ParentingHub

Don’t worry, your toddler probably won’t be ready for potty training yet and you shouldn’t try to rush her. However, now is a good time to take those very first steps. “We didn't manage to crack potty training in seven days 'ala Gina Ford, but we made a good start. It's still hit and miss but we're getting there. “Nicola Scott, mom of Elsie, 2.

A relaxed approach

The very words 'potty training' can send a chill down the spine, but the best thing you can do is relax! Children get there when they’re ready, and they do so at their own pace – today, a third of children are still in nappies after their third birthday.

At this stage, unless your child is showing signs of being ready for potty training, start thinking through the approach that’s likely to work best for both of you. The more confident you are, the more relaxed you’ll be – and so, therefore, will your child.

Thinking ahead

Most experts agree that many children are ready from the age of two onwards. Clinical child psychologist Penney Hames says: “The longer you leave potty training, the easier it is. Eighteen months old is fine but two years is better still.” For others, it will be later than this, but that’s OK, too.
Parents often want to know how long it takes, but it varies from child to child. Sometimes bowel control comes after bladder control, sometimes the other way round.

Child rearing expert Gina Ford believes it can take as little as a week. Others disagree. “It may take weeks, or even months, for your child to master all the techniques, but it is these early days that lay the foundation for eventual success,” advises Alison Mackonochie, author of Pee, Poop and Potty Training.

If you feel like getting started, try to make it fun, rather than seeing it as a chore. But first of all, is your child ready?

Your child is ready if...

• she is 18 months old or more
• she is able to tell you she is dirty or wet
• her nappy is dry when you get her up from naps – or dry between nappy changes, which means she is gaining some bladder control
• she knows when she has done a poo, goes quiet or tells you, or points and says "poo"
• she can understand simple requests such as ‘Get your shoes’
• she is eager to take off her own clothes, socks and so on
• she can sit still and occupy herself for five to 10 minutes.

Wait a bit longer if...

• you’re having or have just had another baby
• you’re moving house
• she’s starting a new nursery/has a new child-minder/nanny
• she’s passing urine every hour.
• she’s in a ‘negative’ phase
• you’re about to go on holiday
• she’s just moved to a ‘big bed’
• you’re about to go back to work.
(Avoid too many changes at once)

First steps of potty training

• Talk to her about what you’ve found when you change her nappy.
• Go shopping with your child and let her choose a potty. Make sure it’s comfy; get her to sit on it to make sure it ‘fits’ him.
• She needs to understand that the potty is hers, so let her write on it or put stickers on it
• Buy a few potties: one for each floor of the house, one for outside and a travel potty
• Keep one in the bathroom and get her to sit on it occasionally. If she has an older sibling she’ll be able to watch them. You can also take your child with you when you go to the loo, and tell her what you’re doing.

What you need for potty training

• Potties.
• Child’s toilet seat (some kids want to copy mom and sit on the loo).
• Eight pairs of pants (in a larger size so they’re easy to pull up, in fun colours or with motifs.
• Booster step – so she can wash her hands at the basin more easily.
• Clothes that are quick and easy to pull up; avoid buttons and belts.
• Training pants can help as your child can learn to pull them up and down. However, some children do treat them like nappies.
• Star chart to show progress (only introduce this when your child is old enough to understand the concept).

Is your baby dry at night?

Being dry at night will be the next step – but don’t rush things. Paediatrician Dr Christopher Green says: “The time to night train varies greatly from child to child. The average age is 33 months but the norm is anything from 18 months to eight years old.” So, no hurry on that front, at least!