Tips on potty training

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/05/2010 (5706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Before I had a baby, I thought the Internet was the only source for expansive, varied information and advice, whether it be good, bad or just plain weird.

Since the little monkey arrived however, I have been proven wrong by the numerous other parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters and anyone else who has had any experience, however little, raising children, or read about it, or heard about it somewhere.

I really have got some great advice and tips over the last two years and I’m always happy to trade what I’ve learned, too. In fact a lot of the conversations the better half and I have with our friends who have children are information trading sessions.

"Oh, I tried this with him," or "So-and-so used this," or "You wouldn’t believe what happened when she tried this," etc.

It’s not so different now that we have come to start potty training. Usually this first question people ask about my monkey is "How old is she," closely followed by "Is she potty trained yet?"

I reply with the standard, "We’re working on it."

Usually my standard is followed up with, "My so-and-so was potty trained at 10 months," and "Oh, my daughter has been accident-free since she was a year and a half!"

At this point, I smile and say, "Wow, good for her! We’re still working on it."

My daughter is just not ready to sit on the potty full-time. With the help of an Elmo poster and stickers, she has incentive to pee on the potty, but only when the mood strikes.

I have tried some "sudden training" techniques I’ve heard from other parents. I know she usually likes to drop the kids at the pool, so to speak, when I’m in the shower in the morning.

So one day, after hearing this worked for one parent, I left her diaper off and the potty there and showed her the potty and preceded to have my shower.

It’s a good thing I woke up early that day because I then spent the next 45 minutes shampooing her carpet and disinfecting her toys after she had a batch of the runs.

Lesson learned. (For me!)

Right there and then, when rinsing poop off her Mega Blocks, I decided to stop all the sudden training techniques and just wait until she is ready.

Not when I am ready. (Because of course, I’m ready any time now to stop changing diapers!)

I have definitely learned along the way is that my monkey will let me know when she is ready and no amount of pushing, complaining or frowning from my end will help her along or speed the process.

Here are some of the signs that I’ve heard may show you that your toddler is ready to start:

* 1. They stay dry for an hour or more. Or wake up dry after a nap. ( I usually take this opportunity to ask my daughter if she would like to sit on the potty. If she says no and starts to throw a fit, I change the subject.)

* 2. Their bowel move-ments are fairly regular. You know they like to go No. 2 when you are in the shower in the morning, or before naptime, etc.

* 3. Your toddler become conscious of what ends up in his/her pants. This could include become more aware of how dirty they are, telling you with delight, "Mommy, I peed!) or even hiding in the corner somewhere to do their business.

So while I can’t tell you how to successfully potty train your toddler yet, I can tell you to be easy on yourself. It’s not a contest (although it may feel like that sometimes) and your toddler will get it, when they are ready.

And no, you won’t be changing their diaper on their graduation day.

 

Kyla Henderson is a local freelance journalist, business owner and mommy. Her column runs every week in the Community News.

» kyla@lilbitbaby.ca