Toilet Training Advice

Questions you ask yourself!:

How can I tell if my child is ready to start potty training?

Most children will be ready for potty training sometime between two and four years of age but there are factors that are much more important than age.

Diapers may be on the way out if your child:

• Stays dry for at least two hours at a time
• Can follow simple instructions
• Is becoming uncomfortable with dirty diapers and wants them changed
• Goes and hides to urinate or have a bowel movement
• Asks to use a potty or the toilet
• Asks to use regular underwear

What’s the best way to start potty training my toddler?

If your child is showing signs of readiness, it’s an opportune time to prepare them by letting him see others using the toilet, introducing books or DVDs on the subject and talking to them about using the potty. Be encouraging and praise successes!

An idea is to start by swapping the nappies with some thick cotton underwear that has several layers. Nappies are amazingly absorbent and your child needs to experience what it’s like to be wet so you could encourage them that getting to the toilet or potty will help them feel a lot more comfortable. You could avoid pull ups as well as they have the same absorbency as nappies and children can get very attached to them – especially if they picture a favorite princess or superhero! Personally, I’ve found all my children differ so my daughter was easy my son not so much and I’m 100% into the idea of in their own time.

If your child resists, don’t insist. You don’t want toilet training to be a stressful time by pushing your child too fast or punishing mistakes. Accidents and mistakes happen! If it’s taking months or years, it’s likely that you are trying to make it happen before your child it ready.

My three year old child has been potty trained for a while but since their little baby brother came along she has been having accidents again. What should I do?

This happened to my son, basically any change, especially such an important one as a new sibling coming into the family, can make your child regress. These accidents can also occur because your child is seeking your attention. Remain matter of fact and give the accident as little attention as possible – otherwise they’ll learn this is the best way to get your full attention. Ask them to help you clean up the mess and then move on to something else.

Always praise the positive.

My child is showing signs of being ready to use the toilet but is very attached to her nappies. What’s the best way to wean them from them?

You could try the following four week plan to ease her into toilet training:

1. Week one: let your child wear a nappy but make sure they go into the bathroom to get down to business.
2. Week two: allow your child to keep the nappy on but encourage them to sit on the toilet or potty when they needs to go.
3. Week three: cut a hole in the nappy so that when they sits on the toilet to urinate or have a bowl movement this goes into the toilet.
4. Week four: graduate to underwear and using the toilet or potty.

Remember that although it might feel like your child will never let go of their beloved nappy, this is just a stage and they will soon much prefer regular underwear and using the toilet!

My five year old child never has an accident during the day but often still wets their bed at night. What should I do?

Night time dryness is a completely separate developmental milestone from daytime potty training that may take a lot longer to reach. Many children under seven still wet the bed at night and this is considered very much within the normal range. Simply continue to use a nappy at night to keep them dry. Children older than seven can use a bedwetting alarm that is triggered by moisture and wakes the child up, so he or she can get up and use the bathroom. Speak to your doctor if you are at all concerned about your childs bedwetting but know that they will most likely outgrow this issue – my son is four and still wears bed time pants!

 

 

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For me, issues I came across with my second child were fear of pooing on the toilet but if your child seems genuinely uninterested in learning to use the toilet they may not be ready to do it! Does your child know what a toilet is for? Can they stay dry for at least two hours at a time? Can they follow simple instructions like washing hands? Do they recognize at least a few moments ahead of time that they need to go? Can they get on and off the toilet without help? I learnt my son just wasn’t ready for the poo phase but weeing he was great with! So ways I helped him was to support his impulse toward self reliance by telling him that he’s a big boy now and free to use the toilet whenever he wants. I bought him cool underpants and he has night time pants not nappies so he doesn’t feel embarrassed. Also use toilet targets! For boys learning to wee standing up is fun when they have something to aim at so I got a selection of stickers off Amazon.

Click this link for free potty training charts or Products from Kandoo (which I’ve tried)

The potty training experience with my son has been very different to that with my daughter – she was dry at night eighteen months and dry in the day by two and a half years  I had no issues or questions with her, she just did it. My son is four in two months and was fully dry in the day age three but still can wet the bed so what I do is buy bed time pants but I’ve tried alsorts from waking him up at certain times (he ends up half asleep and upset then refusing to wee) to EVERYTHING waterproof (all you could hear was rustling sheets – annoying) the health visitor said I over mothered him which I wasn’t impressed by and regardless it’s just a phase of their lives and all things come to an end so does potty training so best thing to always remember is patience, buy lots of toilet wipes and anti bac!

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Remember some problems that may occur are:
Problem 1: You are ready. Your toddler is not.
Problem 2: Having minor setbacks – like having another child.
Problem 3: Fear of the toilet – its a new step forward!
Problem 4: Fear of flushing – we used to say “bye bye Mr Poopy.”
Problem 5: Public bathrooms – they like routine.
Problem 6: Accidents (they do happen).

 

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This was Eva-Beatrix age four all sorted on the toilet and in reception! Used to like taking things along with her!

 

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Oscar at two and a half looking dapper on his potty!

 

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My nana even bought him the i-potty where you put the iPad in however was a waste of money and personally wouldn’t recommend them. Normal toilet and time is all that’s needed. (He actually liked just peeing freely outside)

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Also remember children are human too! I’m an adult and achieved this last year:

 

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The best advice anyone should give is to give it time – unless of course there’s a mental or physical issues then I’d suggest visiting a GP. Click NHS potty training advice for more tips! Plus even print out some other potty training reward charts!