Tips for successful potty training

1. Talk to your child so that they are familiar with the “bathroom” before the training begins. Every time my grandkids pee or shit in their pamper, I use the word “potty” so they understand. By the time we moved on to training pants and the training process, they understood the bathroom thing.

2. Select a potty that is study and, if possible, fun. Introduce them to the potty. I bought the potty from Fisher Price. He is adorable, plays music and encourages the child when he is successful. The best thing about the chair is that the child has to pee or poop before the music starts. It also has a handle that clicks when pushed down. You will need to give your child an incentive during the training.

3. If you are potty training a girl, use one of her dolls to demonstrate how to use the potty. This will help reinforce the process.

4. Don’t expect your child to be trained in 3 days. Some parents can be successful in this time period, but most children are not trained in 3 days.

5. Make sure the grandparents and the child care provider are present during the training process. You will need perseverance, it is important that you continue to train the child when he is in your care. Make sure they have a potty and a reward system. The reward system may be different than what you already have, it just has to be fun.

6. Sit your child on the potty even if he’s wearing training pants. This helps reinforce what the potty is for.

7. Choose good training pants/pull ups. You will no longer buy diapers. You want to keep them as dry as possible until you can change them if there is an accident and there will be many.

8. Have a reward for your child when he is successful. I used stickers and also made a chart where I placed a star. The table can be simple, a cardboard with the name of the child and the days of the week. Use bold colors Children love bold colors and they love being rewarded for good behavior.

9. Read stories to your child about potty training. They also have excellent DVDs on the market.

10. Be patient. Potty training is a journey. Without patience, you will be frustrated and so will your child. Frustration leads to failure. Remember they are children.

Consistency during training is the most important factor. Any deviation can lead to a setback. Good luck!