Posts tagged as:

advice

The Key to Potty Training Success

Toilet training your child is a major milestone in their young life, both physically and mentally.

It is also 100% necessary.

Within a fairly narrow window of time, your child will first learn they have the power to control their waste and then be asked to master the necessary control.

The key to potty training success isn’t simply crossing the finish line, it’s making the experience pleasant for all involved as well. Your child, like all children, has their particular likes and dislikes; things they enjoy doing along with those things they don’t enjoy nearly as much.

By making potty training an engaging experience, you will not only make it easier on yourself, you will make it easier on your child as well. Potty training success, here we come!

Please allow us to introduce ourselves and tell you how we led our own children to potty training success. This blog is co-authored by Sean and Cindy Platt. We have been married for eight years and the best of friends for twelve. For the past three years, we have run a highly specialized preschool where learning is always put first.

Despite some of our students joining class at only three months of age, our school is no less a learning environment for the infant as it is for the toddler.

In our Kinder Garden, we start early and finish strong.

Our preschool is based on the philosophy that everyone is a student and learning begins at birth. It doesn’t make a bit of difference who you are or whether or not you have yet to celebrate your first birthday. Everyone is a learner. This philosophy has not only ensured that even our one year olds can spell their names, it also helps to establish the early habits that make fluid potty training fully possible.

Though Seanʼs first experience with potty training toddlers began only after the birth of our daughter, Cindy has been an educator for two tireless decades. Her personal history is flocked with fantastic results because she enters and exits every affair with elevated expectations.

Teaching our daughter was (somewhat surprisingly) a snap. Though we had done our homework and felt we were prepared, we still didn’t know exactly what to expect.

Some things you cannot truly understand until they are actually happening. Fortunately, our first experience benefited from a year and a half of constant communication. We are incessant explainers and our daughter a relentless listener. Once it was time to train our daughter, we articulated our expectations, then crossed our hearts and braided our hands.

The gods of toilet training seemed to be smiling on that particular day as our daughter went to bed as dry that night as sheʼs risen each day since!

Fortunately, we found our initial potty training success wasn’t a fluke.

The summer when our son turned one was when we opened our pre-school. Our transition was immediate. We interviewed clients, selected our families, and then opened our doors to absorb a myriad of families (and philosophies) all in unison.

With a preschool in full bloom, and a few students already past the prime time for potty training preparation, we quickly decided to decrease the diapers and increase the underwear.

It was time to put our potty training success methods to test on a school full of children.

We started with the oldest and went straight down the line, piling packages of unused diapers as though our preschool was an annex for Babies “R” Us. Because we were dealing with different parents each with their own style of parenting, we did face some early resistance. That resistance evaporated like midday dew however, once those parents found themselves surrounded by the success of others.

Potty training isn’t magic, itʼs a process.

You must start with a strategy, then proceed with the will to make it happen. Anyone who says potty training can be completed in a single day without fail probably isn’t painting an accurate picture.

With a proper plan, certainty in your method, and the conviction to see things through, your potty training will not only be successful, but it will be a rewarding experience for all involved as well.

Potty Training Power…AWAY!!!

{ 3 comments }

Potty Training Books – a Powerful Potty Training Boost!

Reading potty training books can fun, especially since potty training itself can feel so difficult.

Sometimes our wee-ones, and more likely us as parents, need a dose of humor as distraction from the overload of searching for the proper potty training techniques.

Finding the right potty training book can help make the potty training experience with your child far more enjoyable. The following potty training books are an excellent resource to add a touch of humor and fun when potty training your toddlers.

Potty Training Books

The Princess and the Potty By Wendy Cheyette Lewison
The other side of being a princess shows a spoiled brat who rejects a host of fancy potty seats until she’s good and ready to shed her diapers. A delightful potty training book to be sure.

Uh Oh! Gotta Go! By Bob McGrath
Potty tales from toddlers. This is one of those potty training books that gets me laughing out loud!

My Big Girl Potty By Joanna Cole
Ashley learns to use the toilet with some help from a favorite stuffed bunny. In the boys’ version, My Big Boy Potty, Michael’s stuffed bear does the honors. Whether you’re potty training boys or girls, this potty training book is a keeper!

