Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Potty Training ::Part I::

Here's no standard age at which a child is ready to start using the potty. But most children gain the skills they need to start training when they are between 18 months and three years old. Syakir started refuse to wear his diapers at the age of 20 months. Especially during night time. So we just follow the flow, let him diaperless during night time. Bila tersedar, mesti nak raba Syakir tapi selalunya he'll cry out loud 'nak andi' sambil nak bukak seluar. *need to add his vocab, i know*

Potty training is one milestone that you're probably eagerly awaiting. Though some toddlers adjust in a few days, bear in mind that it may take your little one several months to get into the potty habit. And there will be setbacks along the way.

Make potty-training preparations

Ini I like, What do I need ya?

Potties

A potty is, as the name suggests, a pot-like object for your child to use instead of his nappy or the toilet. Potties are small at approximately one foot high, and are placed on the floor. It'll give him get used to the sight and idea of the potty.

Pros
• The potty is smaller than a toilet, which makes it much less daunting for your child.
• The potty is easy for your toddler to hop onto himself. This may save valuable seconds and help to avoid accidents.
• The potty is portable. You can move it from room to room in your house, park it in front of the television or even take it with you if you are away from home. This means that it is possible to maintain your toddler's potty training routine, wherever you are.
• Potties come in many different colours. Some even have pictures on them. Letting your child choose his own potty will help to make the whole process more fun.

Cons
• The potty can easily be knocked over.
• Cleaning the potty is not a pleasant job, and not as simple as flushing the toilet.
A potty is probably easiest to start with, rather than a toilet. It's easy to get on and off, and can be moved around the house. However, you may want to buy a training seat to attach to your toilet.

Toilet step stools

Another option for me would be using a toilet seat, so need a footstep so Syakir can stabilize himself with his feet and push when he's having a poo. It will also allow him to get on and off the loo independently but still I need to supervise him, not to let him alone in the toilet, NO NO NO. A toilet step stool is basically a platform that your toddler can step on to so that he can reach the toilet alone.

Pros
• The step stool will enable your toddler to reach the toilet on his own. This will save time and help your child to feel much more grown up and capable.
• The step stool can double up as a way for your toddler to reach other things, such as the sink.

Cons
• If your bathroom is small you may find it a nuisance when you wish to use the loo.
• The step stool is bulky and not particularly portable, so you probably won't take it with you when you go out. This may confuse your toddler, as you'll seem willing to help him with the toilet when you're out but not so keen when you are at home.

Trainer pants

One more option would be trainer pants, Trainer pants are washable cotton pants with a waterproof outer layer. They are used as a stepping stone between nappies and real pants. So, I need to SHOPPING! Mak suka jer..

Pros
• Trainer pants allow your child to feel when he is wet while offering some protection against accidents.
• Unlike pull-up pants, trainer pants do not feel like a nappy, so will help your child to remember about using his potty.

Cons
• Trainer pants offer only limited protection against accidents. If your child's bladder is full you will still end up with a puddle on the floor.
• Trainer pants do not have the same "big boy" or "big girl" appeal of real pants. You could try using training pants for your toddler instead of, or as well as, proper underwear. Cloth training pants are similar to regular pants, but have an absorbent pad inside to cope with small accidents.

Pull-up pants

Or maybe I could get the pull-up pants. Pull-up pants look like normal underwear but are made from the same material as nappies. How absorbent they are depends on the brand you buy.

Pros
• Pull-up pants allow your toddler to feel like a grown up. He can prepare himself to use the loo by pulling his pants down, and can pull them back up himself when he's finished.
• If your toddler does have any accidents during this potty training phase, the pull-up pants can absorb them and then easily be thrown away, just like disposable nappies.
• Pull-up pants can act as an intermediate step, as your toddler works up to normal underwear.
• Even when your child is in pants during the day, absorbent pull-ups can be useful at night so your child doesn't feel like he is being made to wear "babyish" nappies.

Cons
• Using pull-up pants may slow down the training process. Once they are on they will feel like a nappy so your child may forget he is supposed to be using the potty. Some parents prefer to put their toddler in normal underwear straight away and be done with it.
• Some brands of pull-up pants are only designed to cope with small accidents. This means that many are not suitable for your toddler to wear at night. Absorbent, disposable pull-up trainer pants are especially easy to pull up and down. Some parents find these convenient, but some don't find them helpful, as they don't feel very different from a nappy. Wearing real underwear may encourage your toddler to use his potty. You could let him choose some pants which have his favourite cartoon character on them.

