Toilet training

Many parents worry about this especially as some nurseries will not accept children until they are ‘dry’. Some children are easier to ‘train’ than others. Do not start toilet training until both you and your child are ready.

How to prepare your child for training
Allow your child to be present when you go to the bathroom. Ensure that they get into the routine of washing their hands. Most children find this fun as they love water.

Children before they have to use the potty should be introduced to it and allowed to sit on it and feel familiar with it. Sit your child on it and read them a story.

Consider placing a potty chair on each floor of the house. Allow your child to observe, touch and become familiar with the potty

Talk to the child and tell them that the potty is for them to use like Mummy and Daddy. Allow freedom of movement on and off the potty. Take your child’s nappy or pants off and suggest that they sit on their potty. Encourage them by telling them how clever they are and make it fun.

Observe your child and as you see them about to use their nappy transfer them quickly to the potty. Your child's facial expression may change when he or she feels the need to urinate or to have a bowel movement.

Your child may stop any activity he or she is engaged in when he or she feels the need to go to the bathroom. Give them a reward if they use the potty and praise them!

It is a nuisance but to be consistent you do need to take the potty out with you so that they can still use it. You can buy ‘travel potties’ which fit into a changing bag.

Wherever you are you should place your child on the potty at regular intervals. This may be as often as every 1½ to 2 hours.

Always stay with your child when they are on the potty. Reading or talking to your child when he or she is sitting on the potty may help your child relax. Praise your child when he or she goes to the bathroom in the potty, but do not express disappointment if your child does not urinate or have a bowel movement in the potty. Be patient with your child.

Gradually your child will learn the habit and then it is time to transfer to the toilet. This is usually a much easier ‘learning curve’.

Toilet training
You must ensure that you accompany the child as they are not really able to reach the toilet or to wipe their bottoms. For hygiene purposes it is best to supervise this and to ensure that they wash their hands.

At school you will find that the children usually have an adult with them and are supervised and helped. They are not expected to be completely self-sufficient. Also for Health and Safety reasons young children should not be allowed to wander around by themselves.

This process of potty and toilet training does not happen overnight and some days will be better than others. Persistence and rewarding with praise helps and there is little point in getting frustrated as children will forget when they are concentrating on playing or listening.