Understanding Toilet Training

Thursday, December 1st, 2011 at 7:12 am  
Leave your comment

While attending a recent talk I was chatting with a mum and she was telling me how easy it was to take care of her baby, she’s very agreeable and hardly ever cries. There was one thing though that she was really having trouble with and that is <a href=”http://www.australianbabyhands.com/blog/baby-sign-language-articles/toilet-training/”>toilet training tips</a>. They had been trying to work on it for months but there still hasn’t been any significant improvement.

As she was telling me all the different techniques she has tried, I suddenly realised that training children how to use the toilet is similar to teaching them how to sign because both activities require consistency and repetition. Children learn to do things faster when they are constantly exposed to them and exposure leads to habit forming behaviour.

Knowing this, I got more curious and so decided to do some more research. I found some very useful information online and I decided that it would be a good idea to share what I have learned with everyone and also how to use baby sign as part of your toilet training routine.

Children are very different individuals. They learn at different paces that may not always be the same with others of their age group. Some children learn right away, as if it is almost second-nature to them, while others may struggle at first. The same is true with any activity that we try to teach them, even more so when it comes to toilet training.

So how then do you know if your child is ready to start using the toilet? Although it would vary for most children, the average age when they start showing signs that they’re ready is from 18 months up to 3 years of age. According to a poll I found online, most parents start toilet training their children when they are about 2 years old.

Now this was according to one poll, but I found many other stories where parents had started potty training much earlier, same at 5 months.  If you can recognise the signs that your baby either needs to wee or pooh or is just about to go then you can start teaching them that there are alternatives to going in the nappy.

Try looking for some of these particular signs that might give you an indication if it may be a good time to start toilet training;
Signs your baby is ready to start toilet training;

Your baby keeps their nappy dry for two hours at a time or more, this shows that your baby’s bladder is able to store wee
They wake up with a dry nappy after their naps
It becomes more evident when they are getting their nappies wet or soiled as you can see it in their facial expressions or in their posture
Your baby begins to dislike wearing a nappy and trying to remove it themselves
If they have a regular toilet routine such as going every two hours or straight after a feed for example
Your baby can follow simple verbal instruction or instruction through signing
Your baby can remove their own trousers and put them back on again (or attempts to) Now there are a few very obvious ones too but I’ll cover them anyway
If they show an interest in using the toilet or a pottyIf they tell you they want to use the toilet or that they have soiled their nappy
If they use a sign that they need the toilet or have just soiled their nappy

When any of these signs happen, especially when they tell you about wanting to poop, you should praise them and encourage them. This would reinforce this positive behavior and would let your child know that it is the right thing to do.

If you don’t have or notice any of these signs particularly then this doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to just wait until your baby is ready.  You can begin to teach them by introducing toilet stops as part of the routine.  This may help to encourage earlier bladder control as they become accustomed to visiting the toilet at regular intervals.
Getting started with toilet training:

One of the biggest challenges you may encounter in potty training your child is the possibility that they will deliberately refuse to use the toilet. This is when you get creative and think of ways to avoid this.

One thing you can do is to choose a potty seat that your child likes. Have them decorate it the way they want to. If your child forms an attraction to it and gets familiar with it, you increase the likelihood that they will use it on a more regular basis. If your child is a bit older and does not really show interest in using a potty, you may use the regular toilet that you have at home. Just make sure to have a child-friendly toilet training seat, one that is stable enough and would not let your child fall off.

    You may like to pick a particular day that you want to start on when you are going to be around the house to ensure that there is a toilet available at all times
    Have you child dressed in easy to remove clothes so that the minute they need to go on the potty there is no hold up with hard to undo buttons or zippers
    Make sure that your child has a good diet with plenty of fluids and fibre to ensure regular bowel movements
    Get your child to sit on the potty at a regular time of the day when they are likely to have a bowel movement such as after breakfast
    Don’t make them sit on the toilet for too long if nothing’s happening.  If being on the toilet starts to seem boring they are much less likely to want to use it
    If they do go while on the potty praise and encourage them.  Re-enforcement praise is very important so that they know what they have done is a good thing
    Ask your child through the day if they need to use the toilet but not to much.  Again if using the toilet starts to sound like it’s not fun they are less likely to want to go there
    If they go to the toilet but “miss” try not to make a fuss, clean it up and try to explain to them that your proud that they tried and next time you can work on getting it right together
    Get your child to wash their hands after using the toilet and the best way here is to lead by example and show that it is part of the regular routine that you have after visiting the bathroom

A common mistake that parents make when potty training is pushing their children too hard and punishing them for mistakes such as when they have accidents. Be patient and don’t make a big deal out of these mistakes because they are all a part of the learning process. Remind your child that there is no pressure in starting to use the potty and that they should do it when ready.
Using Training Pants:

You can also begin buying underwear and pull-ups for your child instead of the usual nappies. This is a big change that will constantly remind them that it is time to change old routines and to make new ones.

Also changing into pull-ups can signify to your child that they are getting older.  This can be a particularly encouraging way to get them to respond to an activity especially if they have an older sibling that they might try to copy.

