Potty training can be a challenging but exciting time for both you and your child. While it can be a breeze for some children, other children struggle with it. As a parent, there are some things that you can do to make your child's (and your) experience a little easier and hopefully help children who are resisting to improve and enjoy this rite of passage.
Avoid Transition Times
Do not attempt to potty train a child during a time of transition in the child's life. This may include the birth of a new sibling, starting at a new school or moving to a new place. These times are difficult enough for children emotionally and they do not need the added stress of potty training.
Stay Positive
No matter how discouraged or upset you and your child are feeling, be sure that you are always positive with your child. Do not punish him for his struggles or scold him for accidents. If your child is feeling guilty or shameful, this can only discourage proper use of the toilet. Enjoy and celebrate the successes that your child does have and make sure that he feels good about himself.
Set Regular Potty Times
Have set times during the day when your child is expected to sit on the toilet for five to 10 minutes and attempt to use it. This may include after waking from naps or bedtime, before going to bed, after meals or before other transitions in the day. Successes during this potty time may cut back on accidents at other times.
Have Rewards
Consider the use of a reward system for your child to encourage proper potty use. Have a sticker chart that your child can use each time he is successful. Give your child some sort of reward or prize, like a stuffed animal or a trip to a local museum, once a certain number of stickers are earned.
Give Your Child Responsibility
Put some of the choice in your child's hands by having him help to clean up after an accident. This may include things like wiping the floor or cleaning out dirty underwear. Do not paint this as a punishment, but as a consequence of accidents that your child is expected to help deal with.
Talk it Out
Talk to your child about their feelings regarding this event. You may learn that your child is resisting because he is unclear about what he should be doing. Or perhaps he is afraid of sitting on the toilet or flushing it afterward. Sometimes a simple discussion can provide a simple solution to the problem.
Be Prepared to Take a Break
Sometimes a resistant child may just not be ready to use the potty yet. It might be the best thing for both of you to just take a break from potty training for a few months and try again when the child is a little bit older. If you are concerned about your child's difficulty, talk to your pediatrician to rule out any medical or developmental reasons for the struggles.
