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Starting Out At Home Away From Home At Daycare Finishing Up
Starting Out At Home Away From Home At Daycare Finishing Up
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Don’t Get Spooked!

Julie Anaya, Colorado

“Potty training is an opportunity for toddlers to gain independence and become a Big Kid®, but many parts of the process are unknown, so it’s only natural that they feel a little intimidated at first.”

Your little one may be ready to brave the neighborhood this Halloween dressed as a ghost or goblin, but what lurks inside your bathroom may still give him the spooks.

“Potty training is a big change for your child. Potty training is an opportunity for toddlers to gain independence and become a Big Kid®, but many parts of the process are unknown, so it’s only natural that they feel a little intimidated at first,” says Julie Anaya, former PULL-UPS® Potty Training Partner. “The good news is that helping your child overcome uneasiness is a great way for the two of you to grow together.”

Anaya offers these simple solutions to shoo away their spooks!

Perfectly Proportioned Potty
The world is a big place for a little person! A parent-sized potty can make a little one tense during training; many kids even worry that they’ll fall in! To calm their fears, using a potty chair is recommended. With the comfort of a potty that’s sized just right for a small body, kids can focus on other, more important skills they need to master during training.

Don’t Rush the Flush
If you’re training with a potty adapter seat that sits on top of your regular toilet, or your child is now ready to use the regular toilet, don’t forget to let him be in control of the flush! If your child seems fazed by the noise of a flush, make sure you explain that though flushing can be noisy and a little startling, it is an important, sequential part of the process, just like pulling on his pants and washing his hands. Let him take his time to get used to the noise, but make sure he’s always the one that’s responsible for flushing. You can even make up games to make flushing fun…like counting down to it together (3, 2, 1… Flush!). Meanwhile, avoid public restrooms until he masters flushing, as those toilets often flush more loudly or have automatic flushers that can go off before your little one is done!

Potty Toys for Girls and Boys
Besides a quick splash in the bath, your child probably hasn’t spent much time in the bathroom yet, so the room itself can be unnerving. The best way to combat this unfamiliarity is to bring in familiar objects. Keep a basket or bag with some of your child’s favorite books or toys near the toilet at all times, so it feels less like a bathroom and more like his or her room.

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