Potty training may be one of the most daunting experiences for most parents.
With pediatricians' new advices not to start potty training our children before they are ready, it is expected that kids will not easily step out of their comfort zone and become potty trained overnight.
As a mother of twin boys, I have acquired some practical potty training tips that I sum up hereafter: The earlier the better In some cultures, parents start potty training their babies as soon as they are 6 months and by the time they turn 1 year old or so, they are fully potty trained.
In other countries, it is a custom to start training kids as soon as they are 1 year old.
Yet, some doctors advise to begin training our toddlers when they start showing some signs of readiness such as a feeling of dislike when they wear a wet or dirty diaper or a lack of resistance when you teach them how to use the toilet.
Don't give up When I first showed my kids their first potties when they turned just 1 year old, they started yelling and screaming refusing to sit on it.
But when I started putting their favorite toys in front of their potties asking them to sit so that we can play together with the toys, they gladly sat in their potty to play, and soon became to associate sitting on the potty with playing time.
Give some incentives Congratulate your toddlers whenever they use the potty.
Let them take pride of their accomplishment.
At first, I used to buy them toys but gladly found out later that a small sticker or putting their favorite DVD show is enough to make them want to use the potty.
Show some authority We all love our kids.
Yet, at times we need to use some authority to show them how to behave correctly.
By authority, I don't mean hitting and slapping them but rather talking to them firmly what you expect them to do and why they should do it.
For instance I say to my kids that I want them to sit on the potty because they are no longer little babies and they need to become diaper free to go to school.
With my twins approaching their 3 years old birthday, I must admit that potting training was not an easy journey but I am sure we'll get there soon.
Currently, at different times of the day one of my twin sons frequently uses the potty by himself.
Nevertheless, my other son is still showing at bit of resistance to use the potty by himself.
The bottom line, what I learned the most is that potty training starts by training ourselves in how to potty train our kids and perseverance is a key factor to succeed.