There are two questions that all first time parents need to ask when it comes to toilet training………WHEN? and HOW?
I’ve assisted countless children with their toilet training and no two experiences have been the same but I can answer the WHEN and HOW questions and we can make this momentous step in your child’s life a quick and easy transition.
WHEN? There is no ideal age to begin, children are all individual and will be ready for toilet training in their own time but expect that to be sometime between twenty seven and thirty six months.
It’s up to you to look out for signs of readiness…
Is your child uncomfortable in their soiled nappy? Does she tell you when she has soiled or is about to soil her nappy?
Try leaving his nappy off for short periods in the home, does he tell you when he wants to relieve himself, or does he just go to the toilet without realizing it.
Is your child still drinking a lot of bottles during the day and at bedtime, this will have a bearing on her ability to control herself?
Is your child capable of pulling up and down his own trousers or pants?Don’t try to toilet train your child if he is sick, just getting over sickness or experiencing a lot of change in his life, like a new baby in the family, moving house, or if he’s just begun in a new crèche, it is best to wait until he is settled.
Once you have decided your child is ready, and that circumstances prevail, then ask yourself are you ready? It takes a lot of patience and means putting your life on hold for a while. You will need to have a few days that you don’t plan to go anywhere, in order to give your child a good start. For the first few days you must stay in your own home, to initially get them used to just being in pants. You cannot put them back in a nappy in order to bring them out, it confuses your child and will prolong the training period.
How?
When your child gets up in the morning put pants on her immediately, regardless of where you’re going or what you are doing. Putting them in pants one day and nappies the next is very confusing for your child and will set them back.
I do not recommend pull ups, they do not work as your child will feel like he is wearing a nappy and he will use them as one.
If your child is having a nap during the day it is advisable to put them in a nappy for sleep time, but as soon as they wake up remove the nappy and put pants on. The same goes for bedtime. After a period of two weeks to a month the sleep time nappies should no longer be needed.
Children should be wearing loose and easily manageable clothing, tracksuit bottoms or any trousers with elastic waists are handiest for them. Do not put the children in dungarees, jeans with buttons or belts, or tights. The spring or summer is a good time to train children as they wear less clothing.
Expect accidents regularly, when starting off, but if the accidents don’t decrease after the first week, then your child may not be ready. If she cannot control the urge to go to the toilet then you are fighting a losing battle. Put it off for a couple of months. Don’t worry no child starts school in nappies, she will train in her own time.
NEVER EVER criticize your child for wetting or soiling herself. She did not do it on purpose. Criticism will knock a child’s self-confidence and frighten them and will undoubtedly lead to more accidents.
Ignore the accidents, don’t discuss them with him, only speak about the times when he did use the toilet and remain dry.
ALWAYS praise, encourage and reward.
Send plenty of changes to crèche.
Do not listen to stories of children being trained over night before they reached their first birthday, I’ve yet to meet that child………..
Toilet training has no bearing on a child’s intelligence, or on your ability as a parent.
If you follow my advice you can expect your child to be fully trained during the day within two weeks, and at night within a month to six weeks.