POTTY-TRAINING: COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

Potty training is often regarded as one of the most difficult aspects of the early years of parenting. Potty training a toddler will never be as simple as 1, 2, and 3. Moms venture forth, fearing the worst, while their little ones leave a trail of damage in their wake. You may be making your life more difficult by committing one of these common potty training mistakes:

Mistake #1: Pushing Kids Before They Are Ready.

The biggest mistakes parents make in potty training are related to not understanding the basic principles that the child must first be able to control their potty functions, and then has to want to. Without both parts there, the child cannot be potty trained.

Quick Fix: Make sure your child is already expressing an interest in going on the potty before you coax them along. Signs to look for are that they are interested and uncomfortable. By interest, it means they follow you into the bathroom to watch you pee and flush. And by uncomfortable, it means they dislike wearing a dirty diaper and ask through actions or words to have it changed.

Mistake #2: Not Waiting Until You Are Ready.

If you are not interested in waking up at 2 a.m. to change the sheets, clean the rugs where the urine is soaking in, clean poop off of everything, and do five loads of laundry a day, well, you might want to wait to potty train. The reason: Potty training is a messy, time-consuming, needs commitment, so you need all hands on deck. If a busy work project is breathing down your neck, you may be tempted to ditch potty training halfway through and fall back into diaper mode. This is confusing to kids and will make the road to success a much more prolonged.

Quick Fix: Choose a potty-training time when you won’t have many other pressing responsibilities, like over Christmas or holidays, or a long weekend at least. That way, you can be at home and devote your undivided attention to the task.

Mistake #3: Switching Back To Diapers At Bedtime, On long Drives, Or Other Moments When It’s Just Easier.

Often parents want to potty train until bedtime when they often resort back to diapers or pull-ups. But when you switch back and forth, the child loses the experience of being wet/pooped on/uncomfortable and is getting mixed messages. Same goes for inconvenient times like long road trips or family events like weddings. While it’s tempting to go back to diapers, consistency matters. When the panties go on, it’s forever.

Quick Fix: Skip the diapers or pull-ups at bedtime and get a few plastic mattress liners instead. Avoid planning potty training around big social events or when you travel, or if you must, pack plenty of extra outfits to whip out in case of accidents, and take your child to the bathroom hourly to keep such calamities at bay.

Mistake #4: Using Regular Underwear.

You know your kids will probably be excited to wear “big kid” underwear. The problem is the material is so thin that your child’s accidents will go right through them.

Quick Fix: Get thick training underwear. We want them to feel the sensation of urine, but we want to avoid flooding our house. Have many sets ready to go; you will need them.

Mistake #5: Giving Out Stickers Or Other Rewards.

It is not always fun giving rewards, especially when we are doing something that is not necessarily amazing. It is just a natural part of life. Here is what can go wrong with rewards for every trip to the toilet: Your kid may decide to work the system by going to the bathroom every five minutes. Or the day you do not have a reward, they will throw a fit, then regress to peeing in their pants out of spite.

Quick Fix: Praise your kid when he uses the potty by saying, “Good job!” or “Thank you for using the potty.” Children are naturally excited and proud of using the bathroom on their own. Your job is to cheer them on.

Mistake #6: Not Keeping An Eye Out For Signals.

Kids will not just come up and say, “Time to go to the potty!” The signs are much more subtle. One of the most common mistakes is for the parent to not follow through when the child gives the signal. Every child’s signal is different, although it often assumes the form of a squat, dance, or holding of the genital area. Whatever the signal is, they can be easy to miss if you are distracted, busy, or just not aware of what it is. It is your job as a parent to teach your child to tune in to the signs and head to the bathroom when they crop up.

Quick Fix: First, pinpoint the signs your child displays when they have to go. Then watch for them like a hawk and, once you spot them, take your child to the bathroom and set your child on the toilet. After several times, the child will make the association between the urge to go and the toilet and will naturally go there.

Mistake #7: Getting Upset Over Accidents.

Shaming a child for accidents can bring about fear of humiliation. This fear, in turn, may convince the child to hold it in even when he is seated on a toilet. This defeats the purposes of potty training and turns it into a much more emotional ordeal for all involved.

Quick Fix: Accidents happen! It’s not a problem. Tell them to remember to go to the potty sooner the next time.

This post is from Nairobi Nanny, a company that offers experienced house managers and nannies. For more information email us on info@nairobinanny.com or call +254708518470.