Your child goes through so many stages. First, there’s the crawling stage and then the walking stage. After that, your child slowly moves in to the Terrible Twos and the Terrifying Threes. Although it’s relatively easy to recognize when your child enters the Terrible Twos stage (just look for the tantrums), it can be hard to know when your child is ready to enter the potty training stage. If you have a toddler at home, here are some tips you can use to know how to start potty training.
Signs Your Child Is Ready
Although you might think your child is old enough to start potty training, how can you tell your child is actually ready? If you’re thinking about starting the potty training process, you need to look for a few signs that your child is ready. One great sign is if your child is able to say “pee” or “poop” before or even after they go in their diaper. Your child might also be ready if they want to be changed out of a dirty diaper and into a clean one. Another great sign is if you have to change your child’s diaper less often. This indicates that your child is starting to control their bladder, which is good news once you switch over to pull-ups or underwear!
Set a Timer
When first starting to potty train your child, you might want to set a timer. Timers are great for reminding your child (and yourself!) to stick to a regular potty schedule. Start with shorter intervals and each time the timer goes off, your child will need to run and try to use the potty. You can slowly set the intervals further and further apart as your child gets used to dropping everything to use the bathroom. Eventually, you won’t need to use the timer as your child starts to use the bathroom on their own.
Use a Potty Chart
A potty chart is always a good idea, no matter where you are in the potty training process. If possible, buy a chart you can hang in your bathroom. The chart should be at eye level with your child so that they can become involved in marking it. To start off, you should let your child put a sticker or magnet on the chart each time they use the bathroom. This will help encourage your child to use it more often so that accidents are less likely to occur. As your child grows in the potty training process, you can use the chart to help mark days and even weeks without accidents!
Rewards!
Don’t forget to reward your child for a job well done! Each time your child goes to the bathroom, they should get a reward. This can be a verbal reward as you congratulate your child for sitting on the potty, or it can be a small toy or piece of candy. If you’re using a potty chart, you can set goals so that your child earns bigger and better rewards the longer they go without an accident.
Accidents Happen
One of the most important tips you can remember as a parent is that accidents happen. You might think your child is a professional at potty time one day, but the next it seems like they have nothing but accidents. This happens, either because your child simply drank too much juice or because they’re still learning to listen to their body. Regardless of the reason, remember to keep your cool when your child has an accident. Help them get cleaned up and try to take a few extra bathroom trips throughout the day.
Potty training can be difficult, but these tips are bound to get you started on the potty training process!
