You think “Mason is 2 and you were fully potty trained at by
that age”
OR
Your child's school will require
him to be fully potty trained in order to move into preschool.
The fact is, no matter where the pressure is coming from, it
really boils down to whether your child is ready… question is… how will you
know?
Let's start by saying that age is only a number when it comes
to this milestone. Although its best to take into consideration that these
signs may develop as early as 18 months old and as late as 3½ years. Once you
take the dive into the developmental milestone, don’t look back. Before you go
all in, look for these signs to know when your child is truly ready for this next step.
First and foremost, the frequency of their wet
diapers. Is your child’s diaper dry for an extended period in time? If
they are dry for more than 3 hours and they have been thoroughly hydrating,
this is a great sign.
Second, can they effectively pull up and down their bottoms without
much assistance? This is just as important as the act because this is an
independent act.
Third, are they interested in the bathroom when you or your
spouse are using it? Not because they want your attention but they are wanting to know what your doing and why? By showing interest and talking with them about it, it will
lessen that chances of them being terrified of the loud sound from the toilet
flushing or balancing on the toilet themselves.
Lastly, can they communicate with you that they have soiled
their diaper or are about to go in it? Communication isn’t limited to words, which is nice, but more so
key visual cues for you to change them.
With all of these in line, you should take the leap into the
world of potty training. But what's next?
Underwear, Comando, Pull-ups? Where do you begin?
I firmly believe that Pull-ups are an adults excuse to not
have to “deal” with the mess of potty training. Believe it or not, Pull-ups can
cause a barrage of mixed signals and wet clothes. Pull-ups absorb less than a
regular diaper. They also feel like a
diaper, so why not pee in them when
you don’t want to walk about from your favorite toy or mickey mouse clubhouse?
Underwear is certainly the way to go. It comes in many
forms. Two of which I have seen work effectively. You have your old fashioned
toilet training underwear which has a thick middle cushion that helps absorb
some urine if they happen to have an accident. The plus side is that your child
will still get that sensation of the “accident”. If your child is truly ready to
potty train, they will not like this. You can get these below at Walmart.com for less than 7 bucks!
Then you have regular underwear with princesses and
superhero's. This has an added advantage. You can make it exciting and fun to
pick these new accessories out. By allowing your child help make these
decisions for themselves to be like a “big kid”, they will then take ownership
of their underwear. This makes them more aware of when they need to go. Just
like when you get a new pair of shoes and you avoid puddles and dirt. They will
avoid soiling their underwear to preserve the “princesses” and “hero's”. These below are an example of the regular undies that you can try at $11 for 7.
It takes patience and consistency, otherwise you will be in a mess of things. Take that literally. Have confidence in your toddler and work with them. Never shame them with an accident. It happens. Build them up and encourage them to try to let the rest out on the toilet.
Do not teeter totter when you take the plunge. You have to be all in. Show your confidence and this will make your child just as confident about this process. If you get anything out of this article, know that when you put a diaper on a potty training child, it sends all sorts of signals that it is not as important as you have made it to be if you are okay with changing another dirty diaper. Don't do it no matter how frustrated you are.
Remember to stay calm, positive and encouraging. Never shame or demean your child during this challenging learning opportunity.
Things to incorporate:
Toilet Chairs
Stools
Potty Charts
Treats
Words of Encouragement
One on One time during the toileting process
