How to potty train children: All we need to know about potty training

How to potty train a child

All parents want their children to get off their diapers soonest as it entails saving on time, money and diaper rashes. While parents appreciate their children and they are always ready to assist their children in putting diapers, at some point children needs to be potty trained for their independence. Developmental growth and learning happened by stages. Potty training is a stage in the life of a child which they start to become independent and self sufficient in a way. Proud parents will always look forward to the day when they are showing signs that they are ready for the big day. They become a “big boy or girl” to some extent.

The aim of this short article is all about tips on how to potty train a child.

Some of the questions we have are: when do we know that a child is ready for it (this is important to avoid frustration on the parent part and also for the child who always have to please and seek for parents approval when they do something). Do we start at a certain age? And the how part, how to do potty training? What are the things to consider?

As caretakers of our children we need patience and understanding when we potty train them. Cooperation between the child and parent is very crucial. It is a two way process. Like what I always say, knowing your child is always a plus so we should always be observant when they show signs of wetting and BM. Training them in advance if they are not ready is futile as they are not willing and would not cooperate. We should not force them to do it as we will be frustrated and it might take longer to potty train them than to wait for them when they are ready. Once they are ready to do it, it will be very easy. Some would say it will take a day, three days or within a week. In my experience it ranges from a week to a month.

It will help if you familiarize them with the parts of the body and its uses

The child should be ready physically, emotionally and physiologically ready for potty training. The child should be bladder ready meaning he can able to hold urine at interval, say her diaper is dry every two hours and she/he can know or sense it. It means they can control when to pee or BM it or she knows that the bathroom is the place to go and they show interest when somebody go there. Of course the child should be walking already by this time. She could at least say simple words such as pee, poop or eat. They must have control when to pee or have BM. One sign that they are ready is when for example they can pull their own diaper already and remove it or when they begin to undress or put clothes on themselves.

Children’s cognitions and learning ability differs so there is no correct age to start potty training. Their willingness to be trained is important. My fourth child who is nearly adolescent now start to be potty trained at the age of thirteen months while my first is only one year and the two others are approximately 18 to 20 months. For my toddler who is 22 months at the moment she is yet to be potty trained. I tried doing it at early age but she cant hardly talk yet so it is a continuing challenge for me. Every child is unique in their own way.

According to research, the average age for which children are potty trained is 24 months. The earlier they develop their motor skills and language ability the earlier potty training is introduce to a child.

In summary/key points:

There is no exact age when to introduce them to potty training. They should be ready physically, physiologically and emotionally.

The role of the parent is very crucial, they must be patient and know their children well. Talking to them like explaining what is going on and encouraging them or praising them is also important. We can always say good job when she tries to go to the bathroom and tell you she will pee. We should always support them lovingly so that they will enjoy the learning process. Devoting time is also important as potty training is a round the clock task.

Parents must decide which to use like pull ups, underwear, potty chair or just let them have jogging pants. Some parents would just leave their children without nothing on them. In this way they say she will have the association or connection between pooping and their body.

Select what potty training tool is best for the child like chair, pull ups, underwear etc.

A plastic toy (any toy, choose a toy which they like) which they can play while sitting in their chair. Don’t force them if they cant stay there for long.

Talking to your child about it is also very important, sometimes we underestimate our babies ability to comprehend. It helps if we explain to them what we are trying to do. Try going to the bathroom and remove their diaper there so they will know the use of it.

Rewards and appreciation is also encourage every time they go to bathroom or tell you in gestures they are going to wet.

If we take all these things into consideration , we will be surprised that potty training is not so difficult task at all and so we can all enjoy while we do it with our child.