Potty training your child is teaching them to notice their own symptoms when they feel like urinating. It teaches them how to take care of their own cleanliness and how to help themselves before they start school, which is considered one of the important developments of children. However, it may not be easy for young children and new parents.
The initial stages of potty training can be quite a headache for parents, as children may not cooperate because they are afraid of using the potty or cannot poop. Parents should know the techniques for potty training their children, and start training gradually after noticing that their child is ready to poop on his own without using a diaper. This article has compiled the techniques for potty training that new parents should know.
When is the best time to start potty training your child?
Most parents notice that their child is ready to defecate on their own when they are around 1.5–2 years old, but some children may be ready to start after 3 years of age. Therefore, potty training should not be based on the child’s age because each child has different readiness levels. Parents should observe their child’s readiness and the various signs that they show, such as:
- Able to walk without falling, or some children may start running and can sit still without crying for about 3–5 minutes.
- Urinate regularly and leave at least 1–2 hours between urinations, or do not urinate during daytime naps.
- Shows frustration when the diaper is wet and tries to untie it.
- Show interest or imitate when seeing people in the house not wearing diapers, defecating in the bathroom, and being interested in using the bathroom.
- Expressing through gestures or words when wanting to defecate, such as squatting, holding the stomach with hands, fidgeting, and trying to hide because you don’t want others to see you defecate.
- Understand simple words related to bowel movements such as pee and poop and can follow instructions from parents.
- Take off and put on pants or change clothes by yourself.
- There is no resistance when parents potty train children.
Things to prepare before potty training your child
There are two main types of potties: the straddle type and the child seat type. For young children who are just learning to use a potty, a toilet seat may not be suitable because they have to sit on a high toilet bowl, which can make them feel scared and more likely to fall and get hurt.
When starting to potty train your child, you should choose a model that is made of durable materials, easy to move, and has a size appropriate for the child’s body size and height. When sitting, both feet of your child should be placed on the floor so that your child feels stable and safe while excreting. Also, let your child participate in choosing a potty with the color or pattern that they like, and write their name or attach a sticker to indicate ownership. This will make your child want to use the potty more.
The potty should be placed in a place where children can walk or run to use it conveniently when they need to use the toilet. If the bathroom is far away, parents do not need to place the potty in the bathroom because children may need to use the toilet immediately after waking up from a nap or after eating. When children are accustomed to using the potty, they can then move it to the bathroom.
Parents should create familiarity in potty training children, such as using simple language to explain about toileting to children, avoiding using words that make children feel bad, such as dirty or disgusting. Parents may tell stories or show cartoons that teach about toileting, including demonstrating how to use the potty. If there are older children in the family, children may observe how older children poop on their own, because young children tend to imitate the behavior of those around them.
Things You Should Know When Potty Training Your Child
Potty training takes time, on average it takes about 3-6 months. Parents should teach slowly and patiently. If you force or scold your child, it may make them afraid and refuse to sit on the potty again. There are easy techniques to successfully train your child to sit on the potty, as follows:
- At first, you can potty train your child without removing his diaper or clothes. Once he gets used to it, you can let him take them off. Have him wear pants or a skirt that he can easily remove.
- Train your child to use the potty at regular times, such as immediately after waking up in the morning or after a nap, and about 15–30 minutes after meals, to help your child get used to it and practice discipline when using the toilet.
- Observe your child’s behavior. If your child shows that he/she wants to go to the potty, tell him/her to go to the potty immediately.
- If your child tries to sit on the potty for about 3-5 minutes and still can’t poop or is cranky and doesn’t want to sit on the potty, don’t force them to sit on it anymore and have them get up from the potty. If they feel the need to, let them sit on the potty again.
- Young children may not be able to hold urine or feces well. At first, they may still make a mess or wet the bed. www.pobpad.com/How to deal with it appropriately Parents should not scold or punish their children if they are not successful in potty training.
- If your child has good bowel movements, give them praise or small rewards to encourage them.
- Teach your child to clean themselves properly after defecating and to wear pants or skirts neatly.
Parents should let their children drink enough water and eat foods that contain fiber, which helps stimulate bowel movements and helps prevent children from becoming constipated , which may cause pain during bowel movements.
If you have any questions or problems with potty training your child, such as your child feeling pain but unable to poop or being afraid of going to the toilet, you should consult a doctor for an examination and advice on how to properly care for your child’s poop.