Explore Wisconsin


Potty Training Secrets: How To Make It Successful and Fun

Diapers costing you a fortune? It may beones.) Once  your  child  has  the  hang  of
time to tackle one of the most important
challenges in your young child's life... thepotty training and you are working on night
dreaded potty training experience.One of thetraining,  again  take  them  to  the
most common questions that I am asked is in
regards to subject. Many parents will ask mestore and have them pick out something
something like this:"Do you have any tips onspecial to them, a stuffed animal, newvideo,
potty training a two year old, that has noa new book, game, truck, barbie, etc. Tell
desire  tothem  that  once  they  are  dry
try?"I have been very lucky in my own fourall the time and have no more diapers then
children  that  they  potty trained literallyyou  and  your  child  will  go  purchase
on their own, but I have had several daycarethat special item, "because they are a BIG
kids  that  were  not  as  interested  inboy  or  GIRL." I  can't  stress  enough
this phase of their little lives.First ofto involve them and make them feel
all I know that everyone says not to pushimportant!!!If you child is hestitate about
them,  but  it  is  very  true. DOeven 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  withmake 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  forhim/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  differentGradually 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  onelook 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). Theretheir 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,  andthem 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 thethat 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 themy kids. Every time after they went, we
potty,  do  you  think  sometime  youwould  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  atbathroom,  my  kids  would do the potty dance
their level and also answer their questionsfor 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
childsound 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  theirtraining, but I'll save that for another
article.You can never encourage your children
very own "Big Kid" underwear. Also makeenough  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  ahave  fun  with  you child during this trying
motivator to your child. Purchase thoseprocess! Good Luck.Tammi Kauppinen is a
items  with  your  child  and  make  sure  toproud stay at home mom with five wonderful
children. After graduating from the
remind them, that the candy is for afterUniversity of Wisconsin - