Oh, and we've also got a whole selection of Potty/Toilet Training resources right here! Toilet Training Advice There’s no one perfect age that all children should begin potty training at. You need to be looking for signs that they’re ready. This includes them being able to consistently go an hour without having an accident. by age 3, 9 out of 10 children are dry most days – even then, all children have the odd accident, especially when they're excited, upset or absorbed in something else Leave a potty where your child can see it and explain what it's for. Children learn by watching and copying. If you've got an older child, your younger child may see them using it, which will be a great help. It helps to let your child see you using the toilet and explain what you're doing. Using your child's toys to show what the potty is for can also help.

Encourage your child to sit on the potty after meals, because digesting food often leads to an urge to do a poo. Having a book to look at or toys to play with can help your child sit still on the potty. If your child's nappy is dry or only slightly damp when your child wakes for a few mornings in a row, they may be ready for night-time potty training. The best thing you can do is be understanding and sympathetic. Your child will almost certainly be upset about wetting themselves and won't be doing it on purpose. Positive reinforcement is an effective method for encouraging appropriate behaviour. If your child has done well with potty training, try this Potty Training Certificate. As soon as you see that your child knows when they're going to pee, encourage them to use their potty. If your child slips up, just mop it up and wait for next time. It takes a while for them to get the hang of it.A child's trainer seat that clips onto the toilet can help make your child feel safer and more confident on the toilet. A step for your child to rest their feet on gets your child in a good position for doing a poo. Training pants should be a step towards normal pants, rather than a replacement for nappies. Encourage your child to keep their training pants dry by using the potty.

Don't confuse your child by stopping and starting potty training too often. If you do stop, leave it for a few weeks before you start again. My child uses the potty sometimes, but has accidents other times Accidents will happen for a while, so when your child does use the potty or manages to stay dry, even if it's just for a short time, tell them how pleased you are. Potty training is usually fastest if your child is at the last stage before you start the training. If you start earlier, be prepared for a lot of accidents as your child learns.

Keep the potty in the bathroom. If that's upstairs, keep another potty downstairs so your child can reach the potty easily wherever they are. The idea is to make sitting on the potty part of everyday life for your child. Talk about your child's nappy changes as you do them, so they understand wee and poo and what a wet nappy means. If you always change their nappy in the bathroom when you're at home, they will learn that's the place where people go to the loo. Helping you flush the toilet and wash their hands is also a good idea. If you do not make a fuss when they have an accident, they will not feel anxious and worried, and are more likely to be successful the next time. Put them in clothes that are easy to change and avoid tights and clothes with zips or lots of buttons. You can try to work out when your child is ready. There are a number of signs that your child is starting to develop bladder control: As we said, positive reinforcement is a very effective way of encouraging good behaviour and continued effort. We’ve noted that your child may be a bit reluctant to put in the effort to leave nappies behind. Which is why you need something to motivate them, and an easy-to-follow way to measure their progress and potty training rewards can be a key part of the process.

Boosting self-esteem. Receiving positive reinforcement for good behavior and achievements can help to increase your child’s self-esteem. They may be more aware that they’ve done something good and can be proud of what they’ve achieved, especially if they can visualize their progress on a chart. Some children with a long-term illness or disability find it more difficult to learn to use a potty or toilet. This can be challenging for them and for you, but it's important not to avoid potty training for too long. We hope the information and free printable potty-training charts provided in this article will help you and your toddler reach potty-training success! And if your little one masters daytime potty training, it might be time to start nighttime potty training. Whatever you decide, don't let it get you or your child down, and don't put pressure on them. Talk to other parents about how they coped.Big-kid underwear may be a fun incentive for your little one and an end goal for when they’ve learned how to use the potty. You may even want to introduce training pants when potty training.

By this age, your child is likely to be just as upset by wetting themselves as you are. They need to know that you're on their side and you're going to help them solve the problem.Encouraging them to use the potty to wee will help build their confidence for when they are ready to use it to poo. You could see if your child is happy to sit on the potty for a moment, just to get used to it, when you're changing their nappy, especially when you're getting them dressed for the day or ready for bed at night. How to start potty training