Toilet learning is a major milestone in the life of the family. Toilet learning should be a positive experience for everyone involved. There is no magical age that all children will accomplish this. Just as children learn to roll over, crawl, walk, feed themselves, and drink from a cup, so do they learn to use the toilet at different ages.
Toilet learning can be easily accomplished when the child is ready, but it takes patience, commitment, and cooperation between the parent and the caregiver. Consistency is essential. Toilet learning must be a mutual agreement between the caregiver and the parent, when the child is ready to learn.
Verbal Stages of Readiness:
Basic verbal skills: The child is able to speak in three or four word sentences
Stage 1: The child tells you he/she has a wet diaper, recognizes when he/she is wet.
Stage 2: The child tells you he/she is wetting, recognizes the sensation of being wet.
Stage 3: The child tells you he/she will wet, can control himself and use the toilet.
Physical and Psychological Stages of Readiness:
1. Stays dry for a long time. (The child is able to "hold" his urine and bowel movements.)
2. Can recognize when diaper is wet or soiled.
3. Has bowel movements at regular times .(Child chooses when to move his bowels)
4. Adults can recognize when child is moving his bowels. (Child is deliberately moving bowels.)
5. Can undress and pull up his own pants. (Important because this is the work of the child, not the caregiver.)
6. Initiates interest in using the toilet and asks to wear underwear.
7. Wants to be independent (which is very important for the learning process). Child is emotionally ready and is open to learning. (Is child generally cooperative?)
8. Child has an awareness and knowledge of the world beyond himself. (This sign may seem unrelated to toilet learning, but it is a behavior that has been seen in children who are ready to use the toilet.)
9. Can follow three and four step instructions. (This is critical for learning to urinate or move bowels, wipe himself, flush the toilet, and then wash hands.)
10. Can use consistent words or gestures to communicate.
11. Is able to physically get to the toilet and sit on it without help.
12. must show a willingness to want to sit on the toilet and understand it's function.
*** Do not be afraid to admit your timing is wrong and wait a little while longer before re-introducing if your child is uncooperative.
Toilet learning will begin when the child and the parent shows that he is ready. Toilet learning can only be accomplished when the child has the ability to realize the need to go and the communication skills to express that need. When it is decided that the child is ready to begin learning, the parent must start the actual process at home. The parent must begin the process at home. When the child is successful for a weekend, the parents and caregivers will agree to try toilet learning for a period of time. Agreeing that if it is not working at both places then the timing may be off. Parents must be ready to potty train at home. Often times, a daycare provider may start the process when mom and dad are themselves not ready to put all else aside and totally focus on potty training. A child may do well at daycare and then at home mom/dad who were not prepared for this will not want to spend all their free time going potty. The same goes for mom and dad need to make sure the timing is right for the daycare provider. Many a parent bring in a child and announce the potty training stage while the caregiver may have her hands full at the moment tackling a new infant or a new stage of development with another child. Make sure communication lines are open between caregiver and parent for this to work.
When the process begins, the child should be dressed daily in clothes that can easily be taken off and put on by the child. Sweatpants, shorts, and pants with elastic waistbands are the best for success. For the first week, the child will be scheduled to use the toilet at consistent times of the day whether the child indicates the need to use the toilet or not:
· Before and after lunch
· Before and after nap
· Before and after going outside
· Upon arrival at the Center · Just before going home
· A regular routine must be followed.
· Keep a mental log. Note times of toilet use and accidents.
· Remind the child to use the toilet.
· Be calm about accidents, just point out that the underwear is wet and needs to be changed. Then tell the child that he needs to tell or ask the next time he feels that he has to use the toilet.
· Give praise with successes so that the child is proud about the success.
· Be patient. ·
· Use words of encouragement and suggestions to maintain a positive approach.
· Be consistent and low-keyed. Demands only increase the battle of will-power between the parent and the child
Potty Chair VS Big Potty
Many believe that a potty chair makes a child feel more comfortable and at ease while others feel a big potty is more adaptable and real to the the world we live in. Make your choice for which suits you and your child best. I myself prefer the Big Potty but use a step stool so that the child will be comfortable upon the big potty and feel more independently able to help him/herself. The big potty is what you will find when you go to the store, another person's home, or anywhere else in public so you do not have to worry about a child who will not go without his or her potty chair. Those chairs are awfully hard to shove in a purse! Ha Ha! There is also a lot less clean-up with a big potty. One flush and voila clean! No messy potty chair to empty, wipe out, rinse out and then sanitize after each use. It also takes up a lot less room in your bathroom to use the one loo that was naturally placed there.
Tip on little boys:
Often times those little boys have no aim, ok...our big boys are like that too often even into adult-hood so start while they're little! I've often used cherio's cereal to get a little boy to practice his aim and make a fun game with going potty. Throw a few in the potty and tell him to sink the cherio! Works great! Don't forget to teach those boys for the sake of all woman kind to put the seat down when they're done!!!
Happy Potty Training!!!
Remember at my daycare: Children must be accident free for 2 whole weeks before they may be placed into big boy underwear or little girl panties. If accidents begin to happen after a child has transitioned into underwear/panties then they will once again be placed back into pull-ups or diapers until they are once again accident free for 2 weeks. Thank you:)