Here are ten potty training tips from Meg.
Meg has been a part of the potty training process with more kids than she can count. Each child is different, and each family will choose a different method- here are just a few tips to help you along the way!
Ten potty training tips:
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- Follow your child’s lead: when your child is ready, they will let you know. It could be asking to sit on the potty or continually trying to take their diaper off.
- Be patient: sometimes potty training can take longer than you think. It’s ok to take breaks or to start fresh another day.
- Accidents will happen: Show grace to yourself when you have thrown clothes in the washer for the fifth time and to your child when they’ve had the fifth accident. It takes time. They are learning how to listen to their body, and you’re learning to trust them to listen to their body.
- Make them part of the process: let them pick out their new underwear, the potty seat they will sit on, or even the soap they will use to wash their hands! Help them take ownership.
- Find them incentives that work for them: it could be stickers or an m&m, or a chart to keep track. Start with small steps for the incentives. For example: in the beginning, when they just sit on the potty they can get a sticker. Then, when they are going more frequently, they have to successfully go to the bathroom in order to get the reward. At the end of the day, incentives help your child to focus on the task. So find something fun and helpful for them.
- Don’t rush taking them out of pull-ups at nap or nighttime. Have them go on the potty one time before bed and then put them in their pull-up. Sometimes, your child will use going to the bathroom as a way not to fall asleep, so setting that boundary will not only help you at night but also them and their ability to sleep at night.
- Regression is normal: children are incredibly sensitive to change and new environments. Different things happening to and around them might cause more accidents or a desire to not want to wear pull-ups/underwear. Just take those moments and keep moving forward. They are just moments in the potty-training season, not the whole thing.
- Going #2 will probably come near the end: most children get used to going pee on the potty and understand what that feels like before they understand what a BM feels like.
- If your child is in childcare while they are potty-training, communicate with your teachers: this is so important- the more info your teachers have about how to help your child and what you are doing at home, the better partnership you will have.
- Cheer yourself and your child on- celebrate every step of the way! This is a big milestone you’re both working on. Be proud of each moment!
Remember again, every child is different- continue to take lots of deep breaths and have grace for you and your child every step of the way.
Happy Potty Training!