
But, forcing a child that isn’t ready or curious about the whole thing can have negative consequences. So, in the interest of family wellbeing, here are three basic steps to help get you ready to start toilet training, along with a bit of general advice on the subject.
Step one – make sure parents are ready
As parents you’ll need to be prepared to give your child extra attention and support that they’ll need during the early stages of toilet training – not to mention the increase in dirty laundry that usually comes with the territory! Encouragement and moral support, particularly during the early stages, is vital to success and avoiding a child feeling demoralised when inevitable accidents happen.
Also consider:
What equipment? Toilet or potty? Or a mix of the two?
Step two – is your child ready?
The best indicator of readiness is if a child shows interest in their own and other people’s toileting habits. Toddlerhood - usually between the ages of two to three years old, is when most kids show signs they are ready to start using a toilet although bladder control during the night often takes a few more years.
Other signs of readiness to look for:
Step three – relax
Avoid setting specific timeframes on when a child must be trained by (such as the arrival home of a new baby or starting preschool), it’s likely to add pressure, which could delay things. The best indicator is a child’s general behaviour and responsiveness to the idea of using a toilet or potty. An easy-going, relaxed approach will make the experience more fun for you and your child.
1-2-3- Farewell nappies!
If you’ve ticked most of the boxes and think you’re ready to start the process of saying bye-bye to nappies for good here’s a checklist of things to help you on
the way:
References available upon request