Toilet Learning 101 - Do's and Dont's

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah, 22-Dec-2009

 

Off goes my diaper when I want to poop or pee

Some days I sit and read a book ... or sing a song as I wait.

- taken from The Potty Book for girls

It’s time to get down to the business of toilet learning. These do’s and don’ts’ apply –

Do’s

-          Switch from diapers to training pants. Doing so puts the toddler in a new grown potty mode. After a few successes your toddler can graduate to using traditional training pants fulltime.

-          Do make the potty easily accessible – there wont’ be a moment to lose.

-          Watch your toddler closely for telltale signs that he / she has to go. Sometimes, asking Ayanna – Do you have to go to the potty – elicits an automatic no. So how you phrase your invitation to the potty does matter . ‘Let’s go to the potty’ or ‘Your potty is waiting for you, let’s hurry up and go’ may prove more effective.

-          Determine if your toddler has a pattern and encourage them to the potty during these times.

-          Reading keeps Ayanna on the potty longer and helps her to relax.

-          Allow them to take part by flushing the contents away.

-          Do teach them about hygiene. Be sure to teach girls to wipe from front to back to prevent transfer of bacteria and hand washing.

Don’ts

-          Don’t  expect too much too soon. Most toddlers take time to master potty proficiency.

-          Don’t scold, punish or shame.  Staying calm is crucial to ultimate success.