Potty training isn’t as simple as it seems to be. If you are a novice when it comes to changing diapers and having a hard time understanding the mood swings and potty-going habits of your younger one, you are not alone in experiencing it.
Parents often get frustrated over the unpredictable behavior of their kids when potty training. It is because they are inexperienced in dealing with the entire process of raising kids and how to satisfy them every time they go and come back from the potty training chair or toilet.
When raising a kid, parents must bear the toughest circumstances and should control their anger during the process. When kids ask for something or are resisting performing the task, parents new to the process sometimes overreact and make mistakes that infuriate kids to defy what is being said or asked of them.
Common Potty Training Problems
Every child has his/her unique habits and must be understood accordingly. However, some traits are common in all or most of children when it comes to potty training. We will discuss the most common potty training problems that parents encounter during the process and how to tackle them appropriately.
Refusal to Potty
Children are very unpredictable and may refuse to follow what their parents suggest to them. Parents often feel frustrated when their children refuse to go to the bathroom or when they don’t want to sit on the potty chair. This is because children get accustomed to diapers and do not want to leave their comfortable ‘potty in the nappy’ habit.
However, this does not mean that you should ignore the situation and let your child become accustomed to using diapers and never resume potty training again. You can, of course, try to persuade the child to use the potty, but if that doesn’t work, you need to retreat and explore other options, such as encouraging them with rewards, playing videos, gifting them potty training story books with illustrations, or rehearsing to potty in front of them.
You can try a different approach by explaining to the child why he or she must use the toilet and try to convince them that there are advantages to using the toilet and they must eventually opt for it.
This process needs to be broken down into small parts, which can then be repeated a number of times. For example, once the child has successfully peed into the potty once, the next time they pee into the potty, they will not have to use the diaper at all.
If this is the first time that your child has peed into the potty, you should wait until the child has grown accustomed to it, and once your baby starts expressing interest in having his or her diaper changed, you should slowly start removing it.
Frequent Trips to the Bathroom
During potty training, children often irritate parents with frequent trips to the toilet only to return without peeing or pooping on the toilet seat or training chair. Parents get frustrated over this repeated frustration and give up on the process. Those who are resilient enough revert to diapers and wait for a few more months before restarting the drill. This is one of the main reasons why the potty training process takes so long.
The good news is that there are ways to overcome this problem. The first thing you should do is make sure that you have a potty training chair that your child love to use in place for your child when he goes to the bathroom. Having this in place will make it easier for your child to go to the bathroom and will make sure they will stay longer there.
In addition, you can install a mirror on the wall above the toilet for your child to see himself in the toilet. This way, he would be able to see his progress and would be motivated to go to the toilet. Also, make a proper schedule for potty training.
Another thing that you can do is ensure that your child has a good potty chair. The best potty chairs come with a comfortable seat and backrest. These chairs also have adjustable heights so that children can comfortably sit on them.
You can also reward them after successful completion. If not, ask them to finish the task to get their prize. This will motivate them to stay longer on the toilet seat or potty chair. Tell them that they can only get up when they have done it to get the reward.
Potty Accidents
Potty accidents are common problems with toddlers during potty training. This is caused by two reasons: one is because the child does not understand what she is doing when she goes to the bathroom, and the other is that the child does not have a tough bladder yet to resist the incoming pressure.
Potty training accidents may continue long after your kid has completed his training. These incidents occur anytime; during playtime, at night accidents, or after they have ingested more meals or drinks than needed.
The best way to prevent potty accidents is to keep an eye on your child’s bladder. Have a look at her diaper before she goes to bed. Check her diaper every time she wakes up in the morning. It’s also important to check your child’s diaper after he has eaten, so he doesn’t go to the bathroom without you noticing it.
Also, always make sure that your child wears underwear even after the training is completed. As much as possible, don’t let your child run around naked. Keeping them covered with diapers during potty training, and with training pants or underwear after the potty will ensure that they won’t mess it up all around the house when accidents occur.
The Wind-Up
Potty training is a gradual process that takes time, nerves, and perseverance. For parents who are struggling to keep up with their kids’ bad behaviors during potty training, identifying the most common problems and rectifying them will be a good start to becoming a good potty trainer. After you have covered the basics, it will be a smooth sail toward successful completion. Best of Luck.