5 Toilet Training Tips

Here are 5 toilet training tips to get your toddler out of diapers or nappies as quickly as possible.

Know when your child is ready for toilet training.

When children start their toilet training too early, the whole process will take much longer and both you and your child will end up frustrated and upset. It can take up to 3 months to teach toddlers to use the potty, so it's best to wait until your child is ready.

When your child becomes aware of urinating or passing a bowel movement, that's the optimal time to start.

Make it a game!

The key to teaching your child to use the toilet is to keep the whole process fun! This will prevent any resistance to toilet training and ensure the co-operation of your toddler. Always use positive reinforcement and praise her when she gets it right.

Don't hide in the bathroom L

Let your child become familiar with the bathroom. Don't shut her out when you use the toilet. Children are great imitators and she'll soon be wanting to use the potty at the same time. Keep her potty in the bathroom so she can use it at the same time as you do.

If you have a little boy, Dad may want to be a role model for him. Toilet training for boys will be no more difficult than toilet training girls as long as they have someone to show them how.

Just let it happen

A lot of parents have toilet training targets. If you set a target of, say, 10 weeks and your child still hasn't got a handle on it, you may become frustrated and start feeling like a failure.

Your child is an individual and will eventually become toilet trained. Don't get impatient with her, or yourself if this doesn't happen within the time you have allotted. This may further delay the process.

Also don't become impatient with the odd toilet training accident which will happen from time to time. Just clean it up and flush it down the toilet. If you child watches you do this, she will remember where to go next time.

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