Potty training is one of the least fun but most rewarding and relieving tasks you have to do as a parent. Not only can you stop heaving the diaper bag around, but you won’t have that dreaded stench following you around in the mall as you head to the baby changing room!
How do you get through potty training as painlessly as possible?
A lot of patience and some uninterrupted time at home. It’s just one of those things that you can’t keep postponing and you just need to get done. As long as your child is ready.
There are always signs to look out for when it is time for these milestones in your child’s life. The first thing to remember however is that all children are different. And what might work for your older kids or for your friend’s kids might not work for this child.
On average, children between 22 and 30 months of age are ready to begin potty training. Although this is not a rule. And it can take as little as a week and as long as three months! Of course, your mother might be telling you that you were potty trained by 12 months old! The important thing to remember is that each child is different.
Signs to look out for
One, is if your child can control his/her bowel movements. A good indication that this is happening is when they have bowel movements at around the same time daily. And not at night. Also, when their diaper is dry for at least two hours at a time. The child should also be able to talk, climb and have other basic motor skills.
Keep a conversation going
Talking to your child before the actual training, helps prepare them emotionally. You can do that by reading books about potty training. This allows them to help you choose their underwear and toilet seat or potty. Also, putting them on the potty before their bath time just so they get used to the idea of it. These are the top tips from our mums.
Some children respond to reward charts. Those can encourage and motivate them. Furthermore, keeping some toys and books next to the potty stops them fidgeting and trying to get off.
Your baby needs you there too
When you decide that it’s time, make sure you are going to be at home. Especially for the first few days. As you will need to put your child on the potty at regular intervals. You can start during a school holiday. This might be the best time to start training. There are several approaches to potty training; you can get some guidance from The Mayo Clinic and the NHS.
If your child is resisting or showing obvious distress during potty training. Then you might want to hold off and try again in a month or two.
Mumzworld Top Tip:
This is a major milestone for your child, and you will need plenty of patience to get through it!
Keep Calm and Use the Potty!