Remember though that pull-ups are not that different from nappies and your child could possibly have the tendency to use it just like one. But using them at the right time, such as during naps and when your child has started to learn to run to the bathroom, can have really positive results. Research shows that making your child experience “successes” first while using pull-ups instead of “fails” or “accidents” when you switch to underwear or training pants right away will help to encourage them in the long run.

Using the toilet regularly after you start training helps to eventually control their bowel movements. Your child will be able to identify the signs that their body gives them when it is ready.  Your expectations also have to be made clear to your child. Let them know from the beginning that you expect them to pee or poop in the toilet and that the nappy is just a temporary thing.

You can also make use of the concept of rewards when potty training your child to help encourage them every time they keep their nappy dry. There are some really good resources created by Huggies where you can create your own custom progress chart, download printable reward stickers and create your own personalised story book.

All these are a great way to try and make toilet training more fun for your child.

For more fun and games to help with toilet training you can check out Huggies toilet training games section.
Using baby sign language while toilet training:

Incorporating baby sign language will make toilet training easier for you and your child. For instance, you will be able to determine right away that your child is trying to tell you that they need to go potty if they can sign to you that they are ready to go it instead of you figuring out what the cries or facial expressions mean.

You can use the generic sign for toilet to represent both wee and poo if you wish.  This makes it easier for both you and your child to remember to use the same sign and adds to the consistency of training.

To help introduce the sign for toilet simply do the sign while saying the word and using the toilet.  After a while your child will connect the sign with the toilet.  Once this happens you can begin to sign toilet and your child will understand that you are asking them if they want to use the toilet.  Eventually they will begin to use the sign themselves to indicate to you that they are ready to use the toilet themselves.

You can follow the signing steps to success or read more information about introducing baby sign in the baby sign language articles section.
Setbacks:

Unfortunately accidents are inevitable in the beginning stages of toilet training. It helps if you are prepared and there are also some things that you can do to try and minimize accidents.

    If you’re heading out somewhere try to get your child to use the toilet before leaving the house.  Likewise if you are leaving a place that has a toilet such as a friends or a shopping centre and your facing a bit of a drive home try to use the toilet before getting in the car
    If your child tells you they need to go to the toilet right now listen to them, they may be right as their bladder control is still developing.  If they tell you and then you don’t listen and they have an accident they may be discouraged from telling you next time – if this event does occur and they have told you and then had an accident do not scold them in anyway
    Encourage them to go to the toilet before they go to bed at night and make sure that the toilet is easy for them to find with a nightlight for those middle of the night toilet runs
    If they tell you that they need to go right away but there is no toilet nearby try distracting them with something that they like.  If they have recently learnt to count or have a favourite character that they like to talk about encourage that while trying to find a suitable place for them to go
    If possible carry a potty with you. In the great outdoors it’s easy for parents to just let children wee outside but if you can keep to the routine of getting them on the potty it will help to establish that routine
    Be prepared as best as you can, some accidents will happen.  Carry some spare clothes and handy wipes for these occasions.  Keeping some plastic bags to hand to put damp clothes in rather than having them sit directly in your bag is also a good idea

The most important thing to remember when training your child to do something is that practice really does make perfect. Being consistent helps your child to establish a routine. Make them feel like it is an activity that you are both working on together and give them plenty of praise for keeping their nappy dry or getting to the toilet on time and they will start to be more receptive towards it.

If you feel that for any reason your child has a problem with their bowel movements which is affecting your attempts at toilet training them then you should always consult with your doctor or family practitioner.
<a href=”http://www.australianbabyhands.com/”>sign language</a>

 

Facts About Toilet Training

Thursday, November 24th, 2011 at 6:37 am  
Leave your comment

The one familiar question of a mother of a one year child to the pediatrician is that when they should teach the kid on <a href=”http://www.australianbabyhands.com/blog/baby-sign-language-articles/toilet-training/”>toilet training  concepts</a>. I don’t fault the eagerness of mothers for asking this question.  It is a result of getting tired of nappies soon after nappies or an embarrassment about the kid just relieves himself in the presence of guests both in the house or in a party. 
physicians and health workers soon after lot of years or research work and practical experience believe that there is more to potty coaching than just to ask your child to sit or stand on a potty or a toilet.  The capability of manageling the muscles that gives the sensation for urination or bowel movement is attained during the second option half of second year, say around 18 to 20 months.  So the next question is how the mom recognizes the muscle management.  management of the muscles in the night time is first sign.  This is indicated as a dry nappy in the morning, and also the need to change fewer nappies during day time. Even this time is little too early for potty training because of the co ordination of motor muscles will not be attained entirely.  The capacity to dress and undress will come around the age of two.  It will be easier to train the kid from the age of two for potty or toilet instruction.
Then how do you train the little one is another question.  First of all what are the sign that your youngster want to urinate or should have a bowel motion.  The feeling of a full bladder or a need for bowel motion will make him grunt, a tug at the nappy or tug at you is a sure sign that the child is ready.  Will the kid is to sit or to stand?  It is ideal to ask to do it in a sitting position, rather than inquiring to stand for urination and to sit for bowel motions.  The baby is mastering a new thing and the less confusion with instructions will help the baby in potty training easy to understand.   By associating a special word with the potty instruction and repeating them each time you train the youngster, the mastering will be faster. 
As there is no special toilet made for youngster, get a good potty for the initial levels.  The reducer seat is okay, but that can wait for one or two months till he masters the niceties of sitting and rating for urination and bowel motions.  immediately after that the reducer seat will help to reduce the need to clean the potty.
Above all patience is of paramount importance.  The little one is a speedy learner of new things of course, but it does not means that the training will be over that rapid.  nevertheless there will be some extra job in the toilet in the initial days.  Due to the modify in food habits or an illness the child may relieve without a walk to the potty or to the toilet.  But eventually the child will learn and your days of nappy changing will be a memory soon. 
<a href=”http://www.australianbabyhands.com/”>teach baby sign language</a>

