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Step 1: Ask yourself, is your child ready? And it is good timing?
Readiness:
Do your child show interest in the toilet?
Do they tell you when they have to go or when they are wet?
Are they independent, and able to control the urge to go?
Timing:
Is your child healthy and happy?
Are you in the middle of transition? (Welcoming a new baby, changing places, transition to daycare)
Seasonal aspects? (Is it easier to pull down shorts or snowpants, and layers of clothes!)
Preparation:
Clothing (Loose fit clothes, letting children choose clothes for themselves so that they are motivated not to soil their clothing)
Environment (Is your home setting a prepared space for accidents to happen, do you have toilet training tools)
Preparing yourself (Toilet training takes a lot of time, patience and efforts, are you prepared for it)
Choose reward system (Rewarding children boosts their self-esteem, and child gets motivated) (Trip to their favorite store, stickers, or their favorite snack)
Step 2: Ready for training? Here are the next steps:
Introduce your child to the routine.
Modelling.
Give them plenty to drink.
Keep reminding them and encouraging them to use the toilet before and after transitions.
Do not confuse them by putting them in diapers for your own comfort’s sake.
Activities: Potty training songs, Scavenger hunt for potty training items, make it a science experiment (food coloring, potty seek and find game, potty training race).
FAQ:
How long does potty training take?
Once toilet training starts it can take 3-4 weeks for some children to be mostly dry, but other children may take several months. It is important to be consistent and follow the same toilet routine every day.
What do I do if my child refuses to sit on the toilet?
Do not insist on toilet training. If it becomes upsetting or your child refuses to do it, wait for a few weeks and try again.
What should I do if my child has an accident?
Stay calm. Go to the bathroom and clean up, but do not talk or make cleaning up a fun time. Remind your child of toileting steps. Be patient if they are sick or their usual routine is disrupted. Take a break if necessary.
Tips to prevent an accident:
make the potty or toilet easily accessible
check-in to see if they have to use the toilet
encourage them to use the toilet while on outings
keep diapers or pullups on at night until they usually stay dry by morning
ask them to sit on the toilet before going to bed
Tips for boys and girls
It may be helpful to teach boys to sit down to pee, at first. Once sitting has been mastered, you may like to have a safe, male family member show your child how to pee while standing.
Don't forget to teach your child to wash their hands!
At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Early Childhood Development Subject Matter Experts work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support early childhood development. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. We have a variety of Child Development Activities available on our website, find them at norwoodcentre.com/child-development-activities. For short-term one-on-one coaching, please call us at 780-471-3737.
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