How To Potty Train Your Child

Potty training can be a major milestone in your child’s development. In this context, it is necessary to keep in mind that not all the kids are ready for potty training at the same age. Thus, it is important to watch for signs of readiness, such as stopping an activity for a few seconds or clutching the diaper. The process of potty training demands consistency on parents’ part and observant vigilance as well. At the same time, the right training tips and advice can get your child out of the diapers easily. Read on further to know the different tips on how to potty train your child.

Potty Training Tips For Children

Do not be too eager to take the diapers off your child. Let him/her get comfortable with the idea of potty training and become perfect in it. Till that time, it may not be convenient for the child to stay without diaper at all times.
You need a lot of time, patience and energy to potty train your child. While some people start potty training their toddlers as early as 3 months, the appropriate time is after the first year or at about 18 months.
Choose a specific time or times of the day when you place your child on the potty. It can be immediately after waking up, before a nap, after lunch or before going to bed. Try to keep the time consistent, as this will help the child schedule out one time to use the toilet. Support your baby for safety, if you are training an infant.
The first one or two days of potty training can be frustrating, but once your child has learned the technique, it is necessary to show signs of approval and excitement to cheer the baby.
Train your child to sit on the potty whenever you do. If the baby goes to the bathroom by himself, appreciate him. If he doesn’t, point out where he has to go and encourage him to sit on the potty, just like mama and daddy do.
Do not get upset or be disappointed if the potty training does not show results right away. Give your child his/her own time to learn.
Free the child of the diaper for few hours when you are home, so that he/she can learn to relate the freedom of not using the diaper and becomes encouraged to use the toilet.
Once your child has learnt to go to the toilet, get some underpants or all-cloth training pants. Let your child be comfortable in underpants and let him/her feel how soft they are and get motivated in turn.
Congratulate your child whenever he informs you about the urge to go. Praise him with words like “thank you”, “that’s great”, “let’s go” and encourage him further.
When outdoors, take your children to the public toilets and encourage them to try them out. However, do not pressurize them, if they aren’t willing to go.
Once your children start keeping dry for a day, train them for the night. Place the potty next to the bed or crib. If they get up in the night and call you, put them on the potty. In case, they go back to bed and do it there, change the nappy and do not get upset over it. Rather, encourage them to use the potty the next time.
When you succeed in potty training your child, keep it going. Often, parents get tempted to put their children on diapers for a road-trip, concert or babysitter’s house. This will confuse the baby and cause problems.
Teach your child to tell you that he/she needs to go to the bathroom, because you cannot ask him/her for it all the time.
Once your baby has started going to the toilet by himself/herself, teach him/her the steps of bathroom self sufficiency, such as going to the bathroom, closing the door, pulling down and pushing up underpants or skirts, sitting on the potty, cleaning, flushing the toilet, turning the tap on and off, washing and drying the hands, etc.

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