How to Potty Train a Toddler

Patience is the key here. The pace at which a toilet-training program progresses is decided to a large extent by the toddler; rushing the baby or getting exasperated will only set you back. If a child reaches a stage where it is exhibiting a degree of bladder and bowel control then it is ready for the next stage.

A very effective idea is to continuously reinforce the thought in the child that there is no alternative to using the potty. In the beginning every time the baby soils its diapers and then lets you know about it, talk to the child gently. Children are wonderful at understanding things and indeed expressing themselves. Therefore it is important to you be tuned in to their signals regarding their need to use the potty. This will make a big difference to the pace at which they pick things up. If you can walk them to the potty before they commence the job wherever they are, they'll learn to associate to potty with the act of defecation.

It is a good idea to set-up a routine, maybe half an hour after the afternoon feed. Warm milk acts as a mild laxative and can be of immense help in setting up a routine for the potty training exercise. The ideal routine may vary with the child. Some children will respond to the training best after waking up in the morning when they are fresh and more amenable to ideas and instructions.

Let the kid know when it does something right. Smiles, words of appreciation and encouragement will comfort the child and tell it that it is on the right path. Conversely, do not lose patience with the kid if it cannot sit on the potty for long.

The potty training progression for the child is from a state of total dependence, semi-dependence, and finally independence. When your toddler boy or girl can carry out all the steps involved in using the potty independently, you can consider your job done. The steps involved are going to the toilet, removing the pants, using the potty, cleaning self, and finally cleaning the potty. The last mentioned may not be possible for the child till he achieves a certain level of manual dexterity. But if the child can use the potty, clean itself, and wear its knickers of pajamas then that's good enough. Even if your child learns to execute all these skills independently by the age of four, you can consider your efforts to be a success. The prime aim of potty training is that the child should learn to use the potty and not do the job anywhere and everywhere. This is usually achieved in three to six months of beginning the potty training regimen