Tuesday, February 11, 2014

To Potty or Not To Potty!

So you want to potty train your child but you are a little confused and maybe overwhelmed? I had the same problem so I did the homework, maybe too well! In this post (and more to come), I’m sharing what I found, and what I experienced with Salma.


First comes the most important (and most confusing) question; when to start potty training? There is no certain age. It is all about your child’s readiness. To accomplish this developmental milestone, the child needs to have signs of physical, behavioral and cognitive readiness.

Physical signs
Developing the muscle control is key for an easier potty training on your child. Look for the following signs:
- being dry for 2 hours or after nap.
- having regular bowel movement.

Behavioral signs
- Being aware of bowel movement by squatting, sitting quietly or telling you.
- Being uncomfortable with a dirty diaper.
- Showing interest in the toilet, the potty or underwear.
- Showing some independence and interest in doing things by himself.
- Being cooperative and not always answering with the magnificent “NO”.

Cognitive signs
- Being able to communicate with you to express his need to go.
- Being able to follow simple instructions.

Having these readiness signs in mind, you can take a few steps to help your child become ready and raise his interest in using the potty:
- Put a potty in his room or play area, talk about it and let him try it.
- Take him with you when you use the toilet, talk about what you are doing.
- Dump stool from his diaper in the toilet and let him flush it down.
- Get him books and DVDs about using the potty. Read and watch together.
- Let him choose a few pairs of underwear with his favorite colors and characters. Tell him he can wear them when he is ready to use the potty.

Another thing to consider is your own readiness. I found that focusing on your child's training for a few days works best. To achieve that: find a time with no traveling, no guests, no major family plans or changes. Take care of any urgent household tasks before you start. And plan easy dinners for the days of training. That way, you can focus your time and energy on the training without stressing yourself out.

One last thought, you may experience social pressure from people thinking you are starting too early or you are waiting too long. You may also find different age ranges for potty training in books or online. But it is better to follow your instinct and your child’s clues. If you both are ready for potty training, it will be a shorter and more enjoyable experience with no power struggles.

Once you've decided your child is ready for potty training, you will be wondering how to start and what tools you need. I will be talking about that next post.