Potty training is something that challenges the best of parents. We all hear about the challenges that others before us have had, which makes all new parents leery. Every child is different, and when it comes to potty training, different techniques work for different children. Some are very eager. Some are early. Some are late. Some do it in a day, and some take months. So I’ve come up with a way of explaining to parents something that works for just about everyone.
When you start out potty training, first of all, think of it as potty “learning”. Instead of thinking like you’re training a dog to do something, you’re training your child with a personality. Remember, everyone is different and some ways of learning work better or worse for one child over another. It’s a learning experience, and you can’t expect your children to be able to learn everything over night. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you and your child are on the same team.
Now you may not know what I’m talking about or referring to now, but you soon will, especially if you have a child that’s a little bit more difficult in terms of helping him/her learn how to use the potty. You are on the same team. That means there’s no place for anger. There’s no place for you being on the opposite side of whatever arguments you may have. You’re on the same team. It’s you and your child, and you are now trying to help your child master this important skill.
Another thing for you to keep in mind is that I am not aware of any college application that has ever asked at what age a child was potty trained. So as much as it may seem important for your child at two or three or four years old, in the big picture of parenthood, it will become a thing of the past. All the kids end up doing it, and again, nobody, aside from another parent perhaps, is going to ask you how old your child was in the grand scheme of things.
I’ve found there’s lots of techniques when it comes to potty training. My co-author, Julia Cook, and I decided to write a new children’s book called You and Me Against the PEE…and the POOP Too! It’s available now for pre-order and is due out at the beginning of 2011, so keep an eye on my website for it, and good luck with your potty learning efforts.
