Every parent of a toddler looks forward to the day when diapers are a thing of the past, but the toilet-training process can be fraught with stress for parents and children alike. Successful potty training can take months, and there are often plenty of accidents along the way. Most children will begin showing signs of being ready to be toilet trained at age 2 or 3, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and boys often display readiness later than girls. When you start potty training with a good plan and reasonable expectations, you should be pleased with the results.
Signs Your Child Is Ready
Before you start potty training your child, recognize the signs that he is ready to start using the toilet. Is your child able to pull his pants up and down by himself? Does he feel uncomfortable in a wet or dirty diaper or tell you that his diaper is wet or dirty? Does he stay dry at least two hours during the day, and does he wake up from a nap dry? These are all signs that a child is ready to be toilet trained, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. If your child displays any of these behaviors, he could be ready to give potty training a try.
Prepare Your Child
Start the toilet-training process by preparing your child ahead of time. Several books and videos on the subject are available, and these can help familiarize your child with the process of using the toilet. Try reading a book or watching a video together, writes renowned pediatrician and author Dr. Alan Greene. You also might want to allow your child to observe the parent of the same sex using the toilet and place a potty seat in the bathroom to make it more familiar.
Another way to prepare your child and get her excited about toilet training is making a special trip to buy her new underwear. Let her pick out the new underwear as an encouragement and to get her excited about potty training.
Encouragement
Offer your child encouragement during the toilet-training process, and do not punish him for accidents, which are an inevitable part of the process. The Mayo Clinic recommends offering a small incentive to kids who are motivated by a reward. You can give him a sticker or a special reward when he uses the toilet successfully. You should also praise your child after using the toilet; do not reprimand or punish him if he has an accident.
Frequent Trips
When you begin toilet training your child, make frequent trips to the bathroom so they become part of your routine. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends taking your child to the bathroom when she wakes up in the morning, before and after naptime and before going to bed. You may also want to have your child try to go to the bathroom before leaving the house to prevent an accident while you are out.
Children are more easily deeply involved in their activities and may not notice or ignore an urge to urinate, according to the Mayo Clinic. When you start potty training, ask your child throughout the day if she has to use the bathroom.
Training Pants
Disposable pull-up toilet-training pants are a convenient alternative to training pants, but some children may take longer to potty train wearing these because of their similarity to diapers, according to Dr. Greene. Non-disposable training pants offer more incentive to kids, because when they urinate or defecate in them, they will be more uncomfortable.