 

Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Poop

Sunday, October 30th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
Leave your comment

William asks…

Getting toddler to poop in the potty?

Ok, I need help!! We have been potty training Hannah for about 1.5 months. She took to peeing in the potty right away, but not pooping. She wears underwear during the day, and we have just started wearing underwear instead of pull-ups when we leave the house. She is pretty much “pee” potty trained.

She has only pooped on the potty maybe 3 times. UGH! I am tired of cleaning up poop from underwear. What can I do to help the process along? I am trying not to get frustrated in front of her, but it is hard. You ask her where do you go poop at, and she says “You go in the potty“, we just can’t get her to do it.

She loves Wonder Pets, and we have been trying to bribe her with getting a new Wonder Pet if she poops in the potty. Not the best parenting, but I am at the end of my rope!!

Oh, she is 2.5 (31 months) old.

Any help??

admin answers:

That’s a tough one. When we started potty training Emma, she actually pooped in the potty long before she peed in it. I think it’s just different for every child.

Does she have a “poop schedule”. I know with my daughter she usually always goes between 11 a.m.-noon everyday. That changes sometimes, of course, but I always expect some poop during that time..LOL. If she does, just have the potty handy and watch for any cues that she’s about to go.

My daughter loves Wonderpets, too. Too bad they don’t have a Wonderpets Potty video..haha

Michael asks…

Is anyone else having trouble with their toddler and potty training?

Our first pediatrician told me to start her when she was 3. It has been a nightmare ever since. When we are home she never tells me if she has to go and she is pooping in her pullups. She is 4 now and in preschool. Due to the number of students, she is refusing to use the bathroom at school, so after 5 hours she is ready to burst when I pick her up. Help.

admin answers:

Yes, I am he is three and just now getting the pee thing but not doing too well. I blame my ex and the divorce, we do things differently and I guess we do not reinforce eachother too well.

Sandy asks…

Tips on potty training my toddler?

My son is showing the signs that he is ready to potty train (yay!). He is able to pull his own pants down, takes his diaper off when he has peed or pooped, and when he is naked, he tells us when he is about to use the bathroom. However, we can’t seem to get him to sit on the potty and go…he always ends up going in floor. Do you have any tips on potty training? Thanks!

admin answers:

I’m going through the same process. A couple things you can try are re-usable training pants, not pull ups. They will save you money and he’ll notice when he gets wet which makes it easier. Another thing you can try is very time consuming but it works. Every ten-twenty minutes have him pull down his training pants and sit him on the potty and explain to him that he sits there when he needs to go potty. Chances are he won’t pee but it’s good practice. If he does pee in the potty give him a lot of praise and give him a special treat like candy or something. If you notice him about to pee on the floor pick him up and run to the potty as fast as you can and then cheer. Sure he may miss the potty but if you do this every time he starts to pee he will eventually get it. If you don’t see any signs of improvement after a few days it may mean he’s not ready. In that case just give it a break for a couple weeks then try again.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers


More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

    Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Daycare

    Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
    Leave your comment

    Nancy asks…

    How do you deal with a stubborn toddler when potty training?

    My son is 25 months now and I cannot get him interested in potty training. He is acting very stubborn about the whole situation. He gets mad and throws a fit if I even suggest that he use the potty. I’ve tried getting him interested in it by decorating it with stickers, watching potty training videos, singing songs about the potty, but still no go. We tried role-playing with a stuffed animal and that seemed to have a *little* success because he sat on it, but it was short-lived and he never actually used the potty.

    He is in pull-ups and he can take them off. I’ve even put him in his big boy undies (that he picked out). Still, he’ll go in the floor before getting close to the potty.

    I haven’t tried to force him or chide him at all as I know that can be damaging and I’ve heard it wouldn’t do any good anyway.

    By the way, he is in daycare so I can’t work with him throughout the day. I’ve asked the daycare to work with him, also, but his teacher tells me he won’t work with her, either.

    Can anybody help me come up with a way to make him want to use the potty? I have no idea how to proceed with him. Thanks!!

    admin answers:

    A child will not potty train unless he/she is ready. Otherwise, you are training yourself! Give it time

    William asks…

    Potty Training Question?

