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If you’re considering beginning potty training you may want to look for simple signs of readiness such as…the child is aware and dislikes being in a wet or dirty diaper, the child is interested in the bathroom and handwashing, the child is interested in dressing and undressing themselves. Sometimes, a child may even hide during a BM in their diaper. These are not all guaranteed signs the child is ready to potty train, but they can be an indication to start.
Consistency is crucial. Try starting potty training when your child will be home for an extended period, such as Christmas or summer break. If you’re going to train during school be sure that parents and other professionals involved with the child are all on the same page, collaboratively working on this skill. Also, get clear on the language you’re going to use. Will you say potty? Bathroom? Toilet? Poop? Pee? Decide the terms you’re going to use, and keep those consistent and not flip back and forth.
As with teaching any new behavior, reinforcement is key. Find something super motivating as a high reinforcer when a child pees or poops on the potty. For some families, this can be candy or stickers; others may require more creativity. But remember, a reinforcer isn’t only working if it makes the child smile, the behavior has to go up too.
Potty training can take days, weeks, or even months depending on the child…but never years. If your child isn’t ready, that’s okay. There is some pairing you can do to get your child moving in that direction. One crucial tip is to start exposing your child as early as possible to the bathroom, signing or saying the word bathroom or potty, sitting on the toilet periodically, and keeping them clean and dry as often as possible throughout the day.
I cover a lot more in this episode regarding possible medical issues, underwear vs pull-ups, peeing sitting down for boys, and other really important information. When you are listening to this podcast and other free content please remember that this is always for informational purposes, only a professional who has seen and observed your child can offer true guidance and advice. For more information, you check out my online potty toolkit.
As always with the classic rebroadcast series, I will be back next week answering the top 5 questions related to this very important topic!
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