Guest Post - Potty Training Mini Series - Part II

GUEST POST

Today's guest post is brought to you from Elizabeth over at Baby Signs With Elizabeth.

Elizabeth has compiled a three article "mini series" for me on potty training. So be sure to come back tomorrow to check out the new guest post.

And please be sure to visit Elizabeth's blog for more potty training tips and baby sign language.
http://www.babysignswithelizabeth.blogspot.com/

Feel free to contact Elizabeth at pdxbabysigns @ gmail dot com for free personalized potty training consultations)
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Article Two:

Never Use Punishment; Positive Potty Training Tips

I've been reading a lot negative potty training advice lately. Advocating cold showers to clean off a child that's had an accident, making the child clean themselves up after an accident and "poop jail" keeping them in the bathroom until they poop -hours even.

Let's address these things one at a time.

Cold showers... umm... does that actually sound okay to any parent? Talk about traumatizing a child. The point of this shower is to make it uncomfortable enough for them so they don't have another accident because they don't want to go through that again. But I guess it's okay because you have to clean them up after an accident, right? Every time I see this suggested, which is often, it makes me want to scream.

Making the child clean up after themselves when they've had an accident. Now this one makes me laugh. First, most kids like "helping" and probably wouldn't mind it. Second, I try and picture my two year old while we were in the process of potty training. Pooping in the potty was a big issue for us so we had many poop messes, down the pant legs, into the socks and shoes.... Now I try to imagine what my bathroom would've looked like if I had let him clean that up. You've got to be kidding! I would only have twice as much work and frustration on my hands... among other stuff.

Now for "poop-jail." Forcing a child to sit in the bathroom for hours until they poop. Why don't we just lock them in a dog kennel with a potty in the back until they stop having accidents? Of course bring them in the bathroom often and have them try, but not longer than maybe 10 minutes. And don't force them, you're only asking for resentment and a power struggle.

I think potty training should be a fun, positive experience. It's going to be messy, there just isn't really a way to get around that. But up to this point you've dealt with spitting up, exploding poo, drool, snot and who knows what else so this is nothing.

Some Quick Tips For Positive Potty Training:

*When you start, don't turn back. Going back and forth will only confuse your child.
*Be age appropriate with your approach and expectations.
*Remember every child is different.
*Remember you've been teaching your child it's okay to go potty in their diaper/pants up until now.
Don't punish for something that you said was okay and then suddenly changed.
*Use underwear only, no diapers or pull ups unless it's for while they are sleeping.
*Give accidents little to no attention.
*Give successes an over the top exiting performance!
*Give praise and rewards often and even for the little steps like washing hands, saying they have to go potty even if they don't make it on time or a couple drops in the potty.
*Be patient.
*Don't stop rewards too soon or your child may regress due to boredom.
*It is up to you to take them to the potty, don't rely on them to tell you. But while it is important to tell them when it's time to go, it's just as important to give them choices to avoid a power struggle. Choices such as "Big potty or little potty?"
*Start out small with the prizes, you can always go bigger. If you buy them a bike for going pee once you'll be getting them a car for a poop in the potty. Stickers, goldfish crackers, m&ms, fruit snacks, coloring pages and dollar store toys all make great prizes.

Keep potty training fun!
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Much thanks to Elizabeth for her article(s).