POTTY TRAINING TIPS

Most of us look forward to the day when the diapers go and the big kid undies are under way!  Perhaps you have already tried at a few less than successful attempts?  One thing is for certain.  Your child has to be ready!  Don't worry.  Your child will be ready one day.  ALL children are different.  They all reach milestones at different ages.  So don't stress if your friend's child was potty trained much earlier than yours.  

It is very easy to get worried that your child is at a certain age and has not yet been potty trained.  But remember that putting pressure on both yourself and your child, when they are not yet ready, just adds unneeded stress on you both.  And this can actually make the potty training process take longer and regress any progress that you have made.

So how do you know when your child is ready to start potty training?  Try to look for signs that your child may be ready such as showing an interest in the potty, telling you when they need to use the restroom, or asking to be changed right after pooping.

Tips for Easier Potty Training: 

1. Bribery - All children like different things so this would vary from child to child.  You could try using some type of candy that he/she likes.  M & Ms are a good choice since they are small and easy to chew.  Maybe tell your child that if she goes to the potty, she can have 3 or 4 M & Ms.  If she wipes by herself (or at least tries) maybe she gets 2 more.  Some kids like stickers.  You could try making a chart with stickers.  Maybe get a "goodie bag" with some goodies from the dollar store.  When they use the potty, they get to pick something from it.
2. Lead by Example - If you are potty training a little boy, have your husband encourage him to go to the "big boy potty" like daddy.  If you have a little girl, moms take them with you and encourage her to "potty like mommy".  My 5 youngest children are girls and when they are little they follow me to the bathroom anyway.  So I talk to them a lot about going to the potty like I do.  Children LOVE imitating their parents!
3. Lots of Praise - Praise is important no matter what you are teaching your child.  Positive reinforcement is probably one of the most, if not the most, important things that you can do for your child.  Kids love it when their parents are proud and make a big deal of out something they have done.  I know my kids just light up when I compliment them about anything at all and just tell them how proud I am of them.  Praise gives children such a sense of pride and accomplishment, so do it every chance you get!
4. Frequency of Trips to the Bathroom - Try putting your child on the potty every hour (when you can).  Remembering may be hard sometimes as you get busy doing other things.  So try setting a timer to help you remember.  They may just sit there and do nothing but I can almost guarantee that sometimes they will actually go to the bathroom.  This is how many day cares transition kids to the potty.  That is how my son got most of his training; by that and seeing the other little kids going to the potty.  I did this with my oldest daughter and she was potty trained in one weekend.  She never had an accident either.
5. Potty Seat or Training Potty - For one of my daughters, I used a Dora potty seat that fits on the toilet.  For her, she loved it and it only cost me all of $7.  I bought a little plastic stool to help her get on the potty and this worked for her.  My two oldest daughters used the training potty.  I just put it in my bathroom and made sure they sat on it each time I went to the bathroom (of course I had to take them to their potty more often than I had to go).  But, they liked copying mommy and this method worked for them.

These are just some tips and things you can try with your child.  Every child is different and every child responds differently to different things.  All children are ready at different ages as well.  The most important thing is to not start until they are ready and to try to be as patient as possible.  If you get frustrated and mad at your child, they may hide when they need to go or may even try to hold it (#2) and this can lead to constipation and painful bowel movements.  So remember, patience, patience patience is the key to success, in this process, for both you and your child!