POTTY
TRAINING TIPS
Occupational Therapist Advice: In regard to starting potty training with your kids, one thing to
remember is ALWAYS make the "potty" encounter as POSITIVE as can be.
As you start the potty training process,
you should first (A) ASSESS the READINESS of your child. Can he or she follow simple instructions? Can he or she walk and sit
down? Can he or she take her pants off and put them back on? Try not to put on the
pressure rushing him or her when they are not ready. This will be counter productive. And
don't expect this child to have the same timeline as your older child. Boys
tend to train a bit more slowly than girls, while second (and subsequent)
children may learn more quickly than firstborns. FOR MORE INFO on the ABC's of POTTY TRAINING Click on Link http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-abcs-of-potty-training_4399.bc?page=1
From my experiences working with families who have toddlers and are wanting to start the process, it can be a good idea to simply introduce and start
using YOUR potty words with them.(NOT THE BAD ONES SILLY), but you know; pee-pee,
poo-poo, potty, toilet, wash hands, etc. Anything that pertains to you or them using to
toilet and bathroom will do. Also,imitating what you want them to do is also important. (THEY REALLY DO WATCH AND LISTEN) to everything you do. You are probably singing the song in your head right now! "Do as I'm doing, follow follow me." I find the more the child can discuss, say, point or imitate these things, they will catch on more fluently. Potty training
can take time. THAT IS OK! Again, every child is different. SO RELAX! Breathe
and know they will with time meet this milestone. If not, know there are other strategies to make the routine easier for you and your family.(pertaining to typically developing children and also children with special needs) There are many ways of
teaching a child how to potty train. HERE below are several "TIPS"
from UTAH moms that have worked for them. If you are having trouble or don't
know when to start your child's potty training process, check out and navigate these
websites to get other moms insight on their experiences with potty training. Then most importantly,find out what works best for YOU. There really is no right or wrong way to potty train.
1. My
tip is to not get too stressed about it - it will happen when it's time and the
more you force it, the more stressful it is. utahvalleymoms.com
2.
Wait until the child is ready and it will go so much easier, also don't make it
a stressful situation, changing a diaper a few months longer is pretty easy
compared to repairing self esteem. -http://imtopsyturvy.com
3. For
boys, put Cheerios in the toilet and have them aim. For either, put some blue
food coloring in the pot and let them turn it green. http://fearlesslycreativemammas.blogspot.com
4. We
usually start talking about it casually when they are about two years old. We
watch the videos and read the books and then gauge their interest from there.
With my children, they've potty trained slightly older, but they've done it in
under a week with very few accidents and no tears. When they are ready, they
are ready! http://www.keepmovingforwardwithme.com
5.
I've (thankfully) successfully potty trained 7 and I would say the best advice
is a. wait until they're ready. b. TRY not to stress, prepare
yourself for the fact that there WILL be accidents and do your best to take
them as that, accidents, not something personal they did TO you. c.
there WILL be setbacks so be prepared for them. http://www.housewivesofriverton.com
6. Set
a timer to ask your toddler if they need to go potty at a set interval. Even if
they just sit, it gets them used to the idea. http://7onashoestring.com
7.
Don't feel like you have to stick to one method. If something isn't working,
try something else.
8.
When you use pull ups, put underwear on first, then the pull ups, that way the
kids will feel the accidents instead of the pull ups soaking it all in http://www.momondealz.com
9. If
it appears your toddler is not getting it and you are both stressed - wait a
few weeks and start again. Eventually it will click, but forcing it will result
in more accidents. http://www.familylifeinlv.com
10.
Keep it positive. Praise your child for sitting on the potty, even if nothing
happens. Consider using a reward system like a sticker chart. http://momalwaysfindsout.com
11.
"Just chill" don't apply pressure to them or to yourself for them not
learning quick enough...they all train eventually and none are scarred if it
takes a little longer--one of mine who is perfectly normal on honor roll etc,
didn't train until she started 3 year old preschool--she was just comfortable
and didn't care--I had another who trained at 18 months--they all have their
own time frames. -Elizabeth
12.
When you think your child is ready to start potty training, you first need to
realize that it is actually “parent training”. You need to consistently take
your child to the potty so that they don’t have accidents. I tried to make
bathroom time fun by putting some childrens books in there, and with my first
child I even had him help me put up pictures of things he liked at his eye
level. http://kidsumers.ca
13. Did I mention use lots of praise? Praise them! My Princess
love when I make a big deal, sing, give her a high five, dance, and whoop. She
loves it more than the candy. And yes, we do use candy still. http://www.longwaitforisabella.com
If you find none of these
"work" take a break, reassess and start again. Also consider the other challenges
your toddler is dealing with now. If she's experiencing any turmoil or major
change in her life, like a new school, caregiver, or sibling, the
potty-training process is likely to hit some snags and should probably be put
off until things have settled down. There's also no sense in beginning
potty training when you or your child's primary caregivers are too
overwhelmed to devote time, patience, and a dash of humor to the process. Be
prepared to take several months to potty-train and offer daily encouragement. If
you're in the middle of remodeling your house, have just taken a challenging
new job, or are experiencing morning sickness with your next pregnancy, preparing to have a baby, it's
probably not a good time to try to potty-train your toddler. Wait a couple of
weeks or months for other pressures to ease.
HANG IN THERE and DON'T SWEAT IT. ALWAYS REMEMBER, YOU & YOUR CHILD CAN DO HARD THINGS.
For further assistance, don't hesitate to ask me for suggestions or more ideas. Together we can come up with great strategies that can work well for you and your family situations.
xoxo for now,
Jamie B. OTR/L
PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU HAVE FOUND GOOD STRATEGIES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YOUR FAMILY. ANY INSIGHT AND/OR EXPERIENCES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE is AWESOME!
From my experiences working with families who have toddlers and are wanting to start the process, it can be a good idea to simply introduce and start using YOUR potty words with them.(NOT THE BAD ONES SILLY), but you know; pee-pee, poo-poo, potty, toilet, wash hands, etc. Anything that pertains to you or them using to toilet and bathroom will do. Also,imitating what you want them to do is also important. (THEY REALLY DO WATCH AND LISTEN) to everything you do. You are probably singing the song in your head right now! "Do as I'm doing, follow follow me." I find the more the child can discuss, say, point or imitate these things, they will catch on more fluently. Potty training can take time. THAT IS OK! Again, every child is different. SO RELAX! Breathe and know they will with time meet this milestone. If not, know there are other strategies to make the routine easier for you and your family.(pertaining to typically developing children and also children with special needs) There are many ways of teaching a child how to potty train. HERE below are several "TIPS" from UTAH moms that have worked for them. If you are having trouble or don't know when to start your child's potty training process, check out and navigate these websites to get other moms insight on their experiences with potty training. Then most importantly,find out what works best for YOU. There really is no right or wrong way to potty train.
If you find none of these
"work" take a break, reassess and start again. Also consider the other challenges
your toddler is dealing with now. If she's experiencing any turmoil or major
change in her life, like a new school, caregiver, or sibling, the
potty-training process is likely to hit some snags and should probably be put
off until things have settled down. There's also no sense in beginning
potty training when you or your child's primary caregivers are too
overwhelmed to devote time, patience, and a dash of humor to the process. Be
prepared to take several months to potty-train and offer daily encouragement. If
you're in the middle of remodeling your house, have just taken a challenging
new job, or are experiencing morning sickness with your next pregnancy, preparing to have a baby, it's
probably not a good time to try to potty-train your toddler. Wait a couple of
weeks or months for other pressures to ease.
HANG IN THERE and DON'T SWEAT IT. ALWAYS REMEMBER, YOU & YOUR CHILD CAN DO HARD THINGS.
For further assistance, don't hesitate to ask me for suggestions or more ideas. Together we can come up with great strategies that can work well for you and your family situations.
xoxo for now,
Jamie B. OTR/L
PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU HAVE FOUND GOOD STRATEGIES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YOUR FAMILY. ANY INSIGHT AND/OR EXPERIENCES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE is AWESOME!
PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU HAVE FOUND GOOD STRATEGIES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YOUR FAMILY. ANY INSIGHT AND/OR EXPERIENCES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE is AWESOME!
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