Is your toddler starting to show you signs they are ready to use the “big” potty? Well it is a daunting task and every child is different. So some horror stories will not apply… but then again we are talking about your child (just kidding).
When you have set your mind to potty training your child, read over these 5 tips to make potty time, party time (insert disco music and strobe lights)!
1. Celebrate Good Times:
What is a party without music and dancing? Come up with a customized song to a familiar tune to sing to your kid when they have successfully went potty. When you got your song down, then it is time for you to get down. Come up with some killer dance moves that will make you kid laugh. They will be anxious to keep seeing mom be so silly that they will want to continue using the potty.
2. Goody Bag:
Get a brown paper bag and decorate it with markets, pictures, glitter, you get the idea, then fill it will your child’s favorite snakes. Fruit gummies, candies, raisins and let them pick out an item from the goody bag after they used the potty and washed their hands.Put the bag in a place out of reach, but not out of sight (please don’t keep it in the bathroom – yuck) and help your child get the bag down when it is time for a treat.
3. Sticker Chart:
I am not sure why stickers are so magical to kids, but I love that they are. Heck, I can give my child a band-aid and they think it is a gold medal. Get a big poster board and divide it up in days and number of times you want them to visit the potty each day. Allow your child to put a sticker on each slot that they actually used the potty.
4. “Big Undies”:
You may not want to go from diaper to real underwear, it may lead to more mess and frustration then necessary. But using Pull-Ups or other training underwear is always a safe bet. You can get them in your child’s favorite cartoon character or buy generic and add a sticker to the front. You can entice your child to pee-pee in the potty so they don’t get (insert cartoon character’s name) all wet and yucky.
5. Decorate the Throne:
To really get the potty party hopping, you should decorate. The window markers are an easy clean up and come in a variety of different colors. You can draw balloons, cartoon characters, or squiggles that your child help create. It will be fun for your child to visit the bathroom when it is all decorated.
Making potty training fun for your child is a great way for them and for you to succeed. Be mindful that this is a challenging task, but it can be an exciting time for your toddler, just relax and let the party roll!
Larah Shelton is a blogger for Smith Monitoring, a leading Plano home security company. She enjoys time with her 2 kids and husband, trying new recipes, eating, and trying to be crafty.
