It can be especially exciting and challenging for parents once their child is ready to be potty trained. Potty training, for both boys and girls, has its own unique challenges. Unlike other areas of development, boys and girls are different when it comes to potty training. It is not uncommon for a toddler to be potty trained at the very young age of 2 years. Children are usually a year behind and sometimes aren’t ready until they are 3 or even 4 years old. The most important thing is not to rush your child. Potty training is challenging enough without the added stress of the child not being ready.
You will know when your child is ready when you start to tell him that he needs to go to the bathroom or when he tells him that he has already done so. Most parents get frustrated when the child tells them after the fact, but that’s still a very positive step, even if the child has already used the diaper. Another exciting step is when the child wants to be changed. When they don’t want the dirty diaper on their skin. When it makes them feel uncomfortable, it’s a good sign. I am by no means saying that you should leave your child with a dirty diaper. This can lead to diaper rash, blisters and make the child miserable. I’m just saying that when the child asks to be changed, then she is associating the potty with discomfort and looking for a way to get rid of that discomfort.
An important tip is to get the child a potty that sits on the floor. Most children feel most comfortable when their feet touch the ground. We want the child to be comfortable and at ease when he sits on the potty. Another important question is, do you potty train a child standing up or sitting down? The overwhelming answer for a child is to train him to sit. Some parents may not like this, but it is the easiest way for a child to learn. Most adult men have difficulty going to the bathroom. It would be especially difficult for a small man who is inexperienced in controlling his urine flow. This is additional stress that neither mom nor dad need.
Obviously, girls will be potty trained while sitting down. Another important key to success when potty training is an excessive amount of praise. Most parents just want to praise a child for going to the bathroom. For best results, praise the child for the behavior of sitting on the potty, not just for going to the bathroom. You want to make sure that sitting on the potty is fun and becomes a habit. The best way to do this is to praise and encourage your child. Once they like sitting on the potty, the actual act of using it will come.
