How To Potty Train Your Child

How To Potty Train Your Child

by Margaret Gaia

At 18 months to three years of age, your child can be potty trained. The idea is for your child to understand hygiene and sanitation. He can understand what you mean if you tell him what dirty diapers can do to his health. When he finds that out that it is good to be wearing clean diapers or shifting to wearing clean underwear, then he is ready to undergo potty training. Below are some lessons on how to potty train your child.

Signs of willingness to be trained
Be on the lookout for signs that your child is ready for training. This is the first step on how to potty train your child. Obvious signs of willingness to be trained on the part of your child include staying dry for as long as two hours, having regular bowel movements, ability to follow simple instructions, complaining of dirty diapers and wanting to be changed, asking for the potty chair, and asking you to let him wear a regular underwear.

Any one of the signs of readiness of your child mentioned above is a signal for you to begin a sincere potty training for your child.

Ways to motivate your child
You can begin motivating your child about potty training by letting him choose the option to sit on the potty chair or use the potty.

While your child is in the mood for talking about potty training, you can let him sit on the potty chair with his clothes on while watching TV. This will relax him and get used on sitting on the potty chair. Relaxing your child is what you should keep in mind in how to potty train your child.

If you wish to demonstrate what you want him to do by sitting on the potty chair to poo, you can take his dirty diapers and place it on top of the chair. The baby or toddler who can recognize what it means would be able to associate your action to what he is supposed to do. Making your message clear is another tip in how to potty train your child.

Usually, your child just releases his poo or pees on his diapers without telling you. It is okay to allow him to poo or pee on his diapers but, this time, ask him to tell you before he does it. You say – “Tell mommy you want to pee or poo, okay?”

The next time your child sounds you off with the announcement, you can approach him and gently ask, “Would you like mommy to bring you the potty chair?”

Initially, of course, he would hesitate and say no. You should insist though by reminding him that dirty diapers go to the potty chair. Remind him that all dirty things go out and go to the potty. He may go with you with some anxious look. Do not force him and be patient when he is seated on the chair.

Stay beside your child and keep him assured that everything will be okay. When your child feels afraid and would not poo or pee, coax him to take his time. With his diapers off from him, you can press your hand over his tummy and make a moaning sound to motivate him to let poo or pee.

As soon as your child is able to poo or pee on the potty for the first time, give him a hearty applause and cheer him some more to let him know you are happy and grateful that he was able to do it finally! You have just passed the training in how to potty train your child.