One of the best ways to toilet train your toddler is to ask an older sibling some help. Three, four, and even five year old sister or brother will be proud to show your toddler how to use the toilet. It is a form of accomplishment for them.
When you think your child is physically ready, between 2 to 3 yrs. old, introduce the prospect of wearing fancy underwear instead of diapers. It’s a great incentive for toilet training.
Mention a neighbour John wearing basketball player underwear because he goes to the toilet by himself or that Annie can wear fancy underpants because she doesn’t get them wet.
If you don’t have an older child to help you with toilet training, allow him to be present when you go to the bathroom and make your child feel comfortable in the bathroom. Allow your child to see urine and bowel movements in the toilet. Let your child play with flushing the toilet.
Before toilet training your toddler, place a potty chair in your child’s normal living and play area so that your he will become familiar with the potty. Consider placing a potty chair on each floor of the house if you live in a multilevel home. Allow your toddler to observe, touch and become familiar with the potty chair.
Tell your toddler that the potty chair is his or her own chair. Allow him to sit fully clothed on the potty chair, as if it were a regular chair. Allow your child to leave the potty chair at any time. Do not force your child to spend time sitting on the chair.
After your toddler has become used to the potty chair and sits on it regularly with his or her clothes on, try having your child sit on the potty without wearing pants and a diaper. Let your child become comfortable with sitting on the potty without wearing pants and a diaper.
The next step on toilet training is to show your child how the potty chair is used. Place stool from a dirty diaper into the potty chair. Allow your child to observe the transfer of the bowel movement from the potty chair into the toilet. Let your toddler flush the toilet and watch the bowel movement disappear down the toilet.
Toilet training your toddler may require patience on your part but will surely make you a proud and accomplished mother.
Filed under: Motherhood | Tagged: Motherhood, toddler, toilet training
