Guide to Successful Potty Training

It’s important to maintain a positive attitude and have patience as you potty train your child. Accidents will happen so try not to make a big deal of it to prevent killing your child’s spirit; a simple phrase like “accidents happen” should suffice. On the other hand congratulate your child (though not too much) when they get it right. Loving words of encouragement, clapping or even a nice healthy treat will be a good way to praise them for using the potty.

The best time to begin potty training is when it is warm, hence there may not be many layers of clothing which you have to remove plus your child can stay without trousers for longer periods of time without feeling cold. If you typically live in a place which is often cold throughout the year then keep the room warm using a heater (these can be found at any electronic store or supermarket), however, never leave your child alone in the room with the heater on for safety reasons.

Once you have established that it is the right time for potty training, your child is ready and you have already bought all the necessary equipment then all that’s left is to take the plunge. Here are some steps to guide you on how to go about achieving potty training success:

Step 1: Inform your Child’s care giver (and any other relevant person) of your intentions
It is important to inform your child’s care giver that you plan to potty train and how you want to go about it. Remember that different people have different approaches to potty training and to ensure that your approach is followed it’s important to walk your child’s care giver (and any other relevant person) through it.

The main things to point out is the process which you wish to follow (more details have been highlighted below), any schedules or reminders they need to be aware of and above all ask them to keep a positive attitude to avoid demoralizing your child.

Step 2: Get your Child Ready for Potty Training
Once you buy the potty place it somewhere your child can easily access it. Let them, sit on it and play around with it. This will allow them to familiarize themselves with the potty and be more willing to use it.

Step 3: Have Diaper Changing Conversations
As you change your child’s diaper talk to them about what you are doing. For example, if they have pooped, tell them that you are changing their poop so that they can be clean. This will help them tell the difference between peeing and pooping.

You can also place your child on the potty for a few minutes before they bathe, after a diaper change or before they go to sleep as you explain to them what the potty is for.

Step 4: Show Them How it’s Done
You can have your child watch one of their slightly older siblings use the potty or alternatively even let them watch you use the loo. When you do this explain to them what you are doing.

Boys should first start learning to pee while seated. The risk with starting them off standing is that they might forget to poop which could in turn lead to constipation. After a while, when you begin training them to pee standing up, you can place a target in the potty for them to aim at. It will also be useful for them to have their father (where possible) show them how it’s done.

Step 5: Using the Potty
In the morning when your child wakes up place him/her on the potty for a few minutes since most people usually feel like going for a short or long call when they wake up. Also, place your child on the potty before their nap time and at the end of the day before they go to bed.

A few minutes after every meal place your child on the potty for a few minutes since digestion often gives the feeling of pooping and/or peeing.

If your child has a regular pooping schedule, place them on the potty around this time to allow for them to poop and/or pee on the potty.

Stay with your child and talk to them as they use the potty to help them keep still and feel comfortable. Some people provide toys to their kids while they poop to help them keep still but there might be some hygiene concerns surrounding this.

After a successfully potty break wash your child’s hands to encourage hygiene and praise them with a loving cheer, claps or even a nice healthy treat.

If your child gets anxious as you begin potty training, it is okay to leave it for a few days and then start again when they are in a more relaxed mood. Remember that you cannot force a child to use the potty and every child has their pace.

Step 6: Night Time Training
It’s best to begin morning potty training before night-time potty training. That is, let your child still sleep with their diaper on at night even after you begin potty training them during the day.

Every morning when your child wakes up check their diaper to see if it is dry and if so then it is now time to begin night-time potty training.

Leave your child’s diaper off during the night and place a waterproof sheet on their bed to help prevent soaking the mattress.

Avoid giving your child fluids just before their bed time and place them on the potty before they sleep to lessen the risk of wetting the bed. As mentioned above accidents will happen so ensure to take a positive approach when they do and remember to praise your child if they go through a whole night without wetting the bed.

Leave the potty in your child’s room at night so that should they feel like peeing during the night they can easily get up and use the potty then go back to sleep.

 Have you already potty trained your child? Let us know how you went about it by leaving a comment below.