Potty training

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Having some trouble potty training your little squirt?

Help is on the way!

I have potty trained both boys and girls and I have some cool tips and tricks to help you on your way in the battle of the potty.

I will talk about some of my methods, as well as offer additional ideas to try.

So put on your raincoat and prepare for the unexpected!

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Potty training your little squirt

Yikes its potty training time what do I do?

Potty training is a trying time in a parents' life. I can give you some tips and tricks to get you on your way! Trust me you are going to need all the help you can get, take it from me. So put on your patience hat and check out my lens it's sure to be enlightening.

Taiwan farmers potty-train pigs to curb pollution

What will I need to start potty training?

Do you need all the gadgets and doodads to make potty training successful??

Of course not! In fact stand by the simple rule KSS. So what do I really need?

1) A potty or if you prefer a potty ring for the big toilet.
Just keep in mind that some kids are afraid of the large toilet and the splash that happens with those number 2's!

2) If you intend to potty train early starting at around 15 months (which I recommend) you will need cloth diapers.
Yes icky, smelly cloth diapers. Buck up there parents its not that gross!

3) Big kid underwear.

4) Washcloths (dollar store ones will do, since they will probably never get used again after this)

5) Patience and lots of it!!

6) Incentives such as little treats or stickers.

7) Elimination chart (can be as simple as a calendar use whatever works)

I've got my supplies now what do I do?

First off consider the age of your child

Why do I recommend an early start to potty training? Ever heard of the terrible two's?? Believe me they exist. So why not start the process when your kids are in the parent pleasing mode and want to make you proud of them and their accomplishments instead of having a fit when you suggest they sit on the potty?

If your child is already 2 you can skip some of the earlier steps in the process.

Now on to the steps in the process

What to do if your child is 15 months or more

First of all you need to put your child in cloth diapers. This is a very important step. You can buy them or make some very inexpensive ones, its not hard, I did it. Now comes the most important part of this step...Keep your child dry, whatever it takes, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT let your child sit in a wet diaper, that will stop the whole process cold. Your child needs to learn the difference between wet and dry and if he is never allowed to feel dry he won't care what you trying to teach him. This step may go on for quite some time, so be patient. Start keeping track of what time he tends to wet his diaper, it should start to be fairly consistent if his meal times are consistent. If his meal times aren't consistent make them so.

In the meantime while you are practicing some patience and cursing me for suggesting the cloth diapers because now you have to wash them, you can begin introducing your child to the potty chair or potty ring. Show her what it is and what it is for. Once in a while you can set her on it nonchalantly and read a story to her while she sits. If by a miracle she goes, you need to praise her like crazy and give a name to what she did. Wow you went pee in the potty!! What a good girl, and you can give her a treat if you like.

Ok, but is this really potty training?? NO

You need to gain your child's cooperation.

After you have charted your child's basic schedule of elimination, the child has been staying dry for a while, and has been gently introduced to the potty. Now you have to take that information and run with it.

Use the schedule to determine the times she tends to wet the diaper and instead of letting her wet the diaper, put her on the potty. You can read to her, play a calm game with her or anything that gets her to sit on the potty for about 15 minutes. Also start to use potty words. Ask her to try to go in the potty, but don't get angry or frustrated when she doesn't. If she does go, she can put a sticker on her chart and get a treat.

After your child starts to have success, then you can take him out and let him pick out some big kid underwear. Don't forget the washcloths.

You need to take a washcloth and fold it in 3rds and place in the underwear towards the middle for a girl and towards the front for a boy. Make sure to encourage the child not to wet on Thomas the Train, or Dora the explorer! After the first few times they usually get the message that it feels really bad to wet their pants. The washcloth will absorb some of it and it will stay next to their skin and feel really yucky.

OK, its really not working, my child after several months is really not getting it and couldn't care less! Now's the time to back off a little bit, parents. I know you are anxious to quit washing diapers and underwear, but believe me they will potty train eventually don't get discouraged.

Just take a step back for a minute and if you feel you must put them back into cloth diapers for a little while longer, sometimes we get anxious and switch them to underwear too fast.

Your child is doing great!

Everything is going great, is that all?

You will have to continue this for quite some time. Making sure to get the child to the potty when he has the most chance of being successful. After awhile you will begin to notice if he needs to go, then you can ask him "Do you need to go potty"? and then take him matter-of-factly and set him on the potty. If he goes make sure to praise.

If after awhile he is getting the message, staying dry and having no accidents you can remove the washcloths from his underwear. Now you need to encourage him to tell you when he has to go potty. Have him use very simple words such as "Go potty" or "Pee"

Nighttime dryness is another issue, I would encourage you to use your cloth diapers at night for a while after he is daytime potty trained. Many children take longer to night time potty train. Your child may balk at having to wear a diaper at night, I know mine did, so if that is the case you can give him a dry run and see what happens, just try not to let him drink too close to bedtime.

Its really really not working out!

Help me, its just not working out and I am at the breaking point!

Calm down, take some deep breaths, IN, and OUT..thats right! Now remember if your child is really just not getting it or caring at all about it, you can take a step back. Put them back into those cloth diapers for a month or so. But don't go back to disposables, that will set you back quite a bit in everything you have accomplished. I know it feels as though you are not getting through to him, you really are, just give him a chance to process all he has learned, and maybe he will surprise you.

Some other tips that might help if you don't want to take that big of a step back. You could try taking him outside (weather permitting and let him walk around without bottoms. Make sure you bring your potty out with you and when you see him starting to go place him on the potty. Then of course tons of praise.

You could try changing your incentive, maybe he really doesn't like stickers all that much.

Have him watch you when you go to the bathroom. You don't need to bare all to him if you are uncomfortable but show him that you use the toilet.

She could practice potty training her doll.

Read books on using the potty.

Great Stuff on Amazon

If you need some additional reading material check below.

Stress-Free Potty Training: A Commonsense Guide to Finding the Right Approach for Your Child

kittybetrue

by kittybetrue

Hi My name is Carol. I am a wife and mother of 3. I have been a stay at home mom for 10 years, just recently gone back to work on the night shift.... (more)

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