Be consistent in your approach to potty training

Take things slowly to begin with. Encourage your toddler to sit on the potty once a day. This may be after breakfast, before his bath, or whenever he's likely to have a poo.

Sit your child on the potty after he has just had a wet or dirty nappy. This reinforces where the wee and poo is meant to go and encourages him to get used to the potty and accept it as part of his routine.

If he doesn't want to sit on it, that's fine. Never restrain him or force him to sit there. And don't push the issue if he seems scared. If he's not interested, just put a nappy back on him and put the potty aside for a few weeks before trying again. At this stage, you just want him to get used to the potty.

If he shows an interest, start explaining that this is what Mummy and Daddy, and any older siblings, do every day. Say that undressing before you sit down to go to the loo is the grown up thing to do.

If he gets the idea and manages to poo, that's great. But don't push him to perform. Wait until he's ready and demonstrates a clear interest in using the toilet on his own. If you persist when your child is not ready, he'll get upset and you'll become increasingly frustrated, turning toilet training into a battle-ground.

Make sure the potty is always in a convenient place. Being portable, the potty can be used in the garden, or whichever room you're in. Perhaps taking a few days off could be a help as well.

Let everyone who looks after your child know that you're going to start potty training. Grandparents, daycare staff or babysitters all need to use the same, consistent approach.

Demonstrate how it's done

Children learn by copying. Seeing you use the toilet will help your toddler to understand the purpose of a toilet. If you have a son, try teaching him to wee sitting down to begin with. Talk about how you can tell it's time for you to go to the toilet. Then explain what's going on as you go yourself. Show him how to wash properly, pull up your underwear, flush the toilet, and then wash your hands.

The next time he poos in his nappy, take him to his potty, sit him down, and empty the nappy beneath him into the bowl. This will help him make the connection between sitting and pooing. After you've emptied his potty into the big toilet, let him flush it if he wants to, but don't make him do it if he's scared. Then encourage him to dress himself and wash his hands when he's done.

Persevere with the potty, if he's ready

Encourage your child to use his potty whenever he feels the urge to go. Give him plenty to drink and encourage him to sit on the potty every few hours. But make sure he knows that he can also tell you if he needs to go, and that you'll accompany him whenever he wants you to.

He'll need to be told to go to the loo at first, though. Chances are, if you ask if he wants to do a wee, he'll reply with a "no". Try saying : "Go and do a wee, then we can go outside and play," so he has more direction from you.

If you can, let him run around sometimes without a nappy, or without any clothing below the waist, with the potty nearby. Tell him he can use it whenever he wants to and remind him occasionally that it's there if he needs it.

Some toddlers won't sit on the potty long enough to relax and let anything come out. Calmly encourage him to sit there for at least a minute or so. Stay with him and talk calmly, or read him a story.

When your toddler uses the potty successfully, give him lots of praise, though don't go too overboard, as he may find too much fuss overwhelming. Even if he continues to have accidents, he'll then start to grasp that getting something in the potty is an accomplishment.

Cope calmly with potty-training accidents

Seperti kanak-kanak lain, Syakir pun kadang terlajak. Dah kencing baru cakap. It can be frustrating, tapi jangan marah atau menghukum. Mastering the process will take time. When he has an accident, calmly clean it up without any fuss and suggest that next time he tries to use his potty instead. Cerita elok2 and terangkan what is potty, why he needs to be in the loo etc.

Accidents are part of the potty training process. But if there are lots of accidents and very little progress, go back to nappies and shelve potty training for a while. Your toddler may not be ready yet. It doesn't mean that you've failed, and it's the best thing to do if you want potty training to work in the long-run.

Night-time potty training

Even when your child is consistently clean and dry all day, it may take him several more months or years to master being dry at night. So don't throw away his nappies just yet. His body is still too immature to reliably wake him up in the middle of the night just to go to the loo.


Help cut down on wet nights by not letting him drink too much before bedtime. Though make sure you give him about six or seven cups of drink during the day, or whenever he asks. Tell him that if he does wake up in the middle of the night he can call to you to help him get to the potty.

You could also try leaving a nightlight on in his room and leaving his potty near the bed in case he wants to use it.

Believe it or not, when your child is ready to learn this new skill, he will. And if you wait until he's really ready to start, the process shouldn't be too painful for either of you.


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