believe you me, nothing works faster than this comparison. Your child will start mimicking the elder friends and start acting like adults!
10. Gradually move into Night Training
Your tot will learn to stay dry during day hours in some time. But don’t forget the fact that making them habitual of staying up dry at night is also important.
This stage of training might be a little tougher for you. Initially, Moms keep their children nappy- free during day hours but choose the best diapers for their babies during nights.
This exercise for the night can take longer, even up to a year. Don’t be impatient and frustrated with the mess. Rather, try to use pull-ups and mattress covers to save the bed.
Do give your child some time to be completely trained especially during a nap or a night slumber.
Conclusion
Potty training is a tricky thing. At times, your child might be driving you crazy and things may seem to be bleak.
But don’t worry. Your child will not go to a high school wearing diapers!
Following the tips shared above, your child will be potty trained just in few days. All you need during this time is patience, care, and vigilance to go through one important phase of your child.
As a parent, you must understand that every child has a different experience of learning and understanding. Giving a child that freedom and time is the most important thing for potty training.