Most parents would rather have their children in diapers than go through the stress that comes with potty training children. However, it is every parent’s responsibility to equip children with independent skills to match their development. For potty training, this usually comes between the ages of 1½ years and 3 years. Most parents eager to start potty training their children do not know when to start the process. Some of the indicators that a parent or a care-taker should look out for include regular bowel in children, and children displaying discomfort whenever they wet their diaper.
Some children start asking to wear regular underwear, while others ask to use potties. Usually, this happens in children who are able to express themselves as well as follow instructions. Keen parents are able to tell when the child is about to have a bowel movement mainly by observing their posture, facial expression or by paying attention to what they say. These observations are a good starting point for parents or care-takers to encourage children to use potties. This should however not be mistaken to mean that the child, however uncomfortable he or she is with wet diapers will take the potty training exercise well. As such parents should make potty training children as much fun as possible.
Potty training children should not be a forced exercise. Forcing the child to sit on the potty will only make the children headstrong about not sitting on the same. However, parents and caretakers should devise ways of making the exercise enjoyable for the child. For example, the parent can bring toys to the child whenever he or she is sitting on the potty. The parent should also ensure that the potty is comfortable to sit on. Even when the child sits on the potty without urinating or emptying his/her bowels, the parent should not be discouraged. Sooner or later the child will learn what to do while sitting their.
Potty training children also takes a lot of encouragement directed to the child. The parent should ensure that any positive action by the child should be praised and encouraged. This should include when the child first sits on the potty, their first attempt to put some content in the potty, and their first attempt to use the potty without being prompted by the parent. Parents should only keep the children sited on the potties for a short period each time.
The parent should postpone potty training a child if he or she continually resists its use. The parent should also avoid pushing the child too hard or punishing him or her for mistakes done while using the potty.
