Summer is often a good time to potty train your child. Nevertheless, he must feel ready to leave his diapers. Advice from parents and specialists so that he adopts the pot, gently…
The acquisition of cleanliness is not an easy task and parents often take advantage of the summer period to encourage the little ones to become clean, especially for the start of the school year. But be careful: baby must also feel ready to leave his diapers for the potty. Here are some tips from parents and pros so that this stage of the acquisition of cleanliness happens smoothly.
1 – Listen to your child
Magalie’s cleanliness tip, mum. “The most important thing is to listen to your child. We started by taking his diaper off one morning when he was home and by asking him very regularly if he wanted to pee. Little by little, he managed to understand this notion and the rest came by itself. He asked not to have the diaper any more during the nap, and afterwards, we definitely left the diapers to the little brother! Accidents inevitably happen, but we must not dramatize and explain that we will do better next time. And when I knew he wanted to pee (on waking up from a nap, before the bath, etc.), I systematically offered him the potty!“
2 – Respect your privacy
In his book “My child is not yet toilet trained: 1 problem, 7 solutions“, Dr. Arnault Pfersdorff reminds us that modesty begins to develop around the age of 7. However, some children are sensitive to it at a younger age, he says. “If your child expresses the wish that the door be closed (or put against), respect it and wait wisely until it is finished”. And to allow him to feel more comfortable, there is a small cabin very suitable to make children want to become clean: My cabin!
3 – Anticipate outings
At the crèche, in the park, with friends or with grandparents… Plan the necessary if your child pees the first days without his diaper, outside the house. Wipes, spare panties and pants will sometimes be useful to help him feel better and to calm down.
4 – Choose appropriate clothing
Your child is ready to go potty, but for the first few times, he will have to get undressed quickly. Make it easier for him by choosing clothes that are easy to unbutton. The ideal: elastic pants that he can pull down easily. Same thing for the pajamas, when he starts to spend his nights without a diaper.
5 – Draw a smile with every pee
Jam’s cleanliness tip, mum: “I took advantage of the Easter holidays to let my daughter walk around in panties (all new, all pretty). An accident ? there is nothing serious: we say it, we show where the child must pee. MoreoverI had established a system of tables where we drew together a smile with each pee or poop in the pot. By the way, my little Sara was proud to draw her own smile! And for her return to kindergarten, she was clean!
6 – Spot the right time to go potty and stay patient
The opinion of Dr. Willig, pediatrician and member of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics (AFPA): “The most important question remainsobserve the child without putting pressure on him, clearly identifying the moment when he is going to have fun sitting on the potty to do like the others, then the moment when he will clearly feel the need to pee or poo, by stopping or changing his behavior. At this point, the parents can then remove the diaper and put it on the potty.” For the specialist, the acquisition of cleanliness also involves the child’s recognition of the need to pee or poop. “There can be no toilet training before the child has integrated the sense of this bodily perception. Thus, toilet training is most often acquired between two and three years of age and the impatience of parents n ‘will actually not do much about it’, he explains.
7 – Do not put pressure on him
The opinion of Hélène Romano, psychologist: “Parents must remain zen and not put pressure on the child”. Avoid punishing the child or blackmailing him. The specialist advises to materialize the fact that the child will separate from his diaper to make him realize that he is growing. “This can go through the purchase of briefs and panties in order to project him in time by explaining to him that he will be able to wear them when he is clean”. But be careful not to delete everything at once: “if you stop the nappies so that your child is clean at the start of the school year, leave him the comforter or the pacifier: some children do not want to grow up or are not ready, they need a landmark”.
8 – Choose a fun pot that the child likes
Anne’s cleanliness tip, mum: “What worked for my boy was to involve him in buying a new pot. Initially, I had bought a classic pot. On the advice of a friend, I suggested that he choose a “large” pot: he opted for a “comfortable” pot with a small storage compartment to slide a book into and a paper holder on the side. In short, “mini” toilets. To my amazement it worked!”
9 – Value your child
Mom Sonia’s cleanliness tip: “It was important for me to accompany him in this stage of cleanliness and to encourage him by valuing him. I repeated to him that when he used the potty, he would be a big boy, and that he would go to the toilet like the big ones, like his older brother. It certainly made him want to because soon after he tried the potty, and little by little we no longer needed diapers.”
10 – Respect your rhythm
The opinion of Stéphane Valentin, psychologist: “We can encourage him to go to the potty, but without becoming too pushy. The more the child is relaxed, the less he will feel forced. Otherwise, parental attempts may become paralyzing and impede his progress. Moreover, before the age of 18-20 months, the child cannot yet control the contraction of his sphincters: any attempt is then useless. Instead, try to pick up on the signals he sends when he’s ready to take that next step, such as when he can say “pee” or “poo.” We can then offer the pot after meals or before a nap or bedtime. What is also important: teach your child to wash their hands afterwards!
11 – Take advantage of the summer and the gardens to get clean
Myriam’s cleanliness tip, mum: “For a few months, I’ve been sitting my binoculars on the potty with more or less results. But the good weather, the garden and the days in panties really allowed them to learn how to clean themselves. They realized their urge to go potty and hold back a little bit.”
12 – Princess or superhero panties
Karine’s cleanliness tip, mum: “The unstoppable thing: the panties with the effigy of the Disney princesses. And since you shouldn’t pee on Snow White, Cinderella and the Snow Queen…, it was radical! Thanks Disney!”
13 – A book on potty training
Tilou Bleu agrees to potty train before going to school. But on one condition! He wants a marvelous potty, with wings, wheels, white sails, and even legs.
14 – Tell him potty stories
Laccky’s cleanliness tip, mom: “I bought him a pot that I left in his room for a few days. He got used to it very quickly and went on it without knowing what it was for. Then I clearly explained to him how to use it with his little words to him. Then, while he was on the potty, i told him his favorite story (Tom the tiger, 4 pages and 1 line per page!). Within a week it was clean. And today, he systematically asks for the pot.”
15 – A doll that goes on the potty
Kikou’s cleanliness tip, mum: “I gave her a doll who drinks her bottle and pees on her potty. So, after each meal, we did the same ritual with her doll and my daughter ended up doing the same thing. A good trick so that she is clean and can go to school in September. Little by little, it worked, she went there alone. Don’t forget to congratulate your child when he goes to the potty, it encourages him to do it again“.