Once Upon a Potty By Alona Frankel
Straight talk about making the big leap from diapers to potty. The frank language in this potty training book is an excellent bridge to help you cross to toilet training triumph!

Sam’s Potty By Barbro Lindgren
Sam is ambivalent about using the potty — until his little dog discovers it. Ah… add a pet and we’ve got potty training in a day!

Everyone Poops By Taro Gomi
All creatures great and small (including children) need to eat — and poop. This one’s a classic. Most potty training books are impossible to read without a smile. With this one, I bet you’ll giggle.

I Want My Potty By Tony Ross
Through trial and error, a little princess finally learns to use the potty. Princesses and potties – who needs a castle when this potty training book is all smiles.

The Potty Book By Alyssa Satin Capucilli
A big box contains a “big-kid” surprise for Henry (boys’ version) or Hannah (girls’ version). Too cute.

What Do You Do with a Potty? By Marianne Borgardt
An interactive pop-up potty training book explains the toilet training process.

Number One and Two it! By Sean Platt
Okay, this potty training book’s written by me, but it’s still awesome!

Potty Training Power…AWAY!!!

{ 0 comments }

10 Great Tips for Potty Training!

What potty training parent couldn’t use a bit of sound potty training advice?

Potty training toddlers is hard, no doubt, and how we take our child from plain old toilet training to toilet training triumph is our responsibility.

Yet potty training our child is also a privilege. The potty training process is an excellent opportunity to teach your child a skill they will carry for the rest of their lives. As long as you pay attention, you might just learn something as well.

Follow the following 10 tips for potty training to get started right.

Tips for potty training #1
Whether you’re potty training boys or girls, put your child in potty training pants. The disposable diapers of today, barely allow your child to know when they are wet. Your child must feel the discomfort of being dirty if they are to gain interest in getting past potty training day one.

Tips for potty training #2
Allow your child to roam through the rooms of the house naked. Dealing with random elimination is a more manageable task when your child has only two choices: the floor or the toilet.

Tips for potty training #3
Keep your eyes peeled for signs of potty training readiness. These may include: informing you when they are peeing or pooping in their diaper, asking you to change a dirty diaper, staying dry for hours at a time, or showing enthusiasm for using the potty.

Tips for potty training #4
When should you start potty training? At an appropriate age, of course. Potty training becomes less difficult the older your child gets, but wait to long and you can pass the optimum window. Only you know what is best for your family.

Tips for potty training #5
Potty training is fun with the right rewards. Stickers, books, or a favorite movie. Just be careful not to overindulge.

Tips for potty training #6
Model the desired behavior. Research consistently reveals that the best way to teach a behavior is to have role models modeling.

Tips for potty training #7
Allow your little boy to take aim at Cheerios or something similar in the toilet. This is a near surefire way to get them excited.

Tips for potty training #8
Read books showing children being potty trained by their parents. Potty training toddlers are less resistant to ideas introduced during story time.

Tips for potty training #9
Consider using outside influence. Sometimes, children respond more rapidly to help from outside family or trusted friends. This isn’t a reflection on mom or dad. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Tips for potty training #10
Be calm, clear and consistent. Potty training success will find you.

Tips for potty training are a dime a dozen. Take the best suggestions, mix them with what you feel is best for your family, and BAM! you have the perfect recipe for success!

Potty Training Power…AWAY!!!

{ 0 comments }

When to Start Potty Training

When to start potty training - the question every parent wants to know.

Despite everyone from your grandma to the next door neighbors wanting to hand out regular potty training advice, effective toilet training is different for every family.

The best advice is to sift through the various potty training techniques until you find those that are the right fit for your family. An good place to start is with the three stages outlined in the 3 day potty training method.

Though we disagree with the claim that 3 day potty training works for everyone, we do use the 3 days to draw parallels between the various stages of toilet training.

We’ve previously covered potty training day one, and the  potty training techniques of day two. Today is the third day (or stage) of toilet training: doing, the stage that finally answers the question of when to actually start potty training.

By using the three stages, it is easier to discern when to to start potty training. If you’ve successfully finished both the first and second stages, then green lights all the way.

