...and then her brother was born. She reverted immediately, she wouldn't even go near the potty.With the stress of the new baby, we decided to keep the potty around as an option, but we never told her she had to go there or tried to 'retrain' right away. She is now completely day time potty trained at 2 years, and this is what I learned.
Do Explain the Process
When we introduced my daughter to the potty, we simply explained what it was and the use of the strange new object. We spent the first week just having it around, so she could adjust to the new potty. We then put it next to our toilet and had her sit on her potty when we went to the restroom so she could see this is what is done with the potty. If she had an accident, we would put her on the potty and say this is where you go pee pee.
When we were retraining her we took a different approach. She already knew how to use the potty and how to hold it, she just didn't want to. So one day I told her she was a big girl and that tomorrow she was only going to wear panties unless she was sleeping. She didn't like the idea at first, but I just kept explaining that I knew she could do it and she was a big girl.
Don't Pressure Them When They Aren't Ready
We considered trying to potty train my son as early as my daughter, but that wasn't going to happen. He likes the idea of the potty and pretends to use it, but he's just not ready. When we have tried to get him to use it you can tell he is stressed out and unhappy and doesn't understand, so we are going to wait until his language development increases so we can explain the process more.
Do Acknowledge the Number 2
I saw that several parents had a hard time getting their kids to poop in the potty. It was strange to me because we had the opposite problem. But I think I found out why. While my kids were babies (and I mean under 1 year babies), whenever I saw the "poop face" I would acknowledge it. I would simply say, "Oh your pooping?" and then make a similar "poop face."
It may sound funny, but my daughter immediately understood what I meant by "when you feel like you have to poop," because I pointed it out when she was actually doing it. If your child is older, you can still teach them how it feels when they go poop, by simply pointing out when they are pooping.
Do Not Seemed Disgusted About Number 2
A child is not going to want an audience for their poop time, if mommy or daddy tell them it's gross. Some kids are just more private about pooping in general. If you see the "poop face" take them to the potty and just pretend to look the other way. If they already did it in their pants or on the floor, just pick it up and put it in their potty and say, "This is where your poo poo goes."
Do Buy Underwear
We started out with pull ups, but they just treat them like a diaper. Wearing underwear helps them recognize when they are peeing-and they don't like the feeling of wet underwear. One thing we tried were the pull ups that turn cold when they pee, and this helped our daughter really understand when she was peeing. I wouldn't recommend them long term though because they just treat them like a diaper.
Don't Go Back to the Diaper
Once you have introduced underwear there is no going back. Really this is fine for the kids-but not so fun for the adults. The first day of only underwear is hard...and the second day. They will go through almost every pair you bought. But don't give in! By day 3 the accidents decrease tremendously, and by week 2 they are completely trained! If you go back to the diaper, they feel like they don't have to really remember to go potty because mommy is just going to let them have the diaper back anyway.
Do Remind Them When They Play
If you are busy, the kids are busy, or if it has just been awhile since you have seen them use the potty-make them use the potty. Sometimes kids are angry to leave their playtime to go, but they WILL have an accident if you do not make them go. They get so into what they are doing that they forget, so sometimes you need to remind them.
Don't Expect them to Be Perfect
Accidents are going to happen, especially during the first few months. And that's okay. Just take them to the potty afterwards and tell them to remember to go potty next time.
Don't forget to be their cheerleader the entire time. Always applaud and clap with praises of approval when the do use the potty-we never used prizes or anything because our daughter was just so happy to see us happy with her success!
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