Baby Potty Training With The Right Potty Seat

Welcome to the possibility of no more diapers. Baby potty training is a big step forward in your child’s development. It is the beginning of their transition into toddlerhood. Toilet training a child is not always an easy task. You have to be focused and resilient to be successful. Almost everyone I know has had lapses with their child’s training, but persistence will pay off.

Knowing is half the battle, so you want to come into this battle well prepared. There are so many potty training DVDs and books available that choosing one is very hard to do. I have found that the ones for children teach the most when the child is interested in the characters. We have used Elmo DVDs and Books to spark the interest in our children.  The adult DVDs and books are okay, but be sure to gather as much information as possible.  Every child is different and will require a different teaching method to learn to use the potty.

The most important step in potting training is to determine if your child is ready.  This can be a difficult task for parents as it is too easy to overestimate the maturity of your child.  Most children are ready for potty training at around age 2.  Many children can start as early as 18 months, especial if they have an older sibling they want to imitate.  If your child is 4 or older, please know that they are ready.  You have to be persistent.  You can do this.

Once you have determined that your child is ready for potty training, the first thing you need to do is buy a potty seat. Go to the store with your child and let them pick the characters on the seat. It will be an easier task if your child is interested in the seat. While you’re there, I would suggest that you also buy a folding travel potty seat. This is important and comes in very handy when you are away from home. Along those lines, while away from home always have extra changes of clothes in the car as accidents do happen.  Don't let them discourage you.

I like to start the training by reading potty books every night before bed time.  Go to the library as they have quite the selection.  Take your child with you and let them pick out the books so that they will be more interested in the material if it is about characters they are interested in.  Elmo has some great potty books.  During this week I would also take a doll and role-play with your child and show them how the doll uses the potty.  Do this every few hours to help your child get into the routine of going to the potty.

After your introduction to using the potty, it’s time for your son or daughter to start to use the potty. The best method I have found is to take them every hour for the first few days. This is a lot of hard work, but they learn pretty fast how their bodies feel when they need to go. Praise your child when they do go on the potty. Come up with a reward system for your child.  We used a sticker chart with our children with great success.  When the sicker chart was filled, they got to choose a toy up to $10 at the store.  We even gave bonuses for not having any accidents during the week. Remember that accidents will happen. Don’t get mad at your child if they have an accident. This will only further upset them, setting all of your progress back.

The first week is the hardest as it really seems to interrupt your normal daily schedule. Don’t let that get in your way and just keep with it. Baby potty training is a tough skill to learn. But as with all parenting, the hardest things have the most rewards. Good luck.