In the first stage, it is your job to articulate to your child both the underlying reasons for potty training, as well as your expectations. The second stage is showing, where you model your best behavior. Take your child with you when you need to go (same sex parent is always best), or demonstrate on a dolly.

Anything that helps your child understand the how will hep accelerate the when.

So you’re almost there. The potty is now a permanent fixture of the bathroom. Your little guy understands the basics, at least in theory.

What now?

How do you help your little one take that final step?

Simple – help your child by encouraging them to try.

This last step is, of course, the most difficult. You and your child must slowly work together over the coming days. This is not a step that can be rushed, nor is there any reason to. You’re smack in the middle of the good old days. Someday soon, all the hardship will drift into memory. Don’t be surprised if your child regresses and wants to go back to diapers, but don’t allow it to happen.

This is NOT a sign of failure.

Follow these 3 rules. Once you know when to start potty training, go forward at full throttle, and don’t look back!

  • Have your child go to the potty at least once a day. Some parents try first thing in the morning, while others find after lunch or just before bath to be a better time. No matter when you decide is the right time, make sure you make it a consistent part of your routine.
  • Establish a fixed time. Go potty at the same block of time each day and your child will begin to recognize the routine. Children love ritual. The predictability of potty time should make them excited rather than anxious.
  • Slowly increase restroom visits.  Once your child is feeling success at least once per day, you can begin increasing trips. Try to schedule times when you are close to home. Consistency builds success.

Either way, keep in mind that accidents happen. Your child will constantly look to you for direction. If you remain positive, so will your child.

We hope you learned a bit from these potty training tips. It isn’t always easy, but knowing when to start potty training will certainly help to make it easier. Understand the basics and make potty training a time when you and your child can grow together.

Potty Training Power…AWAY!!!

{ 0 comments }

Potty Training Techniques to Help You Tackle the Toilet Today!

Though a day potty training plan is far from foolproof,a basic understanding of the three stages of the 3 day strategy (telling, showing, and doing) is extremely beneficial to eventual success.

Potty training day one, or the first stage, is Telling.  This is when we tell our toddler our expectations, explain our purpose, and define their role.

This affords us with an ideal opportunity to show our child exactly what we expect them to do.

Potty Training Techniques #1 – Showing

This stage overlaps a bit with the first, but the potty training techniques in this stage give us a chance to demonstrate the real thing for our toddler. Using props for potty training will help your child to understand the process better.

Give your child their own potty. Treat the moment as a big deal or a tiny event; you know your child and how to best ilicit their most positive response.

If you think your child will find a special presentation intimidating, simply slip the potty in the bathroom and let them discover it for themselves. If your child asks what it is, say, “We wanted you to have your own special potty for potty training.”

Techniques that help your child grow excited will always help to inspire a smooth transition.

Most children love presents. Take your toddler shopping for a potty or celebrate their new adventure by throwing a tiny party for the one you already have. Commemorate the event, then let the dust settle before you use it, unless of course they insist on trying immediately.

Be careful with too much partying, however, as a frivolous atmosphere can make things unnatural when it’s time to start the actual training. Your toddler must learn to live between compliance and resistance. You must help them.

Once everything is in place, it’s time to start using the potty.

All potty training tips are not created equal and potty training techniques comes in every shape and size. However you navigate through the transition, make sure your child understands what is happening and is ready for the changes.

Another excellent potty training technique is allowing your child to be a silent observer whenever you need to use the restroom. Though woman tend to be more comfortable with little ones in the bathroom, this is not always the case. Men are sometimes just as willing. Either way, if you feel uncomfortable, you should not do it.  You want this to work. If your child picks up on your discomfort and associates it with the training, then the effectiveness of that particular technique flies right out the window.

When it comes to modeling, same sex role models are best. An older sibling, mom, or dad. Though it doesn’t matter as long as everyone is in it together. Whenever you need to go to the bathroom, invite your toddler along (even if they are just waiting by the door). Let them know that going potty is a part of every day life.

Some final potty training advice to remember - everyone poops. Help your child feel comfortable with this fact and they will feel far more comfortable with potty training in general.

Potty Training Power…AWAY!!!

{ 0 comments }