How to Potty Train an Older Child
Some children will not be ready for toilet training until the age of 4. Potty training is not simply sitting your child on the potty and hoping for the best. Your child needs to be physically, mentally and socially ready to begin eliminating on the toilet. Some children develop at a slower pace and will not be ready or willing to use the potty until much later than their peers.
Look for cues indicating your child is ready to use the potty, such as asking to be changed or following you into the bathroom. While curiosity about the toilet is not a guarantee your child will begin using it, it is one of the first steps to successful potty training.
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Instructions
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1
Have your child checked for any medical problems related to toilet-training, such as constipation. This will rule out the difference between a child who truly can't go and a child who doesn't want to go.
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2
Talk to your child about potty training. Discuss the process and any fears your child has related to the toilet or using it. Much of delayed potty training has to do with your child's fears regarding the process.
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3
Take your child to buy his own underwear. Allow him to pick whatever design he wants. Explain that when he wears his own underwear, he needs to use the toilet.
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4
Give your child "naked" time each day. Your child will be more aware of his bodily functions, as well as the mess he makes. Since many children do not like to be messy, this may be an incentive to eliminate on the toilet.
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5
Take your child to use the toilet at regular intervals. Start when he wakes up, after each meal, before and after each nap and before bed. You can add or take away additional times depending on his schedule.
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6
Create a reward chart your child can use when he successfully uses the potty. He can place a sticker on the chart for each time he uses the potty without an accident. Give your child a small prize after a set number of successes, such as five.
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7
Have your older child assist in cleaning up any accidents. Show him how to rinse out soiled underpants and place them in the laundry basket. Have him wipe the floor with a towel if he messed on the floor. This is not done as a punishment, but to help your child understand he needs to be responsible for his bodily eliminations, wherever they occur.
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8
Resist the urge to push or force your older child to use the toilet. Control issues may be part of the problem or delay, and forcing your child will only result in more resistance. Simply back off for a few days or weeks, explaining to your child if he wishes to make messes in his pants, he will be responsible for cleaning them (see Step 7).
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9
Enlist the help of an older sibling, friend, teacher or other trusted individual. If your older child realizes other people he respects and looks up to are using the potty, he may want to begin using the potty as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Be nonchalant about toilet training. If your child doesn't feel pressured to go, he may make the choice to use the toilet on his own.
Major life changes can delay potty training for any child. Avoid making significant changes in your child's life, such as moving, if you are trying to train (or delay training until the change is complete.)
Positive reinforcement can be a motivator to use the potty - celebrate every small success your child has with toilet training.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit toilet image by kuhar from Fotolia.com
