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How to potty train your toddler

little girl using potty

Key points:
1. Potty Training Milestone: Potty training is a significant developmental step. Choose the right time, involve your child, and create a positive and patient environment.
2. Step-by-Step Approach: Start with clothes on, gradually transition to diaper-free potty time. Incorporate potty breaks into daily routine. Positive reinforcement, not punishment, is key.
3. Nighttime Transition: Focus on daytime training first. Encourage potty use before sleep. Avoid punishment and promote positive understanding of the process through fun activities.

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If you have noticed that your child is ready to start learning how to use the potty, that’s awesome! Say goodbye to diapers and hello to the toilet. You and your little one will embark on a wonderful adventure and accomplish a major milestone in his development.

Knowing that potty training is not an easy task, we provide you with tips recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  • First of all, make sure that if you decide to start, it’s the right time for you and your little one. Avoid training when you are too busy, moving to a new house, welcoming a new baby in the family, etc.
  • Invite your child to choose his own potty. You can even decorate it together so he feels less intimidated and motivated to use it.
  • Place the potty in his bedroom or the bathroom nearest to him.
  • Begin sitting your little one on the potty with his clothes on, so he gets a feel on what it’s like to sit on it. While he’s seated, talk to him about the toilet, its use, and how to sit properly on it.
  • Give your child a chance to sit on the potty when he shows interest, even if it is with his pants on. When he shows confidence try to sit him without a diaper. Remind him to keep his feet on the floor and tell him that what he did in the diaper now must be deposited in the potty.
  • Incorporate sitting on the potty in your child’s daily routine, and gradually increase the times he sits on it.
  • As he masters the potty routine, you can change his diaper near the potty and deposit his depositions in it so that he further understands his use.
  • When your baby understands the process, place the potty where he plays and let him move around without a diaper, motivating him to use the potty if he needs to.
  • As he gets used to the potty let him play near it with clothes and underwear. This way if he has an accident, he’ll realize that it’s uncomfortable.
  • Remember to congratulate him if he uses the toilet successfully, but don’t scold him if he has an accident; that will only stress him.
  • When you see your child is using the potty, change the diaper to underwear but only during the day. Learning to control his bowel movements at night or naptime takes longer. Instead, motivate your little one to use the toilet before going to sleep and after waking up.

Remember not to punish or shame your child if he has an accident, instead use positive reinforcement and encourage him as much as possible. Remind him that this is a natural and necessary process, not something dirty or something to feel ashamed of. You can perform various activities to make the training fun, such as decorating the potty or reading and drawing on it while sitting and waiting.

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4 Responses

  1. My little cub is 2 & 1/2, and his usage of the potty is not consistent on a daily basis. We started using a reward system, which worked for a while, But since then, he uses the potty less and less, and refuses to wear pull-ups. I clearly do not want to push the issue, but also do not want him to regress. Any suggestions are very much welcomed.

    1. Hi Marek! You could try with books and stories to encourage him to leave the diaper. Also, offer him to use underwear during the day, as he refuses to wear pull-ups (as the article says). Something that is important, the encouragement to use the potty shouldn’t be overwhelming, try asking your child the reason behind his inconsistency. Even though you don’t want him to regress, it might be that he isn’t ready yet, then it would be best to ask your pediatrician just to make sure everything is fine with him 😀

  2. My son is 1 year 1 month old now. When is the best time to begin potty training?
    Does Kinedu have online chat feature to help users in communication like this?

    1. Hello Peter, most parents start potty training at around 24 months. However, it’s important to identify if your child is ready. Experts say that for a child to succeed in learning how to use the bathroom, he needs to feel the need to go, be able to understand what this feeling means, and be able to communicate verbally that he needs help to get to the bathroom. Take a look at our article “How-to: Know if my baby is ready to start potty training” for more information on this!

      Also, feel free to contact us at hello@kinedu.com anytime! One of our agents will be happy to help you and answer your queries.

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