    My daughter will be 2 in December. She is somewhat potty trained. For the past week she’s been saying when she has to go #1 and a few times she just went on her own. She wears panties at home and pull ups at daycare. She has had a few accidents. How was wondering how long after this stage did your toddler become fully potty trained without any accidents?

    admin answers:

    For my kids, it definitely took a while for them to be completely 100% competent at the potty (my son took nearly until he was 4 and my girls were at least 2 1/2). They understand the potty, but it simply takes them a while to understand how their bodies feel when they need to go, and until they grasp that, they’ll have the occasional accident. With ours, we made sure to remind them every couple hours, “Honey, do you need to use the potty?” so that they’d remember. That cut down on accidents for our kids!

    Good luck!

    John asks…

    Toddler 3.5 potty training, help?

    We’ve been trying to potty train my daughter for 3 months now. She does well in her daycare, but is stubborn in the house. However, recently, she took my hand to show me in the bathroom that she peed her pants, took off he pants, put them in the dirty basket, and changed herself (panties and pants). Is this a good sign? Other than being stubborn, she doesn’t mind doing number 1 or 2, however, she doesn’t say I want to go, we have to take her and time her. Thanks.

    admin answers:

    My pediatrician said when they can do things like that they are ready. She recommended 13 years ago with my son to go straight to underwear and it will be done in a couple of weeks. I still used some overnight pull ups at night for an extra two weeks while training him in the day. Keep extra sets of clothing set up in the car, nursing scissors in the bag to cut off the underwear they go number two in. It isn’t that much more expensive to cut off underwear as it is to throw away a pull up. Underwear work great, because they feel it. It’s wet, squishy, and unpleasant, and it is very effective. I have four children and have potty trained with this method and it WORKS !

    Powered by Yahoo! Answers


    More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

      Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Problems

      Thursday, October 13th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
      Leave your comment

      Carol asks…

      Does the “loose pants” technique really help potty training?

      I have read things about not putting panties or tight pants on a potty training toddler b/c it confuses them into thinking they are wearing a diaper, but I never had any problem putting panties on my older daughter.
      My 22 mo old is potty training and only has a couple accidents a day so I put panties on her yesterday, but she peed in them twice. Today I just took her diaper off after getting home from the store and she ran around in some loose pants…..no accidents.

      Did you have to leave your potty training child pants or pantie – less for awhile and how long?

      admin answers:

      Different things work for different kids, some kids do best with bare bottom and then transitioning to loose pants and finally regular underpants. I have potty trained a lot of kids working in daycare and as a nanny and including my own 4 boys and in my experience going bare bottom or loose pants works best in most cases.

      Maria asks…

      Potty Training Toddler – help needed!?

      I’m currently potty training my little one, when we’re in the house i leave her to wonder around without her nappy on and it has proven to be a success as she always tells me when she needs t use the potty and goes by herself for wees and poos :)

      However as soon as i put pants or clothes on her she messes them straight away. I’ve explained to her to tell mommy when she needs to go and she doesnt have a problem with this when she’s not wearing a nappy. I just can’t seem to get her into clothes and using the potty at the same time.

      any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated…..thank you :)

      admin answers:

      First of all, you’re doing great!

      I’d keep with what you’re doing. Did she pick out the pants? That may be a way of getting her to wear them and keep them clean.

      I wouldn’t worry too much. Your daughter sounds like she isn’t in school yet, so I wouldn’t worry, and when she goes to school she’ll see how everyone else does it.

      John asks…

      Standard Poodle Training/toddlers?

      Hi, my husband and I just adopted a 2 year old standard poodle, Parker. We are starting “school” with him in two weeks, it’s the next available. In the mean time I was wondering if anyone had any tips. Parker is a great dog, no potty problems, walks well on a leash, affectionate, he’s great. The issue is our twins, we have 15 month toddlers who have been raised thus far around dogs and don’t bother them. They wait for a dog to come to them to pet. When parker is around the twins and they are minding their own business, he will all of a sudden lunge and jump at them while wagging is tail, he is just everywhere super fast, only around the twins when they nap or sleep he just lays down at our feet. I know proper training will help but for the next 14 days any suggestions on how to calm him down to not Jump and lunge at them? I walk him twice a day, a mile each time, so he gets out ALOT. And when he jumps sometimes he opens his mouth like he is going to bite but never does.

      admin answers:

      I would keep him away from the kids for now. It’s just too risky. Until you can teach him to have positive associations with the babies. If you are correcting him for this behavior without offering him any alternative, he may actually be forming a negative association with their presence (meaning they don’t have to do anything but be there). He may also be reacting to their activities if he is not used to young children. They may also have a tendency to stare directly at Parker – which most dogs find quite threatening even from small children.

      Powered by Yahoo! Answers


      More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

        Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers

        Saturday, October 8th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
        Leave your comment

        Sandra asks…

        Any potty training tips for teaching 2 toddlers at once?

