Just as soon as your days of soiled clothes and diaper blowouts are over, it’s time for potty training. Dread. Cringe. Stress. Potty training is a messy, taxing business. But it doesn’t have to be.
I spent some time chatting with the Motherhood Center’s resident Potty Training Guru, Kathy. As a newish mom headed into the uncharted potty training waters, Kathy instantly put me at ease and quickly assessed our unique situation, giving us a path forward. And guess what, it worked! Splendidly so.
Having helped littles and families find potty training success for years, Kathy shared a few of the mistakes she sees most:
- Unrealistic expectations
- Waiting too long to begin potty training
- Assuming lack of quick results mean the child isn’t ready
- Forgetting that accidents are not a problem, but how children learn
The last was key to potty training success for us. Our youngest, now 2 years and 4 months, is incredibly sensitive and accidents were just short of devastating for her at first. Reminding her that accidents happen and that it’s all part of learning made a world of difference for her.
So how do you know if your little is ready to begin potty training? According to Kathy, the following (or most of the following) should be applicable:
- Can stay dry for 2 hours at a time
- Dry when waking from a nap
- BMs are regular and predictable
- Imitates others in the bathrooms
- Is able to follow simple instructions
- Doesn’t like to have soiled diapers
- Can undress easily
- Asks to use the potty chair
- Can sit still for several minutes
Sound like your little one is ready or close to ready? Have you tried potty training and it’s just not working? Give Kathy a call. There’s not a chance potty training would not have gone so smoothly for us had we not gleened from her.
Of course, every child is different as is every family, which is why a plan specifically tailored to your needs is the way to go.
Kathy makes house calls and will gladly tell you exactly what needs to be done (and how) all while providing instant support via text message. Don’t stress, just call Kathy. You won’t regret it.
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