I’ve always thought it’s easy to potty train a toddler. I mean, how hard is it to stand in front or sit in the toilet when you want to poop or pee? But things changed when my own son reached the “ready-to-potty-train” age.
I don’t know about you but it took me almost a year to teach him and even until now, it’s a work-in-progress but I’m not complaining. I know every child is different so if you’re someone like me, relax.
I know a few kids (who are less than two years old) who have been successfully potty-trained. I’ve also met moms whose kids (more than five years of age) still rely on diapers and it’s normal. You can even check our community to connect with moms having the same issue.
Otherwise, just sit back, relax, and read our tips on how to potty train a toddler.
Run Around Without Anything
Have you ever heard of “Diaper Free Toddlers” by Julie Fellom? This program encourages toddlers as young as 15 months old to run around without wearing anything. No diapers, no underwear. Nothing at all.
The idea is to let your child realize what’s really happening to them whenever they pee or poop. Now, this is one mistake I made: I take the nappy off my son but I let him wear underwear. It’s wrong since the toddler will still feel that he’s still wearing a diaper so basically, it won’t work.
So, if you want to teach your child to use the potty in the soonest possible time, let them run around sans diaper and underwear.
Set Yourself As An Example
Literally. Like, take your kids with you whenever you need to do number 1 and number 2. Explain to them why you need to go to the bathroom, what you feel, and what you are doing. This might sound strange (and gross) but one way to potty train your child is to let them see what you’re doing.
Watch Out For Signs
Oftentimes, you’ll see signs whenever your child is about to pee or poop. For some, it can be through facial expressions or body movements. As for my son, he makes this kind of grumpy, confused face and that’s when I know that he’s going to poop.
I’m pretty sure I can’t predict the future but when it comes to my child’s funny facial expression, I’m almost a hundred percent sure about what he’ll do next.
As for you, whatever those signs are, be sure to look out for it so you can rush your kid to the toilet.
You can also watch this video to learn more about potty training:
Make Potty Training Sound Like A Big Deal
Make Potty Training Sound Like A Big Deal
“Wow, you’re really a big boy already!” — that’s what I tell my child the first time I saw him go straight to the bathroom and pee. It’s amazing, really, and your kids need to know that. After all, it won’t hurt to praise them for a job well done.
Reward System
If there’s one thing that made my life easier as a parent, that’d be the reward system. Want to encourage your kid to save money? Give a reward. Want your kids to do household chores? Give rewards.
The same thing with potty training. If you want to motivate your little one to use the potty, you can use the reward system. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A simple sticker to their notebook or ice cream will do the trick!
Let Your Toddler Sit At The Potty
As much as they can. Yes, it may sound weird but it’s one way to take any fear (in case they have any) they have with the potty, which, by the way, is common in many kids.
Watch television, read a book, sing a lullaby together, or do any appropriate activity they can do while sitting in the toilet.
Have other potty training tips or problems with your kids? Feel free to share it in our growing community now!
Find The “Cause Of The Accident”
My son knows how to pee on his own so I’m pretty confident that the couch or bed will stay dry all the time. However, I noticed that there are times when he won’t use the potty.
For example, whenever he’s watching his favorite cartoons or he’s too tired to move, he’ll just pee anywhere he is.
Now, this is one way to address the potty-training issue. Chances are, there’s a specific time or activity that hinders your kids from using the bathroom. It could be when he’s playing and there are a lot of toys or it’s siesta and your little one’s too lazy to drag himself to the toilet.
These are just some of the ways to encourage your kid to use the potty trainer. Do you have other parenting hacks you can share?
If yes, please feel free to join our community or share it down in the comment box below.