If your reaction to toilet training is NOOOOOOO, then let me share some tips. I am on my fourth round of toilet training. In my experience, there is no magical system or secret to toilet training. Every child is different and thus, toilet training needs to be catered for each particular child. However, there are some general guidelines you may wish to follow. The BEST advice I could give is BE RELAXED ABOUT IT! I know this is easier said than done, but if you are in the right frame of mind when you start off, it will be less stressful for everyone involved.
Firstly, let me run down my toilet training experiences.
No 1 child – Attempted toilet training at 2 years. My child had an illness and was hospitalised at this time, so I held off until 2.5 years and started again. Within a day she knew how to do wees and within a week she was doing poos on the toilet. Fully toilet trained at night at 4 years.
No2 child – Attempted toilet training at 2 years. It was quickly obvious my child had absolutely no idea so the exercise was short lived. Attempted again at 2.5 years with slow progress. Took 3 months to get wees and about 8 months to get poos. Fully toilet trained at night at 5 years.
No 3 child – This child has a developmental disorder so was not remotely ready until 3 years. She is now 3.5 years and we are still working on poos and she still has accidents with wees. Very long and slow process. I expect it will be a while yet.
No 4 child – It is early days yet, but this child is not yet 2 and is picking up the toilet concept very quickly. I expect within a week or two he will be fully toilet trained in the day. I expect this child to be toilet trained fully at night at 3 years.
As you can see, I’ve had quick and long drawn out experiences with toilet training. The point of sharing this is to reinforce that every child is different.
Mothers sometimes can be competitive when it comes to their children. I want to say, don’t judge your child in relation to other children when it comes to toilet training. Children are so unique and different. Just because they don’t toilet train early doesn’t mean they are unintelligent or slow. They all learn in their own time.
DON’T STRESS AND BE PATIENT! I’m not pretending I never stress and am the picture of patience. Trust me, with my 3.5 years old who has not even done one poo on the toilet and often gets constipated because she is so afraid, I certinaly feel stressed sometimes. That is a fairly extreme case, but the key is to lower your expectations. If you are relaxed about it, it is more likely your child will accept toilet training as a normal part of their routine.
What you can expect
* Wee on the floor, toys, beds, and clothes.
* Going through 10 pairs (or more) of undies a day.
* Washing, washing and more washing.
* Relapses: just when you thought your child had it down pat.
* Pooie undies soaking in napisan.
* Leaving your grocery trolley in the middle of the shopping centre while you run your child to the toilet.
What you can do
* Buy a potty: Start sitting your child on it from 15 months before they get in the bath. Don’t worry about them doing anything on it at this point, it will just allow your child to be familiar with the potty.
* Look for signs of being ready: Telling you they need to be changed, pulling their nappy off and regular bowel motions are a few. See here for more signs.
* Use rewards: This can be anything from praise and sticker charts to small toys and lollies. I know some parents are uncomfortable about giving food rewards and that’s fine, however, I found jelly beans or smarties a great incentive.
* Positive Praise: Make a really big deal of progress. Something like jumping up and down, clapping your hands and yelling “YAY!” is a good start.
* Dealing with acidents: They will happen. Try and be relaxed about it, for it is something you should expect. I say, “OH well, don’t worry, Mummy can clean it, next time try and do it on the toilet. Wees go in the toilet”, and leave it at that. I suggest after an accident you take your child to the toilet anyway because often there is more there.
* Making moments count: Poos often take more time to master. You can make it a positve time by leaving some books next to the potty and read together.
* Pull-ups: I don’t think pull-ups are helpful in allowing the child to feel when they are doing a wee. However, they are fantastic when you are out and can’t afford to be dealing with accidents.
* Buy a Potty Book: I love books. I like these two DK titles as they have a sticker reward charts included.
* Undies: Buying underpants can be exciting for children. Take them shopping and let them pick their own.
* Visit the Raising Children Network for more information.
Toilet training a toddler can be a daunting task. Try not to stress; be relaxed and patient. It will happen in good time.
Happy Days Ahead 
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.