Most children learn best when they enjoy the process. Young children such as toddlers are at an age where they look upon everything with rose-tinted glasses and a sense of awe. Everything is wonderful and new. Their spirit yearns for happiness and play. Unlike many adults who have “soured” over the years due to failures and disappointments, children like being happy. In order to potty train your child successfully, you’ll need to make the entire learning experience fun and rewarding.
We will discuss 8 different methods that you can use to encourage your child to use the potty and comply with your instructions. You’ll face less resistance and your child will be much more eager to sit on the potty chair.
1. Use the blue and yellow make green method. Show your child that by adding a few drops of blue coloring in the toilet water, it will turn blue. When they pee in the water it will turn green. This will work for many children and encourage them to use the toilet bowl.
2. Get them a musical potty chair. The music will be fun to them and they’ll look forward to using the potty. for some children.( Mine would just continue to play with this potty and not use it for the serious work of actually using it.)
3. Practice toilet target practice with your boys. Place a few small cereals in the toilet water and encourage your son to take aim at the cereal.
4. Don’t worry. There are potty training dolls for girls to help them. These dolls are anatomically correct and by feeding the doll water, it will pee too. This will build association in your child’s mind and help her to understand the process.
5. Get your child a potty training watch. These watches have reminders and the watch will vibrate at 30 minute intervals. This will remind the child to go to the potty and pee if they need to. It’s the constant repetition that makes this method so effective.
6. As mentioned in previous posts, use books, videos and DVDs specifically created to help with the potty training process to educate your child and make them understand what is going on. Many kids are hesitant to be potty trained because they fear what they do not understand.
7. Use charts and stickers to motivate your kids. Children are naturally attracted to these colorful objects and they will be motivated to use the potty if they are rewarded with a sticker each time they get it right. Over time, decrease the frequency of rewards and give them a small gift if they stay dry and clean for 3 days in a row.
8. Get them toilet training pants that are bright, attractive and colorful. Make sure that your child is the one who chooses the pants and not you.
All these methods can be used interchangeably to keep things interesting and fun. Despite all these unique methods, there may be times when your child accidentally messes up and makes a mistake. Take this in your stride and don’t blow it out of proportion.
Gently remind them of the toilet and let it go at that. They will realize that they need to hit the potty every time they feel an urge to pee or poop. Once the realization hits them, they will do it on their own accord and you can breathe a huge sigh of relief.
P.S. What methods do you use to make potty training more fun for your child?
P.P.S. Do you think musical potty chairs are good or distracting?
Share with us your potty training fun strategies in our comment section.
Til next time,
Happy potty training!