Jun 18 2008
How New Parents Can Get Used to the Idea of Toilet Training
It seems like only yesterday that you gave birth to your first child. You never liked changing diapers, and now the time has come to be done with them. However, your child is stubborn, and not quite ready to be done with diapers for good. So, you need some advice when it comes to toilet training.
Toilet Training: Everyone’s Been Through it
You probably do not remember your own toilet training experiences, but you certainly cannot imagine what it was like to be in diapers. Now it is your child’s turn to get used to the idea of toilet training, and it is going to be a learning experience for both of you.
Begin by placing the training toilet in an easily accessible area. You want your child to casually go over to it, and see what it is about. This releases the pressure of forcing the toilet on the child. Once the toilet has become a more common fixture around the child, move the toilet into the bathroom alongside the main toilet, and begin the toilet training.
The child has, over the past two or so years of their life, gotten used to the idea of just being able to rely on their diaper to hold their mess. However, now they must be taught this new responsibility that they will need to use for the rest of their life. After all, no child likes to sit in a dirty diaper and get diaper rash!
Unfortunately, many parents become frustrated, because it takes several weeks, if not months, for a child to get used to the idea of using the toilet. Some children are actually afraid of the toilet because of the loud flushing noise. So, what you need to do is make sure that the child is relaxed at all times.
Something that you should not do is bribe the child to use the toilet. This is teaching the child to manipulate the situation. Instead, give the child a small treat here and there, and keep it random, so the child will never be completely sure when a treat is coming. This way, the child will start looking for the toilet naturally.
In the old days, getting a child used to the idea of using a toilet was much harder than it is now. However, one thing that will never change is the patience that you need to be able to properly teach your child this very important step in their life.
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