Introduction to Potty Training
The previous episode of The Mighty Mommy reviewed.
Hey there! You’re listening to the Mighty Mommy with some Quick and Dirty Tips for Practical Parenting. Today’s Topic: Lets Get Ready To Go!
Tips for Introducing the Potty
The previous episode of The Mighty Mommy reviewed some tips for potty training readiness. Now I’d like to cover what I believe to be the next step in potty training. I’m calling this The Introduction. Once you have determined that your child is ready to start using the potty there are a few things you can do to help make the transition easier. If at any time your child does not want to cooperate, take a break. Wait a couple of days and start over. If you try to force your child into using the potty when it is clear that she doesn’t want to, it will almost always cause the process to take longer. Your child has to want to use the potty.
The first thing you will need to do is to choose a receptacle. Will your child use the grown-up toilet, a smaller seat on the toilet, or her own potty-chair? If you are going to make a purchase, take your child with you and let her be part of the process. Let your child choose her own potty-chair or toilet seat. Have her help you open her new package when you get home and install it in the bathroom. If you are going to have her use the toilet, you will need a step stool. You may want to let your child help you pick this out. This is also a wonderful time to visit the big kid underwear section of the store. You can let your child pick out her new underwear and let her know that once she begins using the potty, she’ll be able to wear her new underwear all the time. The goal is to help your child get excited about the upcoming events.
Once you and your child have decided on the new seating arrangements. Let your child become accustomed to just sitting there with or without her diaper. You’ll want to provide some engaging entertainment for your child. Some good entertainment options are books, coloring books, crayons, musical instruments, or other small handheld toys. Make the bathroom a fun and inviting place to visit. If your child likes music, you could bring in a radio and play some of her favorite tunes. You don’t want your child to feel pressured so don’t start putting up reward charts just yet. When you are introducing the potty, just keep it casual and try to make the environment fun.
During the final few days leading up to potty training use encouraging and positive words to let your child know what’s coming. Choose a day that you intend to begin and give reminders throughout the week ahead. Your child will know what to expect and will be able to respond with clues as to whether she really is ready. If she says, “no” when you tell her what’s coming, don’t give up hope. She might be ready to go when the day finally arrives, but don’t be surprised if she is showing trepidation. Let her know that it’s okay if she isn’t ready today and she can try again in a few days. Give her some time and she may decide to try it out on her own. My suggestion at this point would be to stop mentioning the potty for a few days and then pick a new day to start and try again. My own daughter was very stubborn and never wanted to do it on the day I chose. When she was finally ready to go, she told me.
My final tip for this episode is to make sure all caregivers are on board. Once you have chosen your method of potty training, you’ll want to ensure that all caregivers are consistent. Let everyone who may be helping with training know the process you’ve chosen and what you expect from them.
That’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed listening.
The Mighty Mommy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Practical Parenting is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network at QuickAndDirtyTips.com. This week Grammar Girl is talking about less versus fewer, so be sure to check out the Grammar Girl Podcast!
This is your friend, the Mighty Mommy wishing you happy and fun parenting!
Music – “Golly Gee” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons “Attribution 2.0” https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Potty Training image courtesy of Shutterstock