| Diapers costing you a fortune? It may be | | | | ones.) Once your child has the hang of |
| time to tackle one of the most important | | | | |
| challenges in your young child's life... the | | | | potty training and you are working on night |
| dreaded potty training experience.One of the | | | | training, again take them to the |
| most common questions that I am asked is in | | | | |
| regards to subject. Many parents will ask me | | | | store and have them pick out something |
| something like this:"Do you have any tips on | | | | special to them, a stuffed animal, newvideo, |
| potty training a two year old, that has no | | | | a new book, game, truck, barbie, etc. Tell |
| desire to | | | | them that once they are dry |
| | | | |
| try?"I have been very lucky in my own four | | | | all the time and have no more diapers then |
| children that they potty trained literally | | | | you and your child will go purchase |
| | | | |
| on their own, but I have had several daycare | | | | that special item, "because they are a BIG |
| kids that were not as interested in | | | | boy or GIRL." I can't stress enough |
| | | | |
| this phase of their little lives.First of | | | | to involve them and make them feel |
| all I know that everyone says not to push | | | | important!!!If you child is hestitate about |
| them, but it is very true. DO | | | | even sitting on the potty, do not push them, |
| | | | but |
| NOT try and force the issue. As a parent we | | | | |
| must learn to pick our battles with | | | | make a big deal out of it, when he/she does |
| | | | finally sit on the potty. Encourage |
| our children and this is one that is not | | | | |
| easily won, if they are not ready for | | | | him/her to sit on the potty with their |
| | | | diaper on at first if they are too afraid. |
| it. I started out with "Potty Training" | | | | |
| books. There are a lot of different | | | | Gradually work to take the diaper off of |
| | | | them when they are on the potty. Also |
| ones out there at your local library, or | | | | |
| bookstores (I saw a cute hardcover one | | | | look for the signs that your child may have |
| | | | that they are about to go potty in |
| at Wal-Mart yesterday called "I Have To Go | | | | |
| Potty!" It was under $8.00). There | | | | their diaper, and then ask them then if they |
| | | | want to go use the potty (remind |
| are also many different videos on this topic | | | | |
| as well, I know that Dora, and | | | | them of the treat at the end if they do go). |
| | | | Reward them for every little step |
| Barney have their own videos on potty | | | | |
| training.Second, talk to your child about the | | | | that they take, so that they feel important. |
| potty in their language. For example: | | | | I use to make up a potty dance with |
| | | | |
| "Mommy and Daddy go pee pee and poopy on the | | | | my kids. Every time after they went, we |
| potty, do you think sometime you | | | | would do the potty dance together, and |
| | | | |
| want to go potty too like Mommy and Daddy?" | | | | many times even after I went to the |
| Make any conversation with them at | | | | bathroom, my kids would do the potty dance |
| | | | |
| their level and also answer their questions | | | | for me, because they were then proud of my |
| if they have any.Third, this is a HUGE deal, | | | | accomplishment as well. This may |
| so make a big deal out of it. Take your | | | | |
| child | | | | sound corny, but it is a great way to |
| | | | motivate your children in not just potty |
| shopping, have them help in picking out the | | | | |
| potty chair or a package of their | | | | training, but I'll save that for another |
| | | | article.You can never encourage your children |
| very own "Big Kid" underwear. Also make | | | | enough in anything, so start the |
| sure that you have rewards for them. | | | | |
| | | | cheerleading team and "GO POTTY |
| Whether this be M&M's, dum dum suckers, | | | | TRAIN!"Remember, stay positive, go slow and |
| skittles, raisins, whatever is a | | | | have fun with you child during this trying |
| | | | |
| motivator to your child. Purchase those | | | | process! Good Luck.Tammi Kauppinen is a |
| items with your child and make sure to | | | | proud stay at home mom with five wonderful |
| | | | children. After graduating from the |
| remind them, that the candy is for after | | | | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater with a |
| they go potty on the potty. (If you do | | | | degree in Special Education, she decided to |
| | | | find a way to stay home and raise her |
| purchase candy, make sure it is something | | | | children. That hasn't kept her from working |
| little that you can easily manage, | | | | with kids! She has run an in-home day care |
| | | | for ten years, worked in variety of school |
| because if you give them a whole bag of | | | | districts with children with special needs, |
| M&M's each time they go potty, you will | | | | acted as a foster parent to teenage boys and |
| | | | as a respite provider for other foster |
| have one hyper child, just a few m&m's or | | | | children. She continues to work with children |
| skittles at a time and that is why if | | | | - including her own - on a daily basis and |
| | | | publishes a weekly email on stay at home mom |
| you purchase suckers go with the smaller | | | | tips. |