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Don't start potty training your child before she's prepared, as this can lead to frustration, and make the task of toilet training take longer than necessary. When your toddler is prepared to potty train, she'll exhibit signs of readiness. Some of these signals include being able to understand simple instructions; wanting to have soiled diapers changed immediately; expressing interest in wearing "big kid" underwear; able to pull her own pants up or down; can tell you when she poops or urinates in her diaper; and shows a visible interest in the potty.
Consistency is a huge part of toilet training success, so if you have too much on your plate such as a new baby in the home, and are unable to dedicate the time needed to toilet train your child properly, wait until things subside before you begin. -
Let your child go to the bathroom with you. This will help familiarize her with the environment, and also work to remove any fear she might have of the toilet. Verbalize to your child what you're doing in the bathroom so she can understand the purpose of the toilet.
Place a potty chair next to your child's changing table. Allow him to become accustomed to the potty chair by letting him touch it, and sit on it with his clothes on. After a few days of doing this, let your child sit on the potty chair with his bare bottom.
When you change soiled diapers, dump the remnants in the potty chair, and allow your toddler to accompany you to the bathroom to watch you empty the contents of the potty chair into the toilet. You can even allow him flush after the potty chair is dumped. -
Young kids may not verbalize their need to use the potty, so schedule regular bathroom breaks. Put your kid on the potty every two hours or shortly after he has something to drink. Also watch for potty signals from your kid such as a change in facial expressions, suddenly stopping in the middle of an activity, or squatting.
To help your child relax while she's on the potty, sit in the bathroom with her and read a story or have a chat. Don't make a big deal if your toddler doesn't poop or urinate when she sits on the potty; if you're patient and supportive, she'll get the hang of it eventually. Whenever your child uses the potty, offer plenty of praise, and implement a reward system such as a sticker chart.
Once your toddler masters the potty chair, he can graduate to the toilet. Use a toilet seat adapter so your kid can sit on the toilet without falling in. A non-slip step stool may also be necessary for your tyke to reach the toilet by himself.
If your toddler is resistant to toilet training, he may not be developmentally prepared. If this is the case, set the toilet training aside for a couple of weeks, and try again later. If your child is not toilet trained within three months of consistent trying, consult his pediatrician.
