Next Day Potty training is a big change for any toddler, but it’s particularly challenging if your child is dealing with other major life changes. Moving, having a new baby or going to preschool are all things that can make potty training hard.
Help your child prepare for this big step by introducing them to the potty chair or toilet. Let them watch you or older siblings use the bathroom and encourage them to sit on the potty chair fully dressed.
Your child’s first step toward potty training should be to make trips to the bathroom a regular part of their day. This can include putting them on the potty chair after they wake up in the morning, before and after meals, before and after nap times and playtime, and in between different activities.
It’s important to have a set schedule for your child to follow, and it can be helpful to write it down so everyone can remember what’s coming up. However, this isn’t always possible when you have a busy family life, so be sure to adjust the schedule according to what works best for you and your toddler.
Begin by letting your child sit on the potty chair for 20-30 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon, just to get them used to sitting there. You might also want to try letting them sit on the potty without a diaper before bed. Once your toddler gets used to going on the potty regularly, they’ll be more likely to recognize when they need to go and start to tell you they have to go before they have an accident.
You can encourage your children to use the potty by talking about it, describing what happens in there and how good it feels to go pee and poop in the toilet. You should also let them watch you and other adults use the toilet, as they learn by copying and by watching others. You can also help them get familiar with the potty by letting them wear pull-ups or training pants (depending on what age your child is) so they will feel like big kids.
Be patient and positive, especially if your toddler has accidents. It can take three to six months for a kid to fully train for potty, so don’t be discouraged if they have to wear diapers sometimes for a little while.
Once your child is comfortable with the routine, you can start to give them more and more opportunities to visit the potty during the day. Eventually, they may only need to be placed on the potty once every two hours.
Expect Hesitancy
Hesitancy can happen at any point in the potty training process. It is important to be patient and not push your child if they are struggling with hesitancy. If your child is having a hard time with hesitancy, try taking them to the potty in low pressure environments, like before or after school. Or, you can give them a reward every time they successfully use the toilet, to help boost their confidence.
When your child is hesitating, it means that they are feeling nervous and unsure about something. Hesitancy can also be a physical sign of nervousness, like fidgeting or shaking. Hesitancy can be a big hurdle to overcome, but it is necessary for your child’s success.
While the terms hesitant, reluctant, loathe, and averse can all mean to be averse or disinclined to do something, hesitancy seems to be more appropriate for the delay between cortical decision to void and prompt detrusor/sphincter response. This could be due to any number of issues, ranging from mechanical obstruction to cortical pathways.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to potty training. It may be a long and slow process, but being consistent with the routine and expectations will help your child have success in this area. Make sure to set a regular time each day that you take your child to the bathroom, whether it be in the morning, after meals, before and after naps, or at nighttime. It is also a good idea to have your child sit on the potty whenever they show signs that they have to go, such as crossing their legs, grunting, or squatting.
You should also be consistent with praise and encouragement. It is important to let your children know that you are proud of them when they use the potty correctly. This will help them want to continue doing it and will not be discouraged by an occasional accident. If your child is having a hard time with this, it can be helpful to talk to your doctor, who can provide further guidance.
Keep in mind that it takes many children quite a few months before they are fully toilet trained. Be patient with your child and try to have a positive attitude throughout the whole process. It is also a great idea to create a chart for your child to track their progress with the potty. This could include a column for times when they have gone potty, a column for times that they have had accidents and a comment section to write down what kind of movement they had. This can help you get a better understanding of how often they are going to the potty, what types of movements they are having and what kind of attention they need from you.
Be sure to share your potty training plan with all caregivers, such as babysitters or grandparents. They can then follow your lead and support your child. This can be especially important when you are out of the house for errands or other activities. It can be very frustrating for a child to suddenly have a diaper change in the middle of an outing and can hinder their motivation to continue with the potty training process.
Be Positive
Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools you have in toilet training your child. You should use praise and encouragement throughout the process and celebrate each success, no matter how small. This will motivate your child to continue making progress and it will also help to avoid discouragement when they are having accidents or have not reached their potty goals.
While it is important to keep a positive attitude during the potty training process, you must be mindful of your tone of voice and how you communicate with your child. Scolding and yelling can cause your child to become frustrated with the process and may result in them giving up. Instead, refocus your efforts on encouraging them to make the connection between what they feel and where their waste goes.
You should also make toilet training a fun experience for your child. This will help them be more comfortable using the potty. You can do this by providing a variety of fun toilet toys and books. Getting your child involved with the process will help them understand what is going on and will also encourage them to try again in the future.
A positive attitude also helps to overcome some of the fears that children have about going poop in the potty. For example, you can validate their feelings by saying, “You are scared to poop on the toilet.” You could also help them overcome these fears by talking about poop, putting on pretend poop or even singing songs!
It is also important to remember that every child is different and has their own timeline for learning. You should not be frustrated if your child is taking longer to train than their friends or siblings. Just be patient and continue to make it a fun and exciting experience for them so they will be more likely to want to continue to work towards this goal. This will ultimately lead to them becoming fully potty trained in their own time. The most important thing to remember is that the potty training process takes time, but it is a necessary step in their development.