Baby Potty Training #2
SHOWING is the second step to baby potty training. This step can sometimes overlap step one. Now is the time to acquire a potty chair. This can be a celebrating time or a laid back time. If your child loves to get presents or picking out things at the store then make it a celebration. Either wrap one up all pretty as a gift or let them pick one out. You know your child best, so you know what they would prefer.
If your child eases into everything slowly and you feel that going shopping or opening up a gift/present is too much. Then make it low key and just put a potty chair in the bathroom where they can find it on their own. Be sure to let them lead the way at first, you should not ask them to use it yet, unless they insist. We still need to do more showing first. Just explain to them, “this is your own potty to go pee or poop on.”
Leave toilet seat adapters, for after they have been using the potty chair on regular basis. Sometimes the big potty is too high, sometimes it’s being used. Using the big potty can be too scary yet. Some kids like their new potty chair, they can stand on it with the lid down and use it for a step stool. They can sit and read a book on it. They can sit on it with their clothes on or off. Let them decide what they would like to do. They should leave it in the bathroom, so they learn that is the place to go potty.
Pull ups can be very helpful during the potty training steps but they are not a necessity. It is easier for your child to pull them up and down by themselves. You can explain what the pull ups can do and they can take them off when they use the potty chair and pull them back up when they are done.
You are your childs #1 role model. The greatest way the show your child how to use the potty, is you, you do it. You use the potty in front of them. Not everyone is comfortable with someone watching them use the potty but this is the most valuable tool. They will really see, first hand what this is all about.
If you are just not comfortable about doing this, then don’t do it. They will sense your discomfort and associate it with using the potty and that will create hesitation for them. If you are comfortable with it, that is great, then do it, do it every chance you get! Children love to copy what we do. Tell them you have to go sit on the potty and ask them if they want to come with you. They can either watch you or they can sit on their potty.
This is the time to TELL and SHOW all of the steps. Explain out load everything you do. “First I pull down my pants, I sit down on the potty, I go potty, I wipe, I pull my pants back up, I flush the potty and wash my hands.” Some kids like to flush the potty for their parents and some like to wave and say goodbye, when the potty is flushing. Be careful flushing can be a scary thing for some children, so use your own judgment.
If you have another child that can show the process, that is great too. I urge all dads and older brothers to sit during the showing stage with boys. This makes it easier for having bowel movements and little boys are not accurate at aiming during the potty training stage. It can be frustrating if your little one is peeing all over the place, they may sense your frustration and regress. Brothers and Dads need to show little boys that they need to push down their pee pee when they pee so it doesn’t spray up. NEVER FORCE YOUR CHILD, IT WILL BACKFIRE.
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