The ABC’s of Potty Training

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqLMcyUFrSA&feature=related

Assess your child’s Readiness skills

• Most people begin toilet training when their child is about 2 ½ years old– Some may be ready earlier– Some may not be ready until

later– Girls are usually potty trained

before boys

• Signs to watch for:– Imitating others’ bathroom habits– Holding themselves– Dancing around– Unable to focus on task at hand

Buy the right Equipment

• Invest in a child-sized potty or a special seat that attaches to your regular toilet– Make sure the child is

secure and stable

• Before beginning . . . pick up an explanatory video or picture book to get the child interested

Create a routine• Set the child on the potty

Fully Clothed once a day– After breakfast– Before a bath

• This will allow the child to get used to the potty and accept it as part of a daily routine

• If child doesn’t want to sit on it:– Don’t force the issue– Don’t restrain the child or

pressure the child to sit

Ditch the Diaper

• Now set the child on the potty seat without a diaper and pants– Explain that this is how BIG

people go potty (undressing before you sit down)

• Some choose to put their child in under ware for a day and closely monitor them

• Some choose to let the child walk around without anything on (no diaper/pull-up/under ware)– This allows the child to feel the

sensation of actually having to go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3FO8WYS8T4&feature=related

Explain the process

• Show the child where the bowel movements go

• If they go potty in a diaper or under ware . . . – Bring to the potty– Empty into potty– Sit them down and explain this is

where we go potty

• After you have done this, have the child flush the toilet to let the child see where it goes

• Show the child that they then should pull up pants and ALWAYS wash their hands when done

Foster Independence

• Encourage the child to use the potty whenever he feels the urge to go

• Assure the child that he can tell you when he needs to go and you’ll help him

• If possible, allow the child to run around without clothing on from the waist down and keep the potty nearby

• Remind the child occasionally that the potty is there if he needs it– The child may forget!

Grab some training pants

• Once training is underway, you should consider using some kind of training pants to the routine– Extra thick cloth– Disposable– Plastic

• Many prefer the extra thick cloth ones because the child will actually feel it when he pees or poops in them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zl0GHb1aHA

Handle setbacks gracefully

• Almost every child will have several accidents before becoming completely potty trained

• Don’t get angry or punish your child . . . the child is in a learning stage and needs more time and guidance

Introduce night training

• Even though a child may be clean and dry all day long, it might take longer to master night training

• Use diapers or pull-ups for overnight use, and you may need a plastic mattress cover to minimize clean-up from overnight messes

• You can help cut down on wet nights by not letting the child drink too much before bedtime

• Ask the child to call you if he/she wakes up and needs to go potty

• You may also leave the potty close to his/her room or bed

Jump for Joy!

• Believe it or not, it is truly up to the child to master this skill . . . with the parents guidance!

• Don’t force the issue

• Wait until the child is interested in and wanting to actually GO on the potty . . . it will make your job a lot easier!

• When you are done, you are done and won’t have to worry about it - - - until the next child

http://tlc.discovery.com/beyond/?playerId=203711705&categoryId=1717893936&lineupId=1747275579

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNcBn9o_Ow4

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeZXYgdjORQ&feature=related

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhKFCJY97v4&feature=related