Good Parenting

When the topic of potty training comes up in my circle of friends, there are always several questions that almost every new parent to the group asks about how to start toilet training their child.

While some of us who have already successfully trained their children may take the following information for granted, but I am sure it will be helpful for those of you who are about to start toilet training your child.

Is My Son or Daughter Ready?

This is the most important question to consider when determining when to start toilet training your child.

There are several signs that your child will use to communicate that they are ready to start potty training. One of the biggest clues that they are ready is that your child will start being curious about what you use the bathroom for.

Are We (The Parents) Ready?

As important as it is for the toddler to be ready for toilet training, it is even more important that you the parents are ready.

Potty training can be an emotional change for your child to make the adjustment between diapers and using the toilet. Children will often resist toilet training with tantrums, accidents and lots and lots of tears. Often times, maintaining the patience necessary for potty training is the most important part for you.

Losing your temper or patience with your child during the potty training process can slow down your child’s progress and even make them regress to diapers.

Is a Child’s Potty Chair Really Necessary?

Using a full sized toilet can be a frightening experience for any toddler. If the toilet seat is too big or too high, your child may be afraid of falling in or falling off the toilet. The noise of the toilet flushing can cause stress as well. A potty chair is a good first step for a child getting used to the motions of using the toilet for the first time while eliminating the fears and anxieties.

Training Rewards – Do They Work?

Before the first day of potty training, you and your spouse should decide if using a gift or prize is appropriate for rewarding your child for going to the bathroom using the toilet. Many parents have had great success using tracking charts that their child can place a star or a favorite sticker on every time they successfully use the toilet.

While some parents swear by “motivation through reward”, other parents believe that it creates a bad precedent to reward their child for good behavior. Again, you and your spouse will need to make that call for yourselves and your own situation and parenting habits. The most important thing, whether using rewards or not, it to stay consistent and do the same thing each time the child goes to the bathroom, regardless of which parent is helping them.

Click on the link to discover the signals and other methods children use to communicate when they are ready to begin potty training.

If you believe they are ready to begin potty training now, go to my website http://www.toddler-potty-training.com to learn methods many other parents have used to fully potty train their child in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of stress for both themselves and their children.