Now that your little boy is approaching the right age for potty training, you are probably thrilled at the idea of graduating from your diaper changing duties. Yet, if you know anyone else with children around your son's age, you may have noticed that little girls generally learn to use the potty sooner than boys, says BabyCenter online. No matter; let your little one take his time as he navigates new territory and he will make the transition with fewer struggles.
Signs of Readiness
You will successfully avoid potty training battles if you wait for your toddler to become fully ready for the change. According to BabyCenter online, some toddlers are ready to start potty training while other children aren't ready until they are four years old. Look for signs of physical, behavioral and cognitive readiness before you leap. Some cognitive signs include the ability to follow simple instructions and the ability to use words for urine and stool. Some behavioral signs include the ability to pull pants up and down and the patience to sit still for two to five minutes. Physical signs include the ability to walk or run steadily and the capacity to stay dry for three to four hours at a time.
Motivation
After you have determined that your toddler is ready to begin potty training, get him in the proper mindset by allowing him to observe you and preferably a male family member as you use the toilet. Also purchase him a child-sized potty in advance and then let him play with it and personalize it with markers or stickers before you ever suggest that he uses it. Moreover, consider taking him on a special trip to the store to buy potty training books or movies and a package of new "big kid" underwear of his choice. Eventually encourage your toddler to sit on his potty with his clothes on by allowing him to play with a special "potty time only" toy.
Sitting Before Standing
Once your son seems comfortable sitting on his potty clothed for about a week, suggest that he sit on his potty with his pants down the way that big kids and adults do. Don't force him to sit that way as it may make him resistant; let him slowly warm up to the idea. Don't encourage him to urinate standing up right away, as bowel movements and urine frequently arrive simultaneously.
Aiming Practice
Allow your son to practice urinating standing up once he seems comfortable with the simple sitting procedure. If he seems resistant, let him gauge his own readiness and suggest the transition at a later time. BabyCenter recommends that you encourage the process by letting him watch a male relative stand up to urinate and by giving him targets to practice his aim. Allow a big brother to show him how to aim for "O" shaped cereals and paper cutouts in the toilet bowl or allow him to run naked in the backyard and urinate on a target taped to a tree, says AskDrSears.com.
Celebration
Downplay your son's accidents and praise all successes, even if he only gets a drop of urine in the toilet and the rest lands on the floor. Some parents decide to encourage potty use by rewarding successes with small toys or stickers on a chart. BabyCenter recommends not making a big production out of every success in order to avoid making your toddler feel self-conscious.
