Potty Training - The Battle of the Wits

The truth is, your child will be potty trained someday. Each child takes their own amount of time to learn to go on the potty. Whether it is becoming more comfortable or being physically ready to go on the potty, they will eventually find their way. Pushing them too much can drive them in the wrong direction. Remember patience is a virture and it will happen.

First of all, you are not doing anything wrong as a parent. Consistency, Caring, Praise and Reward will get you there. You must be able to accept the fact that sometimes your child will have accidents and it is okay. Never shame them for that, as that will push them in the wrong direction. When you are first initiating the potty training, make sure that your child is emotionally and physically ready. Some kids are not physically ready to control their bladders.

The Typically age to begin training is around two and a half to three years old. Here are some signs that your child is ready to be potty trained.

• They should be fully walking and moving around with good balance.
• They must be able to stay dry for at least a couple of hours.
• They should be able to stay still for an activity for at least 10 minutes.
• They should be able to pull up their own pants.
• Showing interest in the potty is a plus.

If your child has the majority of these things down, then they are ready!

Back to the basics. A Child wants to please their parents and have their support. Showing your support and reducing the amount of frustration you show is key. Be consistent with your child so that they know what to expect. Children are creatures of habit and like their schedules. Once you have figured out when your child typically has a wet diaper is the time when you start to bring them to the toilet. (If they are afraid of the toilet, you can buy a smaller self standing potty chair. I bought my son a Cars potty chair, which helped significantly.) Keep on that schedule!

Caring. This is going to be emotional for your child. They are going to make strides and they are also going to have accidents. It depends on a variety of factors, emotional and physical. Show your support throughout this process. Don't push them to sit on the toilet, but encourage them. Big difference. Never shame them when they make an accident or refuse to sit. Talk about how daddy and mommy go on the toilet too. Sit in the bathroom with your child and read a book to him. There are also a lot of great DVDs and books on potty training with their favorite characters!

Give Praise. Remember to recognize how crucial this step is in their lives! For us, it is no big deal as it is second nature, but for your child, going to the bathroom is a BIG DEAL! So when they make strides cheer for them, hug them and call nana or grandma to have your child tell them how they went to the bathroom. Have others encourage him. If he has cousins, have them praise your child for going potty!

Rewarding Good Behavior. Positive reinforcement is always a great way to get someone to do something again! Offer a reward system to get your child encouraged to continue on the path to being potty trained. You can start with short term goals and once they have hit a certain milestone, you can move onto bigger long term goals.

For example, getting them on the potty is a start. You are welcome to reward them in smaller ways at first. "If you go potty, I'll let you stay up for 10 extra minutes!" Once they are consistently going pee on the potty. Now you have to get them to poop, which sometimes can be a more of a challenge. That's where long term goals comes in handy. Visuals are a great tool for them to track their progress. Make them involved in their own training.

I made a chart for my son with a picture of colored stairs. Then I have a popsicle stick with his face on it. I told him, everytime he pees, he goes up one step. If he poops in the potty, he goes up three steps. If he has an accident he goes down three steps. (there is a total of 21 steps) Then if he reaches the top of the stairs, he gets the prize. At the top of the stairs is a picture of the prize of your child's choice. (My son wanted to go to Chuck-e-Cheese) So I had a picture of that.

This combines short term and long term goals. It also empowers them to move themself up the stairs themself. The long term goal is the prize of choice, which you can remind them of that as they are moving up the ladder. "You just went up three steps, look how close you are to going to Chuck-E-Cheese! Great Job!"

Remember to always be supporting of your chlid. Accept the fact that you will have accidents. If you feel comfortable enough, I had my child strictly wear underwear when he was home. This way he new when he had an accident, and made him more aware. This is encouraged, once you have established a routine.

You can do it! Ask every parent that has went through this and we all have! It takes time and it is up to the child. Don't be discouraged if it takes a little longer, eventually your child will be potty trained. Good luck!