Parent-to-Parent Advice for a Stress-Free Approach to Potty Training
7/18/2011 | by Christopher Lewis, Ed.D.
Realizing every child potty trains differently will make all the difference when training your Big Kid®. What works for one child may not work for another. There are so many tips and tricks to guide you and help you remember every child’s journey is their own. After guiding my two girls through the potty training process, I’ve thought through some parent-to-parent hints that, in hindsight, helped me along the way.• Every Child Trains Differently
o Forget milestones marked by a certain age and realize every child matures at their own pace and is on their own timetable. Your child may not be potty trained by 3 years old, and that’s fine. Some children may require more assistance and encouragement with the potty training process. Others will find rewards are not effective. Relax, your child will find success eventually.
• Make Potty Training Fun
o Children pick up on stress, so approach the situation stress-free and make potty training fun. Have them sit on the toilet while singing songs and playing games, try a potty training progress chart or offer excessive praise for any small success or milestone (even if that milestone is as small as just showing some sort of interest in the potty or potty training process). Children learn through repetition and are motivated by praise and celebration.
• You’re Not Alone
o Every parent goes through this, and knowing you’re not alone provides a great sense of relief. There are resources and communities available for you to connect with other parents share questions and learn from other Moms and Dads also in the potty training trenches. Pull-Ups® has many resources to help guide parents and toddlers through this process, including message boards on Pull-Ups.com, Facebook and Twitter communities featuring expert advice and support from the Pull-Ups® Potty Training Partners – a group of parents, and pediatricians (including myself) who have gone through potty training. While I’m no formal parenting “expert”, I’ve been through the process twice and love passing on everything I’ve learned when training my daughters.
And remember, for the most part, children will learn what they need to in time. As long as you are supportive and loving, I’ve found kids are going to do whatever they can to try to please you.
If you have additional questions after reading this article, feel free to contact the Pull-Ups® PTP Panel at the Potty Training Time with Pull-Ups® Facebook page (located on the Advice/Tools tab).
