Tackling Potty Training Problems

You started potty training and everything seems to being going great. In fact, you being to wonder why everyone else told you it’d be such a long and drawn out process—until, wait, there it is, the problem that you never saw coming. It's Ok! You’re bound to run into one or two problems when you’re potty training your child. They may feel like you’re forcing them to do something they feel unsure of and issues are bound to arise. If you’re on a mission to continue the potty training process, but your child refuses to use the potty anymore, don't worry.

Potty Training Solutions to get you Back on Track:

• One step at a time. Your child may refuse to use the toilet because they’re scared of it and they don’t like the idea of changing to the “big kid” potty. In this situation you can provide your child with his/her own potty chair that’s just their size. This way you’re encouraging them to accept change gradually, not all in one big scary step.
• Don’t nag. By now you probably know the tell-tale signs that your child has to use the bathroom. You can remind them once, but don’t continuously remind them and/or force them to go to the restroom. Too much nagging can make your child feel too controlled, and stressed.
• Stay calm. Your child is bound to have a few accidents during the potty training process, and that’s completely normal. Yelling or overreacting to your child’s accident might make them feel nervous or give them anxiety about the whole potty training process, thus resulting in regression. Stress about potty training might make your child want to give up on the idea altogether and that’s the last thing you want.
• Take notes. You should begin to realize when your child has to use the bathroom, i.e. after lunch, when nap time is over, etc. Encourage them to use the bathroom during these times, but remember, don’t nag. Instead try something like, “Why don’t we go read a short book in the bathroom?”
• Reward. Potty training takes a lot of practice and dedication from both you, and your child. Break the somewhat tough cycle of potty training every now and then and surprise your child with a reward. “That’s great your diaper is dry, why don’t we go to the store and pick out some big kid underwear?”

Stay Positive

Remember, setbacks happen to everyone. Just because your child experiences a minor problem during the potty training process doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. Continue to encourage and support your child and remember to take the whole matter lightly. The last thing you want to do is put pressure on your child to tackle something they’re not ready to do.