Potty Training Articles

Toilet training usually begins when children attain toddlerhood. By the time they are ready to enter into the big school, they get the basic idea about how to use the washroom. Visiting the restroom becomes a part of normal routine for the children because they are no more dependent upon training pants and potty chairs. However, children may panic and find it difficult to stay dry all through the day in the big school, due to the change in the environment, restroom and in the routine for visiting toilet. Moreover, children get indulged in different activities to the extent that they may even forget to go to toilet and thus, make their clothes dirty, which is undesirable. Therefore, parents should take initiative to teach the basic bathroom etiquettes to their school-aged children, by imparting proper toilet training at home so that the little ones get used to the restroom in the big school. Make your child understand that it is important to use the washroom properly in the big school and also keep it clean. Tell her that unlike home, she may not always get assistance for using the toilet while in the big school. Moreover, there she will be expected to exhibit the basic bathroom etiquettes. Thus, develop your child’s ability to look after herself in the toilet at home, by giving her proper guidance. Here are useful tips that will give you a clear picture about how to toilet train your child. Tell your child that she should learn how to take care of her personal hygiene and the cleanliness of the washroom she uses. Encourage your child to speak up about her need to go to the washroom and instruct her to ask permission politely for the same. Explain your child that it will be mandatory for her to seek permission from her teacher in the big school, whenever she wants to use the toilet. Teach her how to make use of water judiciously in the bathroom as she may slip and fall if the floor is wet. Teach her the basic restroom etiquettes like always knock the door before entering into the toilet and close the door after leaving. Instruct her to go to toilet before going out for play and also after returning from the activity. In case of prolonged outdoor activities, make sure that your child finds suitable washroom nearby to use. Ask her to go to toilet every time before going to bed; before going for an outing; prior to starting outdoor activities etc. This practice will reduce your child’s tendency to make her clothes dirty. Help her to stay dry during daytime naps and while sleeping in the night. For this, instruct her to go to toilet before going to bed. Also, limit her intake of liquids before going to bed. Tell her to avoid heavy drinks & food that act as stimulants, such as chocolates and fruit juice, just before sleeping. Do not annoy your child with reminders and stop being too conscious when she is out for play because it may make her conscious too. Further, show confidence in her and make her feel independent to maintain personal hygiene herself without being prompted repeatedly. Praise your child for her efforts to stay ‘dry’ In the end, remember that a child is considered toilet trained only when she is able to make proper use of the restroom without help. Hence, provide your child with plenty of opportunities at home, to learn how to use the restroom appropriately. Also, remember that at this young age your child may take longer time than normal, to get toilet trained thoroughly. So, show your patience and be persistent in your efforts because your child is too young to follow all the instructions at one go.

Valerie Garner I used this on both my boys when they were potty training aged, and it worked perfectly, it was so easy. First, make sure your child is ready for potty training, shows interest, has an interest to wear “big kids pants” etc. Make this a game, make it fun and you will not run into stubborn opposition (after all it is the child’s body). Go out and buy or find around the house items you don’t normally let your child play with that could fit into this category, some kind of toys that can be water toys (3 or 4 things), could be little plastic pitchers, balls, whatever, but make them SPECIAL. The only real rule to this game is these special “potty” toys can only be played with while the child is sitting on the potty!!!!! Very important, no giving out on this one rule, if you’re not strict with this one rule, it won’t work! Once the child is sitting on the potty fill a large bowl or small bucket with lukewarm or tepid water, place the new “potty” toys in the bowl and set the bowl of water in front of the child. On the floor if the potty seat is low, or if it’s a potty seat that sits on top of the regular toilet, set the bowl of water on a TV tray in front of the child. When the child places his/her hands in the lukewarm water to play with the toys, if the child needs to physically go potty, they nearly instantly go (it’s almost an instinctive type physical reaction), then cheer, cheer, cheer! Give lots of praise, and if you wish to give some type of a treat, go ahead. Let them play as long as they want, as long as they sit on the potty. When they are done playing, put the toys away for next time. This is really great because it makes it fun for them so they cooperate, it totally ends all power struggles, there are NONE, and also no more waiting and waiting for them to go, only to go potty as soon as the diaper goes back on. They also feel good because they have immediate success. Potty training NO. 2 was more difficult I found, that just came with some time and patience and them learning in their own time and way, relax, it will happen. You know how I got this idea? It’s kind of a funny thing, my husband used to be in the military and when he was young in boot camp they used to always play jokes on each other in the night by dipping a hand of someone who was sleeping, into a pan of lukewarm water, thus making the person wet the bed. It just seemed like a natural progression to use this trick for good in the potty training area and it worked great!!!!!