4 POTTY TRAINING HACKS THAT WILL RESTORE YOUR SANITY

Dear Reader,

Am I allowed to say that potty training is high up on the list of every parent’s worst nightmare. I have gotten endless questions as to what the best method is. People are increasingly frustrated when it doesn’t go as well as they expect. The children become unhappy with the process. The whole family is weighed down by it all.

In between old wife’s tales and science we have tons of information on potty training, sometimes leaving us more confused.

I have decided to share a bit of what I have learnt because my anchor job as a caregiver to children has blessed me with thousands of poop experiences! I have worked with hundreds of children for extended periods of time and in different circumstances over the past couple of years. You will have to give this girl some credit points when these techniques work.

These hacks are not rocket science but I will be really pleased if it changes just how one person will implement potty training effectively.

POTTY ON THE GO

Once you decide that you want to start potty training with your child, the pot becomes your best friend. You cannot afford to slack on the routine, the more practice the better the process. For your first potty, look for a basic one, in a colour that your toddler prefers. If you are not sure which is, select a bright colour. This catches their attention. You may ask why no fancy character or design for starters, because your child might not like it. Why invest money on something the child might refuse to sit on. If you have the time:

• Go window shopping on or offline, scroll through your top options to see which catches their attention.

Now that you have the potty ensure that you take it everywhere, or if you can afford it have it:

• Have one in every room in the house, well for the first weeks. Until the child becomes fully aware, you might have to rely on short notices or behavioural signs when they NEED to That might not permit you a stroll to the bathroom.

RELY ON THE BOTTOM POWER

Maybe I am old- school but I guarantee plain old training cotton pants as opposed to the now famous pull-ups. Pants support the child through the transition from diapers, because they feel the heaviness of their bladder and the sensation of the bowels much better than padded pull-ups. Also, they are easy to pull down and wear up. Before the big brands come get me, let’s move on. During potty training the bottom has become Queen of the kingdom that you call Home. You will need to respect and honour her fully. No boring pants for your child, choose the best underwear 100% cotton is preferable. If they can choose, let it be their favourite characters or colours. It helps in building their interest in potty time.

STICK TO THE DRILL

Once potty training is activated you cannot go on lazy days, this is a no weekend: 24/7 kind of job. Well until they get fully onboard, you as the parent can afford to slack on a bit. What’s been most effective for me, is getting them to sit on the pot 10-15 mins after a big meal. Then we wait for something to happen. THIS CAN BE A LONG WAIT.IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED. After that you can stick to the 30 minutes stop over at the cool place.

COPY CATTING WORKS TOO

Once you bring a child into the world, they look up to you starting DAY 1. You are your child’s hero, they mimic how we talk, walk and act. They are inquisitive beings who thrive when they explore. They want to know what happens when you go to the bathroom. This should not be a secret, except if your religious or moral views do not permit. At the early stages of potty time. Get your child to sit on their potty with you on the WC. This will get them to realise that you are human too, they will hear your sounds and know that it stinks just the same. It helps their psych adjust to it.

Now that I have gotten you all pumped up, share your potty-training woes and delights here. What’s the big idea?