Potty training a child successfully, and quickly, doesn’t happen accidentally (no pun intended :>)? Rather, parents who want to potty train a child on days should arm themselves with a proven system and a well-thought-out plan of action, one that builds their self-confidence and allows them to play to their strengths and avoid the pitfalls. most common and expensive.
But if you’re like many parents, you’re convinced that potty training your strong-willed child is likely to become a contest of wills. Or maybe you’re already frustrated after one or more failed attempts to potty train your child. If so, you are not alone.
I have potty trained numerous boys and girls safely and effectively over the last three decades. Some were stubborn and resistant; others were open-minded and obedient. Some were advanced in development; others were late. Some spoke of a blue streak; while others only understood simple commands. Therefore, I can confidently tell you that successful potty training has more to do with parental attitudes, behavior, consistency, and follow-through than it does with the personality of their children.
In other words, the vast majority of young children can be joyfully and completely potty trained in days, not weeks, if their parents expand their knowledge by learning valuable information from experts (not their friends and family) and They face their own misconceptions.
Obviously, I am personally committed to my own BRIEFS(TM) potty training system for many, many reasons, although I recognize that you may choose another method of potty training your child. Regardless of your approach, though, you’ll get much better results if you remember and use the tips I’ve provided in the following 5 tips.
1. Your child wants to learn to go to the bathroom. Study after study confirms that young children have a deep and urgent desire to grow up, become more independent, and master new skills. So even if your child is strong-willed or resilient, he or she wants to achieve this milestone.
2. Potty training a child should never become a battle of wills.. Parents who push too hard, punish, or get angry with their young children severely stall the process. Worse yet, they risk jeopardizing their father-son relationship. Period.
3. Consistency is king. In my opinion, one of the biggest mistakes in potty training is a lack of consistency. Let me explain. Potty training is a learned skill, but until the process begins, your child only knows how to pee or poop into the diaper. That’s what you’re expected to do, yes?
But now, he’s changing the rules, and if he wants them to sink in, he’ll need to keep confusion to a minimum. So be prepared (and make sure others who are in frequent contact with your child do the same) to repeat the exact same advice, using the exact same words, often and regularly.
Also, avoid sending mixed messages.For example, if you expect your son or daughter to use the potty, don’t allow them to use diapers or pull-ups (pull-ups are the biggest potty-training inhibitor of all time!). If you do, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself, because by doing so, you’re giving your child tacit permission to urinate or poop in his pants. And believe me, I’ve heard every excuse in the book to do it, but the only legitimate reasons to do it are in case of an emergency during the early stages; diapers for the night initially (and only for a very short time); and/or if your child care provider has specific rules. However, the last two situations can be eliminated entirely by waiting to potty train your child until she wakes up with more dry than wet diapers and/or by scheduling their potty training during long weekends or when they have a break from school. kindergarten.
4. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, your child should be ready for potty training between 18 and 27 months. At this age, their sphincter muscles (necessary for elimination) are fully developed, so they are physically ready to go. However, pediatricians also agree that developmental signs are a better predictor of potty training readiness than chronological age. (If you’d like more details on this topic, please read my article titled “Top 5 Ways to Determine if Your Child is Potty Ready” at the website address in the resource box at the end of this article) .
5. A solid potty training plan is not enough. You won’t get anywhere if you don’t act consistently (that “c” word again!) and follow the plan to the letter. I can’t stress this enough! A solid plan with poor execution is no better than a lousy plan with great execution: it still won’t end up anywhere.
So if you have reached out to experts for help, listen and learn, and then follow your plan carefully. Makes sense doesn’t it? But in my personal experience, you’d be surprised at the number of well-meaning parents who put a lot of time and energy into researching the best potty training methods; One thing; purchased the recommended supplies and/or equipment; set aside time (and even take advantage of vacation days); they enthusiastically began training their son; and then several hours later the process lost focus and ignored key principles.
Then, when they don’t achieve the desired results, they continue down this unproductive path until they give up or, in the case of my clients, I get a desperate call or email with a cry for help. Yet nine times out of 10, her less-than-stellar results are due to mom or dad’s distraction and/or her inability or unwillingness to follow directions to the letter.
Once they realize this, most correct their mistakes and try again, with very different results the second time.
I hope you have found my advice helpful and that you learn as much as you can before embarking on your journey to potty training your child. Remember, potty training should be a memorable and joyful rite of passage, one that strengthens the bond between parent and young child.