        I am about to start my potty training bootcamp, and just wondering if any one has any advice. My son will be 3 the end of March and my daughter is 19 months. I f I am really determined what are my chances for success they will both be trained in a month?
        Do any of you know of a little girl being trained before she was 2, is this unrealistic?

        admin answers:

        There are some things you can do if u have a little boy you can put some Cheerios in the potty and tell him to sink them and if you have a girl she can start bitching about putting the toilet seat down when her brother is done good luck

        Mary asks…

        Potty Training Toddlers??

        When did you start with the potty training? My daughter is 16 months old and has been showing us sign’s that she is ready I think. When she dirties her diaper she goes and get a clean one and when has been getting up in the morning she has been dry. Do you think she is ready or should I give it a little more time. I don’t want to be one of those pushy mom’s that wants there kids to do everything first. So when did you start and when were they officially potty trained
        Jillian I meant to give you a thumb up and hit the wrong thumb. Sorry

        admin answers:

        Sounds as if she is ready to train. My daughter was clean and dry, day and night by 19 months, my son took forever! I think parental instinct should be the guide for when to start, and if you feel that now is the time to start, it probably is.

        Ken asks…

        What is the best potty training book for parents, and for toddlers?

        We are currently in the process of introducing potty training to our almost 22 month old, and I would like to find some literature for myself and my husband to read. Does anyone know of any good books for parents? Also we would like to find a picture book for our daughter too. Does anyone have recommendations?

        admin answers:

        We used this book when training our daughter (29 months old at the time) and it worked great!

        Potty Train in Three Days by Lois Kleint

        Umm, I don’t agree with the first poster. I had no idea how to potty train and would’ve royally messed it up if not for some help from this more experience author!

        Powered by Yahoo! Answers


        More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

          Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Boys

          Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
          Leave your comment

          David asks…

          HELPFUL TIPS ON POTTY TRAINING TODDLER BOY?

          okay so my son is 2 1/2 and is no way near to get potty trained. im kinda concerned that he dont want to go near the potty and try. i know most kids this age are already trying or showing signs but my son is the complete opposite. he simply says no no and no when i ask him if he would like to go poitty like a big boy. i can get him to sit on his little potty for a couple of seconds but after that he gets up and runs away. this is my first child so im a little confused about what to do in situations like this. so if anyone can help most preferably moms that been through this it would be helpful :)

          admin answers:

          He may just not be completely ready, my DS is 2 1/2 as well and we just convinced him to start using the potty about two months ago. What worked for us was buying him big boy underwaear, we told him he could only wear them if he put all his pee and poo in the potty and if he got any in his underwear we’d have to take them back… And it worked like a charm! He’s being doing great!

          Another thing we tried (though it don’t work for us but has for a few of our friends) was making him a potty box, we filled it with toys, stickers, books, & games that he could only use on the potty (our boy figured out how to get into them but it has worked for our friends!)

          Another thing I heard that works is reward charts, every time he pees he can get one sticker and everytime he poos he can get two, and once he fills up a whole row or the whole chart he gets to get/pick something special (like a new toy or somewhere he really enjoys going, say an indoor playground).

          But like I said before he might just not be ready, on average most boys don’t start potty training until they’re three, so don’t be so hard on yourself, when your boy is ready he’ll go on the potty. Don’t stress him about though, the more you force it the less he’ll be willing to do it. Also before started potty training my son we read him a few books about using the potty and we emphasized that BIG boys use the potty and he was going to be such a BIG boy once he went on the potty too.

          Charles asks…

          when is a good time to start potty training a toddler boy?

          he’ll be 3, Aug.25, and i don’t know if it’s to soon. Please give me some tips to make it easier for him and me.

          admin answers:

          Boys start potty training later than girls, and they start on average at 26 months. So your boy is right along the average. To start you can get him a potty or a toilet ring and let him get familiar with it. And make sure he is physically ready to start potty training. Some of the signs are:

          He shows an interest in the toilet
          He wakes up from naps with his diaper dry. Some children even wake up in the morning with dry diapers.
          He lets you know when he’s about to soil or wet his diaper.

          You can use a system of rewards, like stickers on a chart, every time he uses the toilet. Collect a series of stickers and get an extra prize like a lolly pop or a temporary tattoo. You can customize this system to suit your boy’s temper and likes. And also take him along to choose his big boy underwear.

          Remember, never make your son feel bad for having an accident in his underwear, that’s just counter productive. It could turn him off from using the toilet completely. Praise him when he uses the toilet successfully and tell him it’s OK if he gets wet, that he can try again next time. Good luck.

          George asks…

          whats a good age to start potty training a toddler boy?

          My son is 18 months old.

          admin answers:

          As soon as he knows he needs to potty then it’s time to potty train him. My friend’s son would panic and say, “Poop!” before he’d even go, so she started potty training him and it worked.

          Powered by Yahoo! Answers


          More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

            Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Videos

            Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
            Leave your comment

            Chris asks…

            Is my son ready for potty training or was this a fluke?

            My son is 14 months old and over the past two weeks has been squatting when he poops. We bought him the Elmo potty training DVD because he loves Elmo and he watched it about 2-3 times but he’s kind of small for potty training. We figured it couldn’t hurt to show him but once we saw how advanced the video was (talking to toddlers) we decided it probably was WAY too early for that!

