It's potty time ! Successful Potty Training Tips For Your Toddler

Children learn self-care skills during their early childhood. Potty training is one of the self-care skills that are most anticipated by parents as they will be leaving the diapers duty behind which is a huge relief for them. But, then comes to the question, how soon should kids learn to use the toilet on their own? or what will be the best method to train them? And so on.

Age 2 is typically the earliest age that toddlers have developed gross motor ability. So, it is advisable to start their potty training early at this age, as most kids start to recognize the urge to urinate or defecate. They can also control the sphincter muscles that facilitate waste elimination. Before this age, babies are unable to voluntarily monitor and to control waste removal from their bodies. In a single sentence, ‘toddlers can’t tell that they have to ‘go’ before it’s too late and can’t control it either'. The best way for a parent to recognize if their kid is ready to start potty training is by watching the signs of readiness, but all kids are not ready at the same age, few may take longer to dive into the world of potty training and that’s not an issue for worrying. Pushing children for potty training has an adverse effect on their emotional health. Patience and awareness are the keys to successful potty training. Different methods work for different children, but these tips generally get the work done. 

Signs to know your baby is ready to be potty trained: 

Sign 1: You are changing fewer diapers and they remain dry up to a minimum of 2 hours means baby is developing bladder control.

Sign 2: Your little one starts to understand and follow basic directions. 

Sign 3: Your little one starts to become more vocal about going to the bathroom.

Sign 4: Bowel movements become more regular.

Sign 5: Your kid notices dirty diapers and doesn’t like it. 

Sign 6: Your kid starts showing interest in using the toilet.

If you notice these signs on your little one’s behavior, then Congratulations! Your child is fully ready for their potty training both physically and mentally.

Tips for preparing your kid for potty training:

1. Show positiveness of pottying:

Encourage your little one for this. You can start by saying like, ‘Wow! You are a big girl/boy now’ or ‘Pretty soon you can flush too like Mummy and Daddy’. Never call your baby’s old habits babyish as it could provoke your baby and lead to real resistance.

2. Choose your word:

Establish standard bathroom talk. Choose which word you are going to use for your baby’s bodily fluids. It’s better to avoid negative words such as dirty, stinky, or smelly as they will be more comfortable with toileting if they view elimination as a natural and non-yucky process.

3. Dress for potty training success:

Make a habit of dressing your little one in the right potty-training clothes that should be pants which are easy to pull up and down without any fiddling. Make a practice by asking them to pull down their pants before diaper changes and pull them up after. 

4. Show the right way to use potty:

Babies love to mimic. Use this behavior and take advantage of it. Of course, you can also explain to them how to squat, clean, and flush, but it is more effective as well as efficient to simply bring them to the bathroom and demonstrate it. We know, most of the parents are not comfortable with parting with their modesty, so it's okay to skip this step.

5. Pick the right potty:

Invest in a model which should be durable and won’t tip over when your kid jumps up to check her progress. You can go for funky colors and shape to make your child potty time more enjoyable and fun. If they like their potty chair then, they will be more cooperative with you during the training. Remember to check back support too, so that your baby can sit comfortably with more support for a longer time if needed. Try HunyHuny’s panda face green baby potty training potties seat. The seat is lightweight and easy to clean. These are also designed to avoid any spill or leakage with no sharp edges. They have varieties of durable potty seats; you can choose your pick. 

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6. Prepare the equipment:

After picking the right potty chair, start with placing it in the bathroom or wherever your kid spends most of his or her time. Encourage them to sit on the potty chair and make sure their feet rest on the floor. To show the potty chair purpose, you can dump the contents of a dirty diaper into them. 

7. Schedule potty breaks:

Let your child sit on a potty chair without diapers for a few minutes at the two-hours interval, as well as first thing in the morning or before and after naps.

8. Explain hygiene:

Remember explaining hygiene is very important. Always make sure your kid washes their hand afterward. 

9. Night-time training:

It usually takes longer as children are unable to control their bodily fluids when they sleep. Most kids stay dry at night between the ages of 5 and 7. So, in the meantime, when your child sleeps, use re-usable Baby Diapers. Reuse this leak-proof absorbent diapers without pinching your pockets, it also prevents diaper rashes. Try HunyHuny’s free size Reusable absorbent Diaper.

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10. Accidents are inevitable:

Children are in training so, accidents will happen and to handle it;

• Stay calm, don’t scold, discipline, or shame your baby. Encourage them not to forget next time.
• Always remember to keep a change of underwear and clothing handy, especially when you are outside with your baby.

While at home, get your kid naked, in an oversize t-shirt or big kid underwear, and explain that there is no diaper to catch the pee-pee or poop, so he has to put it in the potty. Kids know about it coming at the very end moment, so it will be easier for them to reach the potty seat on time, which will result in the accomplishment of your goal too.

Don’t lose hope, keep trying!!

11. When to seek medical help:

If you notice your child is ready for potty training but seems to have some difficulties, then it's better to talk to your pediatrician. They can guide you and can check for any underlying problem.

While the prospect of ditching the diapers is exciting, getting there can try your parenting patience. But don’t lose hope. Stay positive about your child’s achievements, because your child will get there eventually. Too much tension or stress can lead to negative feelings and might result in your child avoiding going to the toilet.

Do you also know of simple potty-training techniques that helped your child? Share a few of them with us. Comment below!

You can also explore the wide range of potty seats to make your child’s journey more interesting: potty seats, reusable baby diapers 

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