Parents often groan when they hear the words “potty training”. Many parents will tell you that potty training is the hardest part about being a parent. While potty training will definitely have its hardships, it does not have to cause you to pull out your hair. The following are 5 potty training tips that will have your toddler out of diapers in no time.
Stock Up On Supplies
When your toddler is ready to start potty training, you will want to stockpile your supplies. Other than having a training potty, you will want to gather the essentials:
- Pull-Ups
Pull-Ups are training pants that have the absorbency of a diaper but act like underwear. They help your toddler understand the concept of underwear, but provide a safety net, just in case of an accident.
- New Underwear
Picking out new underwear can help get your child excited about this milestone. Although your toddler may be far off from wearing the underwear, your child can have something to look forward to.
- Disinfecting Cleaning Wipes
Let’s face it, your toddler will make mistakes. Having accessible disinfecting wipes will come in handy when your toddler misses the toilet.
Implement An Incentive System.
Along with the supplies mentioned above, you may want to invest in a few new toys to create a reward system. In the beginning, every time your child avoids an accident and uses the potty, reward your toddler. Having an incentive in place will help to encourage future use of the potty. You can also create an incentive with the new underwear, by allowing your child to wear “big kid” underwear after keeping their Pull-Ups dry for more than 3 days.
Be Open With Your Toddler
Toddlers often learn through imitation. Going to the bathroom on a training potty and graduating to a toilet can be scary at first. With that in mind, let your child watch you go to the bathroom. By doing so it helps to normalize the process. Seeing mom or dad use the toilet helps make it feel less intimidating.
Make The Process Fun
Children are more engaged in tasks if they are having fun. With that thought in mind, make the potty training process more fun. Get creative by singing a song, having a potty party, or reading books on the toilet. Introducing more fun to the process will help create a less stressful environment for both you and your child.
At the end of the day, keep in mind that every child goes through potty training at a different pace. Whether you have a child who is potty trained in a week, or a child who take their time, they will one day meet this milestone.