            Well last night he pooped in his diaper and took it off which he has never done before. Then he squatted down and by the time my husband I noticed he had no diaper on, he squatted again and pooped on the hardwood floor. (LOL!) Talk about a priceless moment.

            My question is though, is this a fluke? Or does he now recognize that he doesn’t want to be in a poopy diaper? Should we get the potty out and let him explore it or is he really too young?

            We’re just not too sure what to make of it or if we should even worry yet? Any advice? Or tips?
            I think the DVD is called Elmo’s Potty Time. It talks about Elmo as a baby and he asks his Daddy all sorts of questions about the process. His Daddy talks to him about accidents and diapers and the “feeling” you get when you have to go. It’s a very cute movie actually! Great concept!

            Well it can’t hurt to try. If he ignores the potty then so be it. We try again another time. But we’ll see how he reacts I guess. He really seems interested in the big potty so maybe he’s ready, maybe he could care less. We’ll find out….I won’t potty train him super seriously, I’ll let him lead the way and decide based upon his reactions.

            admin answers:

            I defiantly think it’s time. If he’s not wanting to sit in a poopy diaper, then whip out that potty chair and get him going. Seems to me like he’s ready.

            Lots of people wait until about 2 or 3, but I was potty trained at 14 months, and my son was potty trained by 15. DON’T WAIT!

            And trust me girl, the earlier the better! HaHa. It’s so much more convenient and saves a TON of money!

            Awww.. The baby is going to use the potty! I LOVE IT. Take lots of pics! You’ll wanna remember it!

            GOOD LUCK!!

            -Britt

            Donna asks…

            **Repost** Diaper tantrums & Potty Training.?

            __Posted in toddler and preschooler, but, I know this section better and hoping for more insight and thought on the subject. __ (Thanks)

            Belle hates diaper changing time. Sometimes she is fine and no problem, other times she will cry and scream, just not wanting to change her diaper. For a while she hated being in a dirty diaper, so we tried a mornings worth of potty training, she did not want anything to do with it. She loves her potty though. We got a few potty books and the Elmo video and will watch them and read the books all week and try again this coming weekend as the diaper tantrums are awful. Last night she wanted to wear her new elmo undies, so I let her and we showed the bear how to go potty, brought the potty to the living room and were playing blocks, I asked every 20 mins or so, then i look over and she is sitting in a wet spot… Is she just not ready yet? She is 20 months old

            So questions… (Lol)

            Does your tot have these diaper fits?
            Does Belle sounds ready or not?
            Should we go ahead and try again this weekend?

            She is 23 months old this week.

            * 1 hour ago
            * – 4 days left to answer.

            Additional Details
            Thank you so much, we were talking last night and thinking she might not be ready either. We dont mind changing diapers, we just dont like getting kicked and her crying if she decides to throw a fit, Lol. She is a smart girl, we just dont think the bladder control is there.

            1 hour ago
            M & Ms are a great idea, Belle loves, and I mean LOVES chocolate, just like her Mommy
            I get stern with her but, I have not smacked her leg. She is one that learns and repeats. So, we try and stay away from any spankings yet. We have started time outs, too bad she thinks the time out chair is fun. At least it is a distraction.

            admin answers:

            My daughter had the diaper tantrums too. I hated it.

            If she peed on the floor and didn’t recognize it, then I would say she’s not ready. I potty trained my daughter at 27 months.

            I would keep talking about the potty and have her come with you to the bathroom when you go. Put her potty in front of you, and have her sit down when you do. But, don’t take it too seriously yet.

            Nancy asks…

            Terrified Toddler Won’t Potty Train?

            My son is now 3 and he refuses to give potty training a try. I feel he’s ready because he brings me a diaper and the wipes whenever he’s gone in his diaper. He’s not afraid of the potty…he’ll go in with me or Daddy and watch us (we are trying to show by example..”Wee! this is fun!”). LOL! And he’ll flush the potty and isn’t afraid of the noise. But, he just won’t sit on his potty chair…or the seat we have that can sit on the grown-ups toilet. He gets so scared!!!

            He has a mild speech delay and his communication skills are behind…and I just think maybe he doesn’t understand. But…at any rate. Any suggestions? I have printable charts and stuff. I thought about having him watch some kids video’s about potty training. Books won’t work because his level of patience and understanding is just not there yet. He’ll just point out things in the book and tell you what they are. And will totally miss the point of the book.

            Very frustrated Mommy here. He’s #5 and the other 4 were easy as pie! :o ) He’s such a sweet little guy…I just wish he weren’t scared.

            Any suggestions I haven’t already thought of?

            THANKS! :o )

            admin answers:

            My youngest has shown interest early, he’s only 2 and wants to use the potty. But, he’s terrified of the regular toilet and wasn’t too thrilled with the potty chair either. What I did was put the potty in whatever room he was in, and let him go to it himself. He opened and closed the lid. He stuck toys in it. And then, he sat down on it for a few minutes.

            The next day, we did the same thing, only we took his diaper off. He went through the same process. Playing and going over to open/close the potty every now and then. He played for a bit, and then sat down on it….and peed.

