Few Steps to Potty Training

A Few Words to Start

• Everyone has their own recipe
• No right or wrong way
• Times have changed and so has potty training
• Be ready it is very messy!!! 

Getting Started: 16-18 months

The goal of this first step is to start to familiarize your child with toileting.
Buy a potty chair

• Feet need to be flat and supported to relax pelvic muscles

Use the Language

• Avoid using negative words
• Incorporate into diaper changes

Children learn by observation

More Focus: 24 months
The goal of this step is to work toileting into your daily routine

Start a daily routine

• Announce your plan (DON’T ASK!)
• Tell the child what you’re doing and why
• Place child on the potty chair at the same time each day
• Do not worry about or expect them to go in the potty
• Be consistent

Go For It! 30-36 months
What you need:

• Physical
• Intellectual
• Emotional/Psychological
• Social
• Desire and Ability

Readiness Signs

• Stays dry for 2 hour intervals
• Predictable, regular bowel movements
• Can sit still and focus for several minutes
• Understands simple instructions
• Announces when going or immediately after
• Shows an interest in others using toilet
• Shows interest and cooperates with sitting on potty chair

Clothing

• Consider cloth diapers (cant see it + cant feel it =  doesn't exist) The following lick will show you what a cloth underwear looks like so that your child can feel like a "big kid" by wearing underwear vs. the cloth diapers. I am not promoting the brand. I picked the following link because they had a good selection of different underwear/diapers. http://nickisdiapers.com/catalog.php?category=16
• Big kid underwear
• Elastic waistbands
• Consider leaving naked

Timeline

• Underwear for 2 hours per day
• Same time each day
  • 2 hours per day at the same time each day
    • Potty
    • Underwear for 1 hour
    • Potty
    • Underwear for 1 hour
    • Potty
    • Diaper

• Tell your child what you expect
• Increase by 1 hour each week
• At 4 weeks or 4 hours children can go entire day (except naps and nighttime)
• Remind them to use the potty
• Be Consistent!

Resistance

• Tell your child what you are doing
• Keep diaper changes matter of fact
• Use cloth diapers for increased awareness
• Consider doing diaper changes in bathroom
• Have your child involved
• Hold off on potty training during times of stress in your child’s life
  • New baby/sibling
  • High chairs
  • Birthdays
  • Going from crib to bed
  • Moving to a new house 
  • For resistance to bowel movements only in toilet
    • Gradual transition
    • Positive permission

Other Tips

• RELAX … it will (eventually) happen!
• Accidents will happen too
  • Best response is:
    • Matter of fact
    • Fix it
    • State expectations
    • Make it fun
      • Read a book, sing songs, puppets
      • Blow bubbles
      • Cheerio targets
      • Food Color
      • Bubble bath
      • Toilet training is a natural part of a child development. Simple positive praise is best as a reward.