I have a 2 1/2 year old and am having a very difficult time potty training him - any suggestions?
Answers:
Potty training is not just about teaching a child to use the potty, but also learning your own style of parenting in the process!
Steps
Don't be too eager to get your little one out of diapers / nappies. While it can be convenient to have a potty-trained child, sometimes it's not so convenient for the child (or the adult).
Wait until you are both ready. To potty train, you need a LOT of time, patience and energy!
Use the weekend to your advantage.
The first day or two can be frustrating. But once your baby does it and you show signs of approval and excitement, baby will want to do it over and over to make you happy.
Try not to get upset or show disappointment if it doesn't happen right away. Each child will learn in his or her own time and place. There is no rush to potty train. Once your child is a big boy or girl, he or she won't be a baby ever again. Enjoy having the baby for a year or two... or three.
After you work through the whole process, sit back and relax! Then remember the squishy little plastic sound of your little guy who didn't care if he pooped in his diaper will be replaced with "I gotta go potty...NOW!" and you running for the nearest bathroom hoping it's free!
Accidents are bound to happen! Be prepared!!
Don't take potty training personally. While some mommies may compare... all good mommies & daddies know that each child, parent and family is different from all the others in the world!
When you have time, reflect on how you handled the potty training situation since it is the first big thing to learn in life - what would you change? Or not change? Would you have been more patient? Spent more parent/baby time practicing? Talked through it some more? Read more books? Brought out the charts and movies? Not rushed yourself or your baby? Take that and use that in the next adventure: ABC's...reading..etc!
Tips
Really take this time to realize how you want to parent. Will you spend more time encouraging your child? Or will you spend more time trying to remember that eventually she will learn on her own? Or are you going to try to get your spouse to do the 'dirty' work? (Yes, even the best of us try to weasel out of some yucky stuff). Will you walk your child through it? Will you gather information or wing it?
Some children have a hard time with doing #2 on the toilet. When potty training, if they do it in their pants, put the feces into the toilet, and say goodbye to it. This can work so that the child understands where it goes and they see it in action.
Warnings
Don't get upset when a month later your little girl or boy wants to wear diapers again. It is very common! It's not in any way meant towards you personally (even if she says she hates her overalls and hours later pees in them).
show me a pic. of him going potty and i will give you my opinion
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