So your toddler is ready to ditch the diaper? Generally, toddlers between 18 and 24 months of age begin to display signals of potty training readiness. However, potty training success may not be reached until he or she is 2, 3 or even 4 years of age. Any parent that has been through the toilet training stage can tell you that it can be a trying and even frustrating time until their child finally grasps and learns what needs to be done, but the one constant in potty training is having the proper toilet training equipment.
Toilet trainers, also known as potty chairs and potty seats or rings, are scaled down versions of standard toilets and toilet seats, and are used to assist a young child during the toilet training process. The actual potty is a stand alone toddler sized toilet or potty chair, while the potty seat or ring is a toilet seat that has been re-sized to accommodate a toddler comfortably and fits right over the standard toilet in your bathroom. Toilet trainers come in different styles and even themes, but the main principle of usage remains the same, which is to lessen the anxiety and apprehension that comes with toilet training by making the equipment less intimidating.
What to Look for
When choosing a stand alone toilet trainer or potty chair, it should have an easy to remove "catch basin," which will help prevent spillage and make clean up easy. The toilet chair needs to be sturdy enough to hold the weight of your toddler and stable enough not to topple over while he is sitting on it. Also, for toddler boys, there should be a sizable splash guard on the seat of the potty chair, which can be detached for easy cleaning. Some of the newer toilet chair models have incorporated a sound system that works like a reward by making a flushing sound or other such sound, alerting the toddler that they were successful.
For those parents that choose the toilet training seat, also called a potty seat or rings, it is important to choose a seat that will fit correctly on the existing adult toilet seat in your home. Again, there should be a detachable splash guard for boys. Since part of toilet training is encouraging the toddler to use the toilet independently, it may be helpful to choose a toilet training seat that has steps attached to the seat. This will help your toddler get up on the adult toilet with ease, and for those potty seats that do not have the attached steps, you can purchase a child sized step stool.
For the family that is on the go, there are portable toilet trainers to help maintain your active lifestyle. These portable toilet trainers work like the potty seat and fit directly over the standard adult toilet seat, but they can be removed and folded up to fit neatly in your diaper bag.
With all toilet training equipment, you will want to make sure to choose simple designs that have smooth edges. Be sure the model chosen can be easily cleaned and disinfected, which means you should pick a toilet trainer that has few crevices and seams. Crevices and seams make for great places for germs to grow and hide, as well as potential for pinching or hurting your toddler.
Common Pitfalls
As a parent, you will have to choose the right toilet trainer for you and your child. Keep in mind that you might benefit greatly from allowing your toddler to help you choose the type of potty they will use, which will help get them excited about the process. However, when opting for the toilet trainer chair type of potty, you will also have the extra added process of transitional training your child to use the adult toilet, whereas direct training with a toilet trainer seat may eliminate that extra training step. Also, the fancier the toilet trainer, the more expensive it will be. So weigh whether or not you really need the extra amenities like sound features and stickers, because they will not make the toilet training process any more successful.
Member Comments