            Just make it as fun as you can. Make the potty a part of ‘fun time’ and maybe he’ll just take to it on his own. Best of luck to you and your little guy!

            Powered by Yahoo! Answers


            More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

              Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Poop

              Friday, September 16th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
              Leave your comment

              Thomas asks…

              Potty training for toddlers?

              My son is 3y and has to start preschool in couple of months in Montessori. They said the kid has to be potty trained including cleaning himself. My son is potty trained and he doesn’t need any help to pee but I have to help him when he poops. I am wondering if all 3y olds can clean themselves after potty. I am a bit nervous about him handling himself. I am afraid if he has an accident and if he is embarrassed, he may doesn’t want to go. He doesn’t know how to communicate in English yet (except some words) as we focused on him learning our first language. How difficult it is going to be for my child to communicate in school for his needs. I am trying to teach him the words to use for bathroom, hunger etc. Please help. No silly advices. Thanks

              admin answers:

              I wouldn’t be too worried–you’ve got a couple months to work on it with him. As for communication in class, kids his age pick up language SUPER quick! If the preschool is English-only, I wouldn’t be surprised if he can communicate pretty well in English after only a few months.

              Donna asks…

              When did you start potty training your toddler?

              My daughter is almost 14 months old (on the 25th) and when she pees in her diaper, it drives her NUTS! She starts yanking at it and trying to get it off and whining the whole time. I heard that’s one of the signs of readiness for potty training. When she poops, it doesn’t bother her in the slightest so I know she’s nowhere near ready for pooping in the potty.

              So could she be showing signs that she’s ready to try peeing in the potty at 14 months old? When did you start potty training?

              admin answers:

              Lukas is 14 1/2 months and doesn’t seem to even notice if he’s got a wet nappy! We have a baby due in May (he’ll be 20 months old) so as much as I love the idea of having him out of nappies before then, I’m not planning on trying potty training until after the baby is born and things have settled down. On average, girls are potty-trained by 2 years and boys by 2.5 years.

              You could always get a potty and just have it around the house… Maybe try her on it just after a meal or before a bath? But unless she knows BEFORE she needs to pee (not just that she’s wet after) it will be a while yet before she’s truly ready. If you potty trained now, you’d really be training yourself to guess when she needs it!

              Betty asks…

              potty training…………..?

              well my toddler boy is 2 years and 4 months now and he has been pretty interested in sitting on the potty since he was 18 months old but wasnt actually ready to .. now that i have got him broken of having sippies in bed and he knows when he has pooped cause i say we need to change his diaper he starts saying poopy but never tells me untill i say its time for a bum change then he knows exactly what he did weather it is pee or poop

              two times in a row i go to put him down for a nap and he yells poopy (wich he had actually done consistantly for a couple or a few weeks) but these two times he was not poopy then so i change him and put him to bed and a half hour later he comes out of his room and when i go to him to put him back in bed i smelled his poop….. finally getting tired of that i put underwear on him and have been potty training him for 3 days now. but underwear are hard to get off with out getting poop all down his legs and pull ups don’t work cause he doesn’t care when he is wet or poopy in them they feel like a diaper to him

              so im thinking of starting out with cloth diapers and snappees and a diaper cover so that i get the bennefit of him feeling uncomfortably wet with the cloth but the added bennifit of being able to take it off like a diaper and not get the poop everywhere when he has an accident.

              Has anyone switched to cloth diapers instead of training pants for potty training purposes? what do you think of this idea?

              admin answers:

              I think it’s a good idea. As long as he can feel when he is wet it is good. My son is 2 years and 2 months and when I first started putting him on the potty he would just sit. So i would pour warm water over him so he would pee and we would cheer. Now he pees and poops in the potty. I usually let him run around without underwear because he will run in and go on his own. Good luck with potty training

              Powered by Yahoo! Answers


              More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

                Your Questions About Potty Training Toddlers Boys

                Saturday, September 10th, 2011 at 8:05 pm  
                Leave your comment

                Susan asks…

                Here’s For Mothers Of Toddler Boys. What is the best Potty Training Chair you bought?

                My little independent toddler son is on his way to potty train. I forgot how I got my older son whom is 10 years old to use the potty.

                Main question is I want opinions on what is the best potty Chair. Any ideas?

                admin answers:

                I went through a few potty chairs – here they are in order of best to worst!

                1. Baby Bjorn – this one is so classic and easy to use. It’s a potty chair, not a ring, but it works so well. Easy to clean, easy to sit – wonderful!

                2. The First Years Cars potty ring with handles – seriously, of all the rings I tried, this is the only one that actually worked well on our elongated toilet. All the other rings – even though they said they worked, ended up bending and breaking on the elongated seat.

                3. Dora potty ring – no frills – this comes with a pee cup, but it kept falling off, so eventually I threw it away and just used the seat. The cup really didn’t do anything and I never had a problem when it was gone. ***NOTE*** I got the same seat in bob the builder (I really don’t think the pattern makes a difference) and had to throw it away after a month – the plastic came up right in front and exposed the foam – it started to smell and that was the end of it.

