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Just when you mastered the art of changing diapers through the wriggling, dancing, and trying to roll out while you are wiping them, it’s time to say goodbye to diapers, as your little one is now ready to be toilet trained. It may make you think that you are now free from having to put your hands in soiled diapers, but transitioning might take longer than you anticipated. If you are unsure of how to toilet train your baby or the steps you should take to make the transition easy on your child, we are here to help. Here are some expert tips on how you should go about potty training your little one. Read on!
At What Age Should You Begin To Discuss Potty Training With Your Child?
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Every child is different, and that fact should not be lost on their parents. Some children may be toilet trained by the time they are 12 months old, while others may take longer, even up to three years of age. Since not every child responds the same way to training, we ask that you carefully consider all of the options and choose those that are most appropriate for your toddler. Make sure you don’t have any significant life events (such as a trip, a house move, another child, etc.) that would interfere with your training. Since this could throw off the kid’s and the family’s usual schedule, it’s important to remember that training goes more quickly if everyone sticks to a regular schedule.
1. Preparing Your Toddler
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To prepare your child for potty training, you must get them excited to use their portable potty. You can place the potty next to their toys, books, and even sketch pens that they can use only when they sit on the toilet. This way, training will be something they look forward to. You can also show your kids child-friendly cartoon videos of using the toilet and even have cute code names for poo time. Also, to keep your toddler interested and engaged in using the toilet, motivation is crucial. A word of praise and some sticker rewards go a long way in keeping your child motivated to learn how to use the toilet effectively.
2. Set A Timer For Your Child To Take A Poo Break
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Kids are thrilled with the concept of timers and ringers. You can ask them to set the alarm every 20 minutes, then sit on their portable potty to pee or poo. This will make their training exciting and fun for them.
3. Ignore The Accidents
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You didn’t expect them to go to the washroom, do their business and come clean on the first try, did you? Even after they are trained, there will be many accidents, so be patient and keep loads of paper towels handy.
4. Teach Them About Proper Hygiene
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Washing their hands and feet should be emphasized during the toilet training process. Provide a footstool and show your child how to wash their hands and feet after using the restroom. Daily instruction will help establish these behaviors as the norm for your toddler.
5. Reduce Their Fluid Intake At Night
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Diapers are often dry during the day but soak maximum pee at night. This is because your baby is busy playing during the day and concentrates on feeding more in the evening and night. This will stand in the way of toilet training, so try to reduce their fluid intake towards the evening and try and make them take their broth and juices during the day.
6. Stay Patient
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You must keep calm even if the training sessions are frustrating due to your child’s repeated mistakes. If you show any signs of irritation, your baby will reconsider going back to using diapers forever. While some children learn it in a few weeks, others require many months. However, all kids get toilet trained eventually, so there is no need to burst your nerves overthinking how to make your child use the portable potty.
No one said potty training would be easy, and even while you are patiently carrying out these tips, there is a good chance that they will get it wrong a couple of times. Even after they are fully toilet trained, by the time they are 4 or 5, they might consider going to poop a dirty thing and try to avoid using the toilet altogether. This is when you need to educate your kids with books and videos and teach them that these are bodily functions necessary to stay healthy. Once they understand that poo and pee are nothing to be embarrassed about, they will slowly come out of the phase of trying to hold their poo within! So, which of these tips did you like the most? Let us know in the comments section!
