How To Successfully Toilet Train Your Toddler

Toilet training can be fun, rewarding, as well as messy, but most of all it requires love and patience. But before you begin the toilet training journey, it’s important to know if your toddler is ready or not. Some children may be ready from as young as 18 months, while others may not be ready until 2 years of age. Normally, a child is expected to be fully trained by age 4. Below are some of the signs that can help you as a parent to know if your child is ready to ditch the nappies.

Some Of The Signs That Your Child Is Ready For Toilet Training:

1. Your child stays dry for long periods of time (2 hours or more)
2. Your child talks about peeing or pooping in their diaper
3. Your child expresses discomfort with soiled/wet diaper
4. Your child communicates when he/she needs to go to the toilet
5. Your child shows interest in using the toilet or wearing an underwear

Along with the child’s readiness, parental readiness also plays a role. Are you available to patiently toilet train your child? Are you willing to wash the extra laundry? Are you ready to accept accidents without making it a big deal? If the answer is yes, then you can proceed to happily toilet train your toddler. Below are tips to help facilitate toilet training.

Some Tips For Parents To Help With Toilet Training:

Applaud Without A Reward System- Sticker charts, or other forms of rewards should be avoided as going to a toilet should come naturally not based around a reward. Applaud instead if your child sits for a bit, even if they haven’t managed to do anything. Encouraging your child can be beneficial as the child will know that they should keep trying.

Incorporate A ‘Toilet Time’ Routine- Have ‘toilet time’ as part of a routine where you can include cleanliness habits such as proper hand-washing, proper method of cleaning, like for girls to clean from front then to back not back to front.

Have Books In The Bathroom- Reading can help your child relax and can be a good distraction whilst your child does his/her business.

Stay Calm & Be Prepared For Accidents- Accidents can and will happen, and this is why parents need to stay calm and shouldn’t discourage the child. Keeping an extra pair of clothes handy is important.