Toilet Training, you can do it!

Potty Training is a big step in your child's life, as no kid will stay in nappies all their life! You as a parent have a very important role in training your child. Don't try for toilet training too early - it is much easier when children are aged two and upwards but l guess it is up to you and when you feel your child is ready.

Your child is ready for potty training when he or she:

• Has bowel movements at about the same time every day
• Can stay dry for a few hours or wakes up dry from sleep
• Knows that he/she has to go to the bathroom
• Understands the association between dry pants and using the potty
• Can pull her pants up and down

• Lets you know when he/she has soiled his/her diaper (likes to stay dry)
• Understands potty training terms (wet, dry, pee, poop, dirty and potty)
• Can follow simple directions like, "lets go to the potty"
• Can tell you he/she has to go to the bathroom
• Imitates other family members
• Shows interest and asks question while watching you
• Wants to do things "by myself"
• Enjoys washing his/her hands (like to be clean)
• Gets upset if his/her belongings are not in their proper place

Start the Training: Introduce the potty in a casual way. Put it in a room where your child plays most often. Teach your child the words needed for toilet training, such as wet, dry, wee, poo, it's coming. Choose words that you are comfortable with. Choose either a potty, or a special toilet seat with a footstool Some toddlers are afraid of being flushed down the toilet because they don't yet understand that they cannot fit down such a small hole. For these children a potty is better or let them learn to flush the toilet with you or by themselves. Make sure that the toilet area is safe. Make sure your child is wearing clothing that is easy to get on and off, and easy to wash. If you are alert to your child's signals, you can be ready to guide her to the potty or toilet in time.

• Teach boys and girls to wash their hands after using the toilet or potty.
• Reward successes with cuddles. Say things like "I am proud of you for trying".
• Remember that a toddler is not able to ‘hold on' to a wee that is ready to come out. Children are often busy with what they are doing, so they don't always notice their body's message that their wee or poo is coming. You might start by noticing when your child is doing a poo in his nappy and tell him, "I think you're doing a poo".
• If your child tells you before he does a wee or poo, thank him for telling you and take him to the toilet or potty straight away. Toddlers cannot ‘hold on' for more than a few seconds.
• Children should not be made to sit on a potty or toilet for long periods of time. This feels like punishment to the child and does not help toilet training.
• Once your child is used to the potty-chair, you can start to encourage use of it. At the beginning of training, increase fluids to encourage practice. Encouraging practice will help your child learn the basic potty skills.

Problems:

• Starting too soon can cause problems
• If the child feels pressured by her parents, learning is hampered.
• Children and parents getting into a battle over toilet training doesn't help
• Any stress in your child's life, such as a new baby or starting childcare can set her back.
• It is common for toddlers to relax and ‘let go' as soon as they stand to walk away from the potty.

Parents can help!

It is important for your child to feel she has your support in learning to use the toilet or potty. If she asks to wear a nappy or have a bottle again for a while after observing the new baby, let her. Once she feels that she is still special to you she will be able to go forward again. Tell your toddler whenever and wherever she does her poo, that poo is good and doing poo is good for her. This will help her to feel free to tell you when she is doing it, or when she is ready to.

• If she wakes up dry. The first praise needs to be just for sitting there for a short time, or for pulling up her pants or whatever she can manage. 
• Children learn new tasks in small steps and each step can be praised. 
• It is not helpful to make toddlers wash their own pants or sheets. This usually makes them feel bad and may make things worse.

Bed wetting:

• One in ten six-year-olds is regularly wet at night. Most grow out of it but being wet at night runs in families and boys may be slower than girls.
• Don't rush night time dryness. Many children aren't dry until they are three. Wait until daytime dryness has been comfortably achieved.

The reason why most children aren't dry at night is probably because their nervous systems are not mature enough to trigger that their bladders are full and need emptying. Discuss with your child the issue of leaving nappies off at night and put a plastic sheet under the sheets. Be relaxed - reassure your child that it doesn't matter if they wet the bed - you can wash the sheets and change their pyjamas. If your child continues to be wet at night after the age of 6, you should see your child specialist.   Remember, the keys to potty training are patience, praise, encouragement. Don't forget Toilet training is a not an easy task for you little one however your love and care can make it an easy one.

(Sources: parentingtoddlers.com, cyh.com, mumsnet.com)