Expert Advice from Shona
Facing potty training woes? We asked Shona of Blue House International for advice on how to move away from diapers (successfully!) and to avoid those stressful potty meltdowns.
When should you start potty training?
This is a question that I will answer from years of experience in the field; it doesn’t come from a text book. In 20 years of being a nanny I have potty trained many young children and with most of them, including my own twins, I found the magic age to be 2 years 4 months for first born children and younger for children with older siblings.
My approach is that I would rather wait until children are ready and have 2 weeks of potty training, rather than starting too young and it seeming to take forever!
When should you stop or give it a break?
I think that if you are going to be successful and have chosen the right time to start you should see significant progress within a 2 week time frame. If there has been no progress, for example, less frequent accidents and if parents or children are becoming at all stressed then it is time to stop for a while.
What is the secret to potty training painlessly?
I shall try to condense key points as I would normally consult for around 2 hours with a family to cover this topic successfully:
– Choosing the right time when your child is happy, healthy, and settled. Don’t succumb to pressure from grandparents or friends.
– Preparation for the event and involving your child as much as possible in buying new underwear, potty etc.
– Clear your diary for a few days at least and stay home if you can.
– Do not ask your child if they need to go to the toilet as they will always say no, change your approach – ” it’s time for a wee.”
– Do not expect your child to sit on the potty for long periods of time – try for a wee and if nothing, jump up, wash hands, and move on!
-Handle accidents calmly and praise success verbally. Avoid the chocolate rewards (at least initially!)
-Stop if no significant progress after 2 weeks and don’t blame the child or yourself for having to do so.
Why can some kids potty trained in a day and others it takes months (and months!)?
The answer to this is definitely timing. If you pick the right time, taking into consideration your child’s age, their current self help and independence skills, and their health and emotional well being you should be able to progress steadily. If it takes months it’s not the right time.
What can your school do to help you through the process?
At Blue House we do not require that children are out of nappies before coming to our school – we shall support the child and family when the time is right, whatever their age. We would recommend that if your child is showing signs of being ready then parents can begin the process during the school holidays or a long weekend and we will pick up where parents have left off.
Communication is key to success and parents and educators need to remember that young children will rarely ask to go to the toilet but must be reminded, especially if they are with other children or engaged in an experience.
With over 18 years of experience, Shona is avaliable for one-on-one coaching or a group parenting session to chat through many of the parenting worries the toddler years bring. If your Mothers’ group is facing the same concerns, why not give her a call and have her coach you all through it together? Shona can be reached at [email protected].
This article was sponsored by Blue House International.