Oh that glorious, glorious day when your child can use the bathroom without you having to go and help him in the middle of your lunch!
I know, right!
We as parents can make that day come easier and smoother if we just understand that this part of life is just one of those things we have to teach our little humans.
And if we do it right, they learn on time.
The end of the era of diapers.
So let’s go.
Let me answer some of your common questions at this time
Is my baby ready for potty training?
The right timing is the first step to success.
Generally, babies are ready to be potty trained between the ages of 18 months and 3 years.
The average age when kids start is 27 months.
You can decide if your baby is ready to be trained by checking off most of the items on the list below:
- When your kid arrives at the phase where he despises dirty diapers is the best time to kick off potty training. This is the time when your kid will be the most supportive of letting go of stinky nappies and diapers.
- During training it will be really important to be able to predict your baby’s bowel movements. This will give you an idea of when you will have to be ready with the potty.
- Some kids happily help their parents by alerting them when a bowel movement is about to happen. Some others are less direct about it. Any sign they show they are aware of their bowel movements will indicate their readiness for potty training.
Signs of physical readiness of your kid are:
- When your kid can walk to and sit on the toilet
- He can pull his pants off and back on again
- He can follow basic instructions or can tell you or otherwise communicate that he needs to use the restroom.
- You are changing fewer diapers. Until the age of 20 months kids pee so often that they are hardly capable of learning to control their bladder. When your toddler is physically ready to be potty trained will be dry for 1-2 hours and will not be waking up with wetness.
- He seems interested in using the potty and/or in wearing underwear.
When you see some or all of these signs, its time to prepare.
How to prepare for the potty training:
- Decide on a method, there are tons of popular techniques that others have tried and proven. A few of which are included in these books:
- Stop the mess, the ultimate potty training guide for parents. ( FREE with purchase of any of our potty training products)
- Toilet Training in Less Than a Day By Nathan Azrin
- 3-Day Potty Training Method by Lora Jensen
- Oh, Crap! Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki
When choosing a method consider the time you have available the readiness of your child and how this method will fit into your everyday routine.
- Set a start date, you want to stay home on the first days to avoid accidents.
- Get your child involved. by talking about it, reading book son potty to them or having them potty training videos.
- Work out a potty schedule. Try putting your toddler on the potty in the morning after his meal and in the night before bedtime.
With these in mind it's time to go shopping.
Do the shopping
- Get a potty or toddler-sized toilet or a toddler seat adapter depending on what you are wishing to teach your kid to use.
- Get a reward system, something they look forward to every time they successfully use the potty. Our Magic potty Stickers is an amazing choice.
- Start to make your kid excited about wearing underwear, get them involved in picking out the underwear, make sure the underwear you choose is both pleasant and practical to your kid. (Tip: choose an underwears with different front and back to be easier to distinguish)
- Make it easy by dressing your kid in the proper clothing for the potty training. Easy to pull up and down pants, no complicated design or excess buttons.
- A timer to remind you and the child to go to the bathroom every so often, you can start with hourly.
- Disposable wet towels.
Now you are ready to start.
Ready, Steady, Go
Tips for the training day:
- Stick to your plan but don’t panic if you can’t follow it at all times.
- Pay close attention to the signs your toddler might show, crossing legs or bouncing.
- Teach your boy to sit on the potty and his penis downwards to direct the urine into the potty. You can also practice aiming into the potty to avoid accidents.
- Keep your kid short periods of time on the potty.
- When ready to get out of the house make sure your kid uses the potty before leaving the house and upon arrival.
Get ready for the night times.
Usually, kids are trained in two phases, when confident with a day time routine can make progress with nighttime practices. The average age of the kids when they manage to stay dry during nighttime without diapers is 6-7 years.
Tips to keep in mind when training for night time success:
- Limit water and other beverages a couple of hours before sleep time
- Make sure your toddler gets into the habit of using the potty right before bedtime
- Secure the bed against accidents with a mattress protector
- Handle the learning process with great patience, this part of the training takes time but is rewarding.
You can do this, mommy.