Monday, June 13, 2011

How to Potty Train Your Toddler By: Grandma Jeddah

 

Potty training can be a challenging part of raising a toddler. The good news is that with a little patience, time and a few special tricks your son or daughter will soon be able to use the potty on his or her own.

Believe it or not, 2 - 2 ½ years of age is a good time to begin potty training. Many mothers are eager to potty train their child because they may have a friend or family member whose child has learned at a younger age. But all children are different. Some may be ready earlier. Don’t be overly concerned if your child isn’t.

Some kids do show signs of wanting to learn sooner than 2 – 2 ½ years. They might pull at their diaper as soon as they’ve finished urinating or defecating. But there's nothing wrong with waiting until after 2 years old or even 3 years old to potty train. Starting when your child is ready and no sooner is the best way to make potty training easier for both you and your child. This is the first important step toward successful potty training.

The second thing you want to do is make sure your child’s potty is comfortable for him. A potty that may have been the right size for your older child might be too high for a different child to sit on. You want him to be able to sit down and get up by himself easily.

The third thing you want to do is let him walk around without his pants off throughout the training process. This way you will know when he’s about to use it. Then you can quickly set him on the potty. Explain to him what the potty is for and whenever you see him about to pee pee or poo poo, set him on the potty.

The fourth thing you can do is fill him up with water then set him on the potty. Get out his favorite book and read it to him. Or get the puzzles out or some game or other form of entertainment. Use these things to pass the time with him while he’s sitting on the potty. When you notice him relieving himself, make a big deal by jumping up and down, clapping your hands and hugging and kissing him. "Hassan pee peed on the potty! Hassan pee peed on the potty—good boy!"

This fifth step is something that I rarely recommend. But I know how stressful and frustrating an event potty training can be. It’s a period when many parents lose their patience with their children. So I make this special exception for potty training. Use candy as an incentive.

Get a bag of skittles or M&M’s pieces or some other bag of candy that has tiny soft pieces. Whenever Hassan uses it on the potty, jump for joy as in step four, but also give him 1 piece of candy. Make sure you tell him why he’s getting it. "You pee peeped on the potty, Hassan, you get a candy!" This method has worked wonders with my kids."

In general, look at two weeks or less for training your child. If it goes much longer than that, I’d suggest taking a break for about a month or so then starting the process over again.

Another important thing is to make du’a for success and patience. That’s number 6.

Let’s summarize the steps.
Don’t be concerned if other kids are trained earlier than your child. And 2 ½, is a good age to start training, although some kids may show signs of readiness at an earlier age.
1. Start when your child is ready.
2. Make sure the potty fits him comfortably so he can sit down and get up by himself.
3. Let him walk around the house without pants so you can catch him relieving himself.
4. Reward him with praise
5. Reward him with pieces of candy
6. Make du'a for success and patience
For more information on making obeying easier and discipline simpler without hitting, shouting or shaming, visit Grandma Jeddah’s website at: www.grandmajeddah.com

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