Potty Training Regression

Everything seemed to be going great with potty training your child. In fact, you didn't think it would be so easy, until, there it is, another accident. If your child is experiencing a setback in their potty training process, don't panic. Potty training regression is completely normal and there are a number of reasons why this happens. Listen to our experts on potty training for more information.

Remain Calm with Potty Training Accidents

Don't freak out if you think your child has "lost" his/her potty training ability. Regression is normal and in order to get back on the potty training process you'll need to remain calm and collected. Here are some things you should know about potty training regression:

• Look around. Has your child experienced any changes in the last couple of months? Has there been a divorce, has he/she started school, changed teachers, welcomed a sibling, etc.? Any sort of change in your child's routine has the potential to stress them out, whether you think it's a big deal or not. If they have experienced change the best thing you can do is help your child remain relaxed and focused. In time your child will get back on track.
• Start a potty trainnig reward chart and show your child how to track their own progress.
• Loss of focus. Once your child believes they have mastered potty training they may be concentrating on other things, like how to put together that tough puzzle or coloring inside the lines. Suddenly their focus is lost on going to the bathroom and this is likely to cause an accident. You can help by reminding them to use the bathroom and bringing a book, or something interesting in with them.
• Ask questions. You can ask your child questions about the accident, but be sure not to nag them. "Why didn't you use the bathroom when you had to go?" or "Did something happen last time you went?" If your child had a bad bathroom experience, such as a painful bowel movement, they might be scared to go again. You can help by consoling them and feeding your child plenty of fruits and vegetables so they can go to the bathroom easier.
• Don't lose control. Accidents happen and it's all part of potty training. If you make your child embarrassed or upset it's likely to just add pressure and the accidents will keep occurring. Try bringing your child back to the fundamentals of potty training, but keep your child's confidence intact.

It's Natural

Toddlers often experience a natural regression once they master a skill. Potty training regression is fairly common and is something that shouldn't be made a big deal about. If you remain calm about your child's regression, and consistent in your methodology, you will help them feel less stressed and focus more on using the potty regularly.