                4. Fisher Price Rewards Potty – AWFUL! This got decent reviews and I liked that you can take the ring off and use it on the potty and shut it for a step stool, but clean up is horrible! And I do mean horrible. The seat doesn’t stay together well and lots of headaches came with it. I eventually just gave it to my parents as a back up at their place.

                Laura asks…

                Any ideas for potty training a boy toddler?

                Our son will be 3 in Dec. He will sit and stand at the potty, just not go. He loves his underwear and we tried to let him have accidents this weekend, thinking he won’t like being wet & go in the potty – but this did not happen. Now it seems he’s holding it in …We’ve waited to start because we recently moved & he was having a problem with constipation. Everything else with this child has been taking things away cold turkey (bottle, pacifier) so we thought the diaper would need to be too. But if he won’t go in the potty, what else can you do? Wait??

                admin answers:

                The child is not like he is 4 or 5. The child is not even 3 yet! Relax, Mom and Dad. Pressuring and insisting will only (obviously) make the child want to hold it in or rebel or regress in potty training. Don’t make potty training such an issue. Potty training comes with patience and persistance on your part. Just wake the child up in the middle of the night, every night–when you have to go and have the child try. It is a behavior that becomes a habit. If he doesn’t, fine (Don’t become impatient with him, or admonish him verbally or punish him if he doesn’t). If he does, great! (praise, praise!) As soon as the child gets up, take him into the bathroom…ask him to sit on the potty and try to go. If he doesn’t fine……just make it a ritual. Do this at different parts of the day–he has certain times of the day where he usually wets or fills his diaper. He will get it. Everyone usually does.
                If the child has an accident, they usually do not like to have accidents and using empathy and parental understanding is your job. Don’t make the child clean up an ‘accident’ unless he is literally peeing on the curtains for fun. To make a child less than 3 do that, the child wont really get it yet–sure they will want to clean up and help mom or dad–but, to make it a point of not peeing or having an accident? They are not at the ‘shame’ stage just yet. They want to make you happy. Be positive and patient.

                Sandy asks…

                How should/do I start potty training my son?

                My son is 15 months, almost 16months… We have bought him his own toilet and have had it out of the box, in the bathroom for the last 5 months, for him to pretty much get “used” to seeing it… When I sit him on there, he sits there, and sometimes even goes potty. It sings a song for him, when he goes. He is very smart, to know how to go on the potty. And what is going on. But, how can I teach him, more? Is there a certain way to actually potty train toddler boys? Im just curious what kind of suggestions you have for me… Thanks!

                admin answers:

                Try setting him on the toilet the second he wakes up in the morning and waiting for that biggest pee of the day. It is stronger than the others and will help him get the idea of how to voluntarily release pee. When it comes celebrate say “you’re peeing!”. Only do the morning pee for as many days or weeks as it takes to learn this skill. Poo is hard, if he will let you, set him on there when you know he is going to go, otherwise just wait. Kids usually start pooing on their own in the potty a month or two after they can reliably pee.

                Ditch the diapers (at least some of the time)!!! I bought prefolds, training pants, gerber diaper covers, and one package of diaper pins at Walmart for cheap and have been done with diapers except for the nighttime diaper ever since. Kids are almost impossible to train at that age in disposable diapers or pull-ups. Cloth WILL speed up training, you don’t have to work as hard at it. Everytime he wets/poos in a cloth he gets major biological feedback that serves as potty training. All you have to do is offer him the CHOICE to use the potty/toilet on a regular basis throughout the day. He’ll likely train gradually and one day you will realize that you don’t use diapers anymore. On his own time table, but thanks to your efforts, he will become trained and it will almost certainly be before age 3 1/2 like most boys now days.

                Tips on training pants and cloth.
                Use garbage bags with twist ties as your “diaper pail”. Blocks odor and is disposable. You smell it once briefly when you dump it in the washing machine with a hot wash/ cold rinse cycle and a tiny bit of soap (about 1/4 the usual). If there is ever an absorbancy problem, run them through multiple rinse cycles in the washing machine until there is no more soapy water. My first “wet” diaper freaked me out, I’m used to the dryness of disposables, but you get used to it, urine is sterile, just throw it quickly in the garbage-bag-diaper-pail and move on.

                Why training is so hard:
                Potty training is usually accomplished before 18 months or after 3 years of age. That is assuming a child has been diapered in disposable diapers. The reason is that when he starts training he has to learn the challenging skill of how to release pee/poo voluntarily and he has to relearn how to be sensitive to the sensations of needing to go pee/poo. Right now, being diapered is a cue to pee and being bare bottomed is a cue to “hold it”. When people train in babyhood, the desentization isn’t as complete and the terrible two’s aren’t in full swing. It is hard to wait until age 3, but the child is usually able to relearn sensation and muscular control rather quickly by then. To train during the terrible two’s the most reliable plan is to get rid of the disposable diapers.

                Powered by Yahoo! Answers


                More Toddler Parenting Tips Online

                   Page 1 of 5  1  2  3  4  5 »
                  Powered by Yahoo! Answers