Ah, potty training! Go to a local bookseller and you will find dozens of books on the subject. Search the Net and there are thousands of websites with information on how to do it stress free. There are even people who are capitalizing on a parent's frustration with potty training by offering to do it for you, for a hefty sum! I honestly can't imagine anything more unseemly than paying someone to teach my child to "go".
Ewwww!!!
I have successfully potty trained two out of 3 kids so far, baby number 3 is only 14 months so she is off the hook for a few months at least ;)
I seem to be the envy of the playgroups when other Moms see that my 3 year old son has been in whitey tighties for over a year. My oldest was also 2 when he potty learned.
For me, potty training starts with a newborn. Now don't get me wrong...I do diaper my babes (unlike the native African mothers who wear their babies on their backs and who, to avoid being soiled on, learn to read their babies' cues so well that they know when their newborn needs to be held over a bush...no, I'm not kidding!) but I have always used cloth diapers, which encourages babies to train early. I'm not a longhaired, barefoot, off-the-grid hippie (not that there's anything wrong with that, but you're more likely to find me in Doc Martens than Birkenstocks!) but I have been cloth diapering since the beginning.
It has saved me hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but I also like the fact that my babies begin to make the association with the uncomfortable wet feeling and the knowledge that they can prevent it. Most babies will wake up dry in the morning at several months of age, demonstrating that they are physically able to "hold it". In my opinion, Pull Ups are evil and yet another invention that some clever businessman came up with that parents now think is a necessity. Along with formula, baby swings, and the like. Pull Ups just enable a 5 year old to keep soiling himself. Research has shown that cloth diapered babies potty learn several months earlier than disposable diapered babies.
So here's Grandma's recipe (and I do owe it to my Mother, like most of the good stuff I know about parenting) for easy potty training, even if you choose not to cloth diaper.
Let your baby come into the bathroom when you go. That way, they know what's going on in there. You don't have to get graphic, just talk to them about what toilets are for. If you are a woman at home all day with boy children, encourage Daddy to show 'em how it's done. You don't want them thinking that if they go on the toilet their equipment will fall off, like Mum's obviously did. Strange, but true...some tots will come to this conclusion.
Buy 3 or 4 of those cheap little molded plastic potties and put them around the house. At least, one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen or the room where you spend the most time with your child. Stick a towel underneath for the sake of your carpet if said child is a boy. Speaking of boys...you can take advantage of nature here by keeping an open mind. I know at least one boy who was trained when his Mom let him go off the side of the deck.
The summer that your child is closest to two, take two days and don't leave the house. Let your child run around naked from the waist down, with a big tee shirt on top so that private parts stay private.
Every 10 minutes, place the child matter-of-factly on the pot. DO NOT ASK insane questions like "Do you need to go potty sweetie pie!?" We are talking about dealing with a two year old here! Just do it like it's the thing to do, and don't ask permission. Don't force it, and if he/she wants to get up right away, let him or her. If you have a resistant child, set a timer to go off every 10 minutes. It's amazing what a child will do when the power dynamic is taken away. When the "potty timer" goes off, it's time to sit on the pot!
Use praise but don't go overboard. Act like this is the expected thing. Be cool. Say "You put peepee in the potty, just like Mommy and Daddy (and big brother, and your older play group friend...3rd parties are gold here!!) do.
Don't make a big deal out of what's happening. Don't spend hours reading potty training books or videos to the child. Again, be cool. If you make it into a big deal, your child will be more likely to dig in and resist.
Have some "big boy shorts" or "big girl panties" that you know your child will like, perhaps that you have picked out together, ready for the end of the two days. Your child will be less likely to have accidents if s/he is going to mess up their new undies.
When the inevitible accidents happen, don't scold. Be patient and gracious. This is part of the job. Remember that even if you decide to spring for carpet cleaning, you will still come out ahead if you don't have to buy diapers for another year or two!
About The Author
Carrie Lauth is a work from home Mom of 3, a homebirth advocate, breastfeeding counselor and homeschooler. In her free time she enjoys a good book and anything involving espresso.
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareMinus all meningitis thoughts. The flu symptons were strong. Headache,... Read More
On a bright Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago,... Read More
'Picky Eater' is a label coined to describe the phenomenon... Read More
Time management is an organisational concept traditionally associated with adults... Read More
Nanny 911 Interview with Montel WilliamsI saw an interview with... Read More
It happens every year. Just when you are settled in... Read More
Potty training fears, often called toilet terrors, are common among... Read More
In the first premise, some films and video tapes which... Read More
Reading is the most efficient and economical way to help... Read More
At the ADHD Information Library we are big believers that... Read More
In the beginning, having children was just a byproduct of... Read More
On one of her quarterly visits to see her grandson,... Read More
Most parents at some stage are driven to distraction by... Read More
Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the... Read More
1. They are leaders as well as parents. They don't... Read More
I have three children, ages 19 and 16 (yes, the... Read More
In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as... Read More
Chiladult? Whatever you call them, teenagers are a changin' and... Read More
Are you glad for the chance to put your child... Read More
When it's time to put your child into a daycare... Read More
In the last few years, parents started getting more and... Read More
Creating and making special memories with your child is very... Read More
"It takes a village to raise a child" is more... Read More
It's been raining for a week and the kids and... Read More
What do you do when your child begins talking to... Read More
Antigo wedding limo .."He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds... Read More
Whether children attend public or private schools, they benefit when... Read More
MYTH: If you have not parented as well as you... Read More
In a consumer-driven society that broadcasts values you don't approve... Read More
What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More
How would you like to have a closer relationship with... Read More
When it comes to exams, or indeed any academic work,... Read More
A parent writes in, ``We are having a hard time... Read More
My son, Dakota is now 7 yrs old. He is... Read More
Even as a busy parent, I'm sure you've seen a... Read More
There is little doubt that reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic are... Read More
Strattera came out around January of 2003, and is becoming... Read More
Every now and then I'll get a story sent to... Read More
The purpose of this article is to address some of... Read More
1. Encourage Questions.Don't answer every question, instead ask what do... Read More
Sometime the most effective training tool in rapidly accelerating the... Read More
"It takes a village to raise a child" is more... Read More
When my firstborn arrived into this serene and peaceful household,... Read More
Being in a competitive world, the lowest qualification to secure... Read More
At first I thought of titling this article "The Lazy... Read More
As the father of a toddler, I am an expert... Read More
I had my first two children on either side of... Read More
Most of us can agree that there is a lack... Read More
"Money is tight, and my husband's obsessed with doing everything... Read More
Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal... Read More
Parenting |