Best Baby Potty Training Tips

Potty training is a task that each parent anticipates yet dreads. We all look forward to the exclusion of the diapering aisle on our weekly trip to the discount store, but at the same time, there is the realization that no matter what the child rearing books say, this is not going to be a case of instant gratification. There can be a slight learning curve and if you're not careful, a battle of wills. Chances are when you were growing up your parents began to teach you responsbility by leaving it to you to potty train a pet. This may have taught you some responsibility, but you probably are still wondering how do you potty train a child?

Toilet training a toddler does not happen in a day. This is a milestone that will command our attention day and night for a while. Care must be taken not to obsess about it and steps taken to avoid battles in its undertaking. Some babies have more self-control at an earlier age than others. Timing is the key. If you try to push your child towards the potty chair when she is not ready, you are creating unnecessary problems. Be as relaxed as you possibly can and avoid making your baby tense as well. Don't let things drift into a battle of wills.

TIMING

Until your little one can understand what it is that you want to achieve, there is little use in pushing forward. Putting baby on the pot too early is truly an exercise in futility and frustration for both of you. The best beginning of the process is to be able to talk about what you need to happen. Casual conversation of this type may never be appropriate under any other circumstances, but believe me you will need to chat about pee and poop a bit so that baby can familiarize herself. Use an easy, matter of fact approach and you will be amazed at where this approach gets you. There is a school of thought that says it's easier to potty train a girl child than to train baby boys. Beyond the obvious effect of gravity verses hand coordination, I don't find that to be true.

Consistency

Consistency will be the key to success here, not chastising. Attempting to shame a child into toilet training destroys confidence. This is not to say that you should be rigid, but easing into a schedule will help you know when to suggest a trip to the bathroom. Once baby gets it right once or twice and sees the praise that comes with a job well done, you will begin to gain ground at a fast clip! Feel free to give rewards in the form of applause, a sticker or even a hand drawn happy face on her little hand. Use something different each trip so that baby will look forward to the task at hand.

BABY GEAR for the POTTY

All right, you feel that your toddler has an understanding of what's to happen while sitting on the unusual chair with a hole in the seat. Pull-ups may well be the best next step just to see if you were correct in your assumptions. If all goes well, you may move directly into panties or underwear. This may be the time to make up your mind that once you've taken this step that you will not go back into diapering except to avoid nighttime accidents.

POTTY TOOLS & ACCESSORIES

Some parents like a potty chair that's completely separate from the grownups facilities. If you have a large family and limited bathrooms, this may be the route for you. Another choice is the removable potty seat that fits on top of the toilet seat. These are great and require less cleaning that a potty chair. Take care that the seat fits snugly and securely so that baby doesn't feel un-steady on it. There is so much potty training equipment on the market that you may want to check out some of the popular baby gear consumer reports, reviews and guides to help you make an informed decision on which potty seats to take for a test run.

The Baby Bjorn Potty Chair is a popular choice. This potty chair comes in many colors such as

• Pink
• White
• Green
• Red

You should compare prices and read consumer reviews on the Baby Bjorn Potty chair and see if it's the right equipment for you. If you shop carefully you may be able to get a discount or free shipping. I believe that Target carries this brand and others so go and take a look and compare the models yourself.

Potty training dolls are a helpful tool in teaching some children. They are available in many styles. My baby especially loved the Potty Training Elmo dolly that we got from Amazon. I don't think it had a thing to do with her potty training, she just loved Elmo! While potty training dollies aren't really necessary, they can be a lot of fun that aids in letting your child know that everybody does this, even puppets! Elmo comes with a book which may help if you are trying the technique of letting baby look at a book while relaxing on the pot.

There are loads of books filled with potty training concepts, but the best advice I've ever read is that we should be in tune with what our children need to help them be successful in all facets of their lives, not just potty training. For the most part it will all come naturally with very little help from mom and dad.