Potty Training

     Potty training is one of the largest stresses when raising a child. Normally, the child will show signs that they are ready. Pushing a child into potty training before he/she are ready is asking for an emotional disaster. Usually when a child is between eighteen to twenty-four months old, they will begin to show signs that they are ready.  This is the best time to start the” can be” dreadful task, known as potty training. Some of the signs that they are ready include: staying dry for an hour or two at a time, saying that they need to go potty, or wanting to sit on the toilet. People may think that this is an easy task, but it can be a hard, long drawn out process for many children.  Parents need to develop a plan and ideas that engage the child in wanting to go potty. Some ways to get the child excited is with rewards.  Kids love to get prizes and awards; it’s a fun way to get the parents involved also. As a parent, showing the child how proud you are of them when they go makes the child want to go even more. A couple ideas for a reward program could be hanging a chart of some kind on the wall and every time they go potty they get to pick a sticker out and put the sticker on the chart. Another idea would be to have a special piggy bank and when they go, give them a penny to put in the bank. This makes them want to go and gives them a little motivation.

     A good way to make the transition from diapers to big kid panties is by using pull-ups, which takes away the frustration of accidents. Putting them in a diaper at night for a while is a good idea because diapers tend to hold the wetness in better. Buying underwear and showing them that when they go potty like a big kid they can wear the special panties. Pick out a character that they like to make it more exciting for them. Also, using a child’s floor toilet that they can get on and off by themselves is a good idea. This is a very easy way to start this process.  

     Parents are afraid that if they are working with their child at home and they take them to daycare that they won’t have time to work with them. This does sometimes happen and it can be very frustrating for the parents. As I’ve experienced working in a day care center, they are very willing to help the child with this difficult stage. You just need to be open with your daycare and do this process together and soon they will be all potty trained, which is a very exciting step. The most important thing to remember is that your child is just learning and that each child learns and develops at different rates. Patience is a vital part of the whole process. A child can sense when you are upset or frustrated, so try to keep this under control and give the child the support they need.