How Do We Potty Train Our Kids

By The Potty Training/PIO
July 7, 2009 

It probably seems like just yesterday that you changed your baby’s first nappy, but before you know it she’ll be ready to start potty training. While there’s no magic age at which a child is ready to start using the potty, most toddlers will develop the necessary physical and cognitive skills between 18 and 24 months of age (though some aren’t ready to start until they’re as old as four). Use the checklist below to keep track of your toddler’s progress toward readiness.

You don’t have to wait until you’ve checked off every item to start training; rather, look for a general trend toward independence and an understanding of what it means to go to the bathroom like a grown-up.

 

Your child may be ready to start potty training if he or she: 

• Has regular, soft, formed bowel movements
• Can pull her pants up and down
• Imitates others’ bathroom habits (likes to watch you go to the bathroom, wants to wear underwear, and so on)
• Makes a physical demonstration when she’s having a bowel movement (such as grunting, squatting, or telling you)
• Has words for stool and urine
• Can follow simple instructions (such as “Give me the toy.”)
• Understands the physical signals that mean she has to go and can tell you before it happens
• Dislikes the feeling of being in a dirty nappy
• Has “dry” periods of at least three or four hours (this shows her bladder muscles are developed enough to hold her urine in and store it)
• Isn’t negative about everything
• Understands the value of putting things where they belong
• Demonstrates a desire for independence.

 

Can walk and sit down

Toilet training (or potty training) is the process of weaning a young child off diapers (nappies) and training him or her to use the toilet for urination and defecation. Potty training is usually done between the ages of eighteen-months and three years.

 

 Readiness

It is important not to start toilet training until both parent and child are ready. One is ready when one is able to devote the time and energy necessary to encourage a child on a daily basis for at a minimum of 3 months.

A child is ready to begin toilet training when he or she can signal that his or her diaper (nappy) is wet, or that they need the toilet. This usually occurs between the ages of 18-24 months, but it is not uncommon for a child to still need diapers until 4 years of age.

A child can have problems later in life if the training doesn’t go well, or is too strict. For example, as an adult a person could strive for perfection or excessive cleanliness because they were too harshly trained. The current popular wisdom on this subject is that toilet training is a mutual task, requiring cooperation, agreement and understanding between both the child and the caregiver. It is strongly recommended that coercion and shame are not used as disciplinary instruction tools during this phase of development.

 

Pre-Toilet Training

There are five aspects to pre-toilet training.
1) Naming urine and bowel movements is the first. When you notice that your child has a wet or dirty diaper, mention what has happened, using the words that you have chosen. These words should be culture specific, and should be frequently used words in the normal everyday environment. It is advisable for you use culture specific or commonly known words, since if the child asks for example, at Kindergarten to use the toilet, not using a known word could severely complicate the issue and lead to accidental urination or defacation.

2) Allowing your child to watch you or other family members use the toilet. This provides the child with opportunities to see, ask questions, and learn. This is OK providing your family is comfortable with this idea.

3) It is also a good idea with children to introduce the idea of “Private Zones” on their bodies, since once at Kindergarten, other people may have to assist with helping the child, and its a good idea your child becomes aware of which parts of their body are considered “private”.

4) Change your child’s diaper as soon as possible after it becomes wet or dirty to prevent the child becoming comfortable with, or even liking, wet and dirty diapers. When you change a child’s diaper, never make him/her feel bad for wetting or soiling it, or show any signs of disliking what you see or smell, but do not praise him/her.
If possible, change the diaper in the bathroom. This will accomplish a few important toilet training tasks before initiating training. Emptying the diaper into the toilet will help your child learn that the toilet is where his/her motions go. If you encourage the child to help flush the toilet, then s/he will learn how to flush.

5) Praise your child whenever s/he tells you verbally or with a gesture that they have urinated or defacated. Once the child develop voluntary control, s/he will tell you before the fact. Be sure to provide praise then, too.

 

Toilet Training

Toilet training takes time, effort and co-operation from both the parents and the child. Toilet training takes on average 3 months, however it may be much longer before your child is completely dry during the day. It is not uncommon for a child of 3 or 4 to still be having frequent wetting accidents, however, if by the age of 4 your child has still had no success at toilet training it may be worth visiting your family doctor to ensure that there is no underlying medical condition.

 

Toilet Training Girls

Because of the female anatomy, girls and women generally urinate sitting down. Girls should be taught to wipe from “front to back” after using the bathroom. This helps prevent the bacteria in feces from coming into contact with the vagina, helping to keep it free from infection.

 

 

Wishing to urinate while standing

 If a girl has seen her father, male friend, or a sibling standing up while urintating, she may want to try it. One may wish to let, as she is curious. Cleaning up puddles may be necessary, but she may get the idea that it is more practical for her to urinate sitting down. If she persists, having someone explain why females urinate the way they do may help.

 

Toilet Training while traveling

 Parents often ask what to do if they are traveling with a child who is being potty trained, and also if they should stop the potty training process. The answer to this is no. Parents should not stop the process. In fact, this should be an opportunity to teach your child about going to the bathroom away from home.

 

Here are some hints to help parents out:

Go before you go: Your child will need to learn that s/he’ll sometimes have to use a bathroom before a long trip, even if she doesn’t feel a strong need at the time.

Bring extra clothes: Accidents happen, so be prepared with extra pants/skirts/dresses, underwear, shoes and socks if s/he accidentally urinates or defacates.

Bring wipes: Bring toilet paper or wipes in case a bathroom is not available, or if there is no toilet paper.

Where to go: Away from home, teach your child to recognize rest room signs, and encourage him/her to use public bathrooms whenever the need arises. Many kids find toilets fascinating, so compare new toilets with the ones at home. Children under the age of 6 should be accompanied by an adult when using a public restroom.

Urinating / Defacating in the Car: You should consider keeping a potty chair in the car to eliminate the need to find a rest room in the event of a potty emergency. However, if your child is desperate enough and you didn’t bring a potty with you, then you can always let your little boy use a jar or can, or for little girls, a plastic bucket can work if you ensure a good fit for her.

Urinating Outdoors:Sometimes a bathroom won’t be available when your child has to use the toilet, so you may have to teach them how to urinate outdoors. This isn’t a problem for boys, but little girls must learn to squat so their feet and clothing are out of the way. You can help your daughter by showing her the appropriate position and physically supporting her as she squats. Please also be aware that in some countries, this is forbidden by law if the child is over a certain age.

Source: Pampers

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com