Toileting is a developmental skill that must be learned. Some children take to it swiftly, others take a little more guidance.  The time to master this skill does not correlate in any way with successes in other areas of development. Most toddlers take several weeks to master daytime toileting, and most have occasional relapses. The key to success is patience, praising success and ignoring failures.

 

How do you know your child is ready for toilet training?

Your toddler will most likely begin giving you signals that he is ready to start toilet training. Toddlers may show more interest in bodily functions, become more aware of neatness and cleanliness, may wish to join you in the bathroom, or may even express their desire to wear underpants instead of diapers.

 

Preparing for toilet training.

Pay attention to your toddlers regular soiling pattern. You will notice that her BMs occur at fairly predictable times of the day. You will be able to use this knowledge to your advantage when the actual training begins. Reading her children’s stories about toilet training and letting her accompany you to the bathroom may help to prepare her. Potties should be stable and not frightening to your toddler. Let him decorate it and become comfortable with sitting on it, clothes on. He should feel like he has some control over his potty.

 

Toilet training.

A first step in toilet training is to make sure your toddler’s bottom is readily accessible. Training pants are very helpful, as you will need to quickly remove his clothing when the time is ripe.

Toilet training includes helping your toddler gain control of his bodily functions. A first step is to recognize when a movement is imminent. You probably are already able to recognize when he is  having a BM or needs to pee. This is a good time to sit them down on the potty.  Letting him be naked occasionally helps him get in touch with his body’s signals. Praise your toddler when he reports that he has had a BM or when he has a wet diaper. Never criticize accidents or soiled diapers. Shame will discourage your toddler from trying.

          Try to take advantage of your toddlers regular soiling pattern to schedule times on the potty. Never force her to sit on the potty.  If your toddler resists sitting on the potty, she may not be ready. Having the tap run during potty time sometimes helps. Praise any successes. You may even choose to give your toddler small rewards for successes, but be sure to phase out the rewards as toileting becomes more natural. Try not to get frustrated if your toddler is always asking to sit on the potty. He may be misinterpreting her body’s signals, but will soon get the hang of it.

          Teach your child about hygiene; girls should always wipe front to back. Having your toddler sink toilet paper targets (from a sitting position) will improve his aim. He will later learn to stand to urinate, after he has mastered basic toileting. Bridge the gap between the potty and the toilet by emptying the contents of the potty into the toilet in front of her. She may even wish to flush the toilet herself, but if she is frightened by the noise, wait until she is out of the room. She will learn to flush later. Your toddler may want to move the potty from room to room. As long as he feels good about using the potty, any room is ok. Eventually your toddler will graduate to using the toilet, and the potty will remain in the bathroom.