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Potty training is both the most dreaded and most looked forward to part of parenting for many. The idea of not changing another diaper is practically mouth-watering in its appeal. But there are some things that make potty training easier. Rather than go into detail on everything that can make potty training easier, this article will simply go over the 4 biggest things you need to focus on. Let’s begin.
Make Sure They’re Ready
You might be ready. You might have been ready since the day your child was born. But if your child isn’t ready – really ready – nothing else you do is going to get them potty trained. No amount of tricks, tips, or bribes will work until your child is ready, physically, mentally, and emotionally, to be potty trained. You can help encourage that attitude by explaining the freedom that comes with being trained and how grown up (as a “big girl” or a “big boy”) they really are. Praises and encouragement can go a long way.
Start Small, Then Go Big
As adults who can’t remember a time when we weren’t potty trained, it’s easy to forget that the toilet can be a scary thing to a small child. A potty can be the ideal starting point. You can keep it in rooms other than the bathroom, for visual reminders. If you have other children, they can prove to be a big encouragement on your little one with cheering and sharing how they did it too.
A potty is sized for your child, so it’s less intimidating, and without a flush, it’s also less scary. If you get one with a removable potty seat, you can gradually ease your child from the potty to the familiar potty seat on the toilet. It may take time, but it will be worth it in the end.
Get Your Sewer Cleaned, and Repaired if Needed
If your child is already intimidated by the toilet, potty training will not go well if the toilet backs up while your child is on it. You also need to consider that you may be doing a lot more laundry for a while, which means more water heading into the sewer.
Have your toilet cleaned, pumped, and any repairs done be made by a professional plumber like L.J. KRUSE COMPANY before you have your child start trying to use the big kid toilet.
Stick With It
Potty training is tough. It’s easy to see your child not getting it and think you should stop and wait for a better time. But if you’ve already waited until you know your child is ready, stopping and starting isn’t going to make things better. Be patient and stick with it. Keep going, even when it seems like all your efforts are wasted because consistency is the key to potty training.
The good thing about potty training is that once it’s done, it’s done. But it is one of the toughest parts of parenting, and you need to be sure that both you and your child, are ready before you begin. Hopefully, these four tips will help better prepare you for the process.
