Parenting

Timing is one of the key elements in teaching your child to use the potty – start too soon and you may be disappointed. There is no correct age, and all children develop at different speeds. Before your toddler can be trained, they need to recognise the need to go, hang on for a short time until they get to the potty and pull their clothing up or down.

Few toddlers are properly potty trained by the age of 2, and most children are older than this. Many three to four year old will have accidents from time to time. If you leave the training a little later, the child is more mature, and the whole training process will only take a few days. Of course there are many different models on the market, and some children prefer using the child toilet seat instead. You will need to buy a small step to make it easier.

At about the 15-18 month stage, introduce your child to the potty. It should be left in the bathroom, so they can sit on it for fun. If a

child can see other children using the potty, all the better.

From the age of two, sit your child on the potty from time to time, and give them lots of praise if anything happens! If you know when your child regularly goes to the loo each day, chose this time to sit them on the potty. Allow some nappy free time at home, and if its warm enough let them run around, and remind them to tell you when they need the potty.   

Children are bound to have accidents, which should be cleaned up. Tell them where the poo or wee should go next time.  If your child sits on a toilet seat, they may want you to hold them as extra support.

They won't be able to wipe their own bottom for some time, and will need help with this delicate skill. 

A few tips to help you succeed –

• Buy some trainer or pull up nappies that look like pants – they get the child used to wearing pants, and are useful in the nearly dry stage, night times or times away from home.
• Dress your child in loose trousers that can be pulled down more easily.
• Teach boys to use the potty sitting down at first. Standing up comes later on.
• Stay calm when accidents happen. The children will sense the tension, and this may delay the training process.

 Before long, nappies and accidents will be a thing of the past.