Signs Your Child Is Ready For Potty Training
Parents tend to be very particular about the milestone achievements of their kids since it helps them transition towards an independent life. Potty training is one such milestone that parents try to achieve as early as possible so that the child can use the bathroom without assistance and is ready for school.
However, in the process of achieving this target, most parents neglect the fact that every child is different, and hence, they tend to take their time to master a skill. Therefore, the target should be to look for signs of potty training readiness rather than forcing the little one to learn it.
In this article, we have tried to highlight the critical signs that you as a parent should look for to know if your baby is all set to start with the potty training process since children learn better when they are involved and ready to engage in an activity.
So, let us begin exploring this interesting and crucial topic that every parent wonders about when their infants turn toddlers.
What are the Signals and Signs Your Child is Ready for Potty Training
Even though, as per experts, the ideal time to potty train a child is between two and three years of age, the best strategy to achieve this target is to let the child take his time to get acquainted with the process.
Thus, you need to rule out the traditional training practices that were used in early times since there is a vast difference in the lifestyle today and what was followed decades ago.
The thought of eliminating the diapers is exciting yet scary since, in the pursuit, there will be several unwanted accidental poops and pees that no parent wants to deal with.
But let’s be practical and understand that such incidents are part and parcel of the learning process, and you should never make the little learner feel embarrassed about it since it will make him reluctant.
As parents, you need to understand that your kid isn’t at fault if he learns to use the washroom later than his peers. So, read the signs that children usually show when they are ready to get potty trained:
- Shows interest in what others do in the bathroom: The very first step to potty training is when your toddler is keen to know the purpose of the bathroom, and you find him standing outside the washroom curiously to know what others are doing in the bathroom.
Also, if your child tries using the restroom himself, this means he now understands the concept of using the toilet seat whenever he needs to get fresh.
- Has words for urine and stool or tells when he needs to go: If you have been using words for urine and stool with your kid at an early age, he tends to learn and use them as he gets older.
So, verbal communication for using the washroom is one of the most essential signs that a child is ready for potty training.
- Stays dry for longer periods: As your child grows from an infant to a toddler, he will start staying dry for a longer time, which means he now has control over his bowel movement and has developed a routine.
Thus, you may note the gap and ask your child if he wants to use the washroom, although you also need to be ready for sessions out of the set routine since it varies according to the feeding routine and weather conditions.
Expect your toddler to pass urine more frequently during winters compared to summers; hence, you need to modify your training approach accordingly.
- Can pull down pants and climb onto the toilet: The very first step of using the toilet is to pull down the pants, and hence, you need to teach this to your child before proceeding further. Initially, you may help him and then slowly ask him to pull himself down while you are there to assist him when needed, as this gives him confidence and makes learning simpler.
Also, if you haven’t bought a separate baby potty seat, make sure you help the tiny tot climb onto the seat to avoid any unwanted trips and falls. Here, we would like to highlight the importance of using a baby potty seat since these are designed according to the baby’s age and height, making it easy to access overtime.
After regular usage, your child will be able to use it without any adult supervision, which makes the transition to adult seat easy. You can also invest in potty seats that can be readily attached to an adult seat since these are a safer option for toddlers.
- Follow simple instructions and routines: Remember that you need to lead by example to set up the proper routine for your child. Thus, if you teach your child to freshen up in the morning, he will naturally develop a habit.
Also, you need to slowly withdraw physical assistance and start instructing verbally while your child uses the washroom so that he stays calm and knows you are around if he needs some help.
- Gets uncomfortable with soiled or wet diapers: As children grow, they start understanding the need to change dirty diapers and will come up to you, indicating or conveying that it’s time you change the diaper.
This clearly shows that your child now knows that he has pooped or peed, which is another sign of readiness to be potty trained.
- Tries to mimic parents/older siblings using the toilet: If you have two kids, you will see that the younger one will try to mimic things that his older sibling does and using the toilet is one such task.
This makes the learning process easy, and if you have one child in the house, you definitely need to be involved in the process.
- Is independent in other daily activities: If your tiny toddler wants to do different activities by himself, it is also an indicator that it’s the right time to start with potty training.
Let your child try feeding himself and playing around on his own so that he develops a confidence that would help him in using the toilet independently as well.
- Remains dry for nap times and evenings: If your child’s diaper is dry after a nap, this means his body is now able to control all the functions, and you should introduce potty training.
Making your child use the toilet after each nap is the best approach since most children tend to pee after waking up.
Tips for Getting Started
Now that we have stated all the necessary signs of readiness, here are some tips and tricks that you can adopt to successfully potty train your child with the least effort.
- Don’t make potty training a serious business; instead, make it engaging by using books, music and even toys that would encourage him to sit longer on the seat. Initially, your child may not pass stool or urine, but if you try constantly, you will be able to achieve the target.
- Do not punish or scold your child if he pees or poops accidentally in the diaper since these are common during potty training. Instead, tell him it’s okay and that next time he wants to go, he should come and convey his need. If you develop a supportive environment for the child, chances are that he will be trained quickly.
- During potty training, use loose pants so that your child can easily pull them down whenever required. Also, use cotton or other skin-friendly fabric to keep the child comfortable throughout the day, as an irritated child means a distracted learner.
- You need to be flexible during the initial potty training process, allowing your child to use the washroom whenever he wants to. However, you should simultaneously aim at developing a routine for potty breaks so that the child naturally learns the process.
- You can use visual signs in the initial training period rather than expecting your child to communicate straightway since children tend to relate to visual learning better in the toddler phase.
Key Takeaways
Potty training is indeed a crucial process that every parent needs to deal with so that the child becomes confident, acquainted, and independent of using the washroom. However, if you notice signs your child is not ready for potty training, it is best to be patient and let the child take his time and try again whenever he is willing to learn and be involved.
In order to make the process easy and fun, you can buy R for Rabbit’s innovative and engaging potty seats that are designed according to the Indian lifestyle and have proved to make potty training simpler for both kids and parents.
