At Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care, we’re committed to helping develop the whole child—physically, mentally and emotionally. One of the biggest milestones for a toddler is mastering toilet training. Because many of the children entrusted to our care are in the age range when this skill is being learned, we want parents to know that we’re their potty-training partners.
Success in toilet training hinges on physical, developmental and behavioral milestones. In addition to hitting the necessary milestones, consistency is key when teaching a child something new. Just like reading stories every night helps create a dependable bedtime ritual, being consistent with toilet training can help breed success.
Your Kiddie Academy teachers and staff will support your efforts and will maintain consistency with your child’s training so that you can rest assured the hard work you did over the weekend doesn’t go to waste.
Aside from making sure the potty at home is in the same place at all times so your child knows where to go when the urge strikes (we do the same at Kiddie Academy), here are a few toilet-training tips and tricks we use:
Wait until your child shows signs of being ready. Pushing potty training too soon only sets up a child to fail. Your child is ready when they show a few of the following signs: they seem interested in the toilet, can walk and sit on a toilet unassisted, can stay dry for up to two hours, can follow basic direction, and can sense the urge to go.
Praise, praise, praise. When a child is toilet training, be sure to praise them often. Any success they have—from sensing the urge to making it to the bathroom to going successfully—should be praised. If they have an accident, never shame them. Instead, have them help you clean up so they understand they have a role in this as well.
Schedule potty breaks. First thing in the morning, right after naps, and every two hours, you should have your child sit on the toilet, even if they don’t have to go. Have them sit for at least a couple minutes, and then allow them to get up if urination does not occur. Give them kudos for trying!
Act quickly. Do you see your child doing the “potty dance,” holding their genital region, or both? Be sure to respond quickly when you see these signs, and make sure your child is also familiar with them so they can head to the toilet right away.
Wash, wash, wash. Get in the habit of washing your hands along with your child’s hands every time you go into the bathroom, even if your child doesn’t go during every potty break.
If several weeks go by and your child is still having accidents regularly during the day, put a pause on toilet training and try again in a couple months. It may be that they’re not quite ready for that next step. Be sure to communicate this pause with your child-care provider, so you remain on the same page. Even when your child masters the skill during the day, know that success at night can take longer to achieve.
Do you have any favorite toilet-training tips? What has worked best for your children?
Thank you for reading along, as we work together in raising the next generation of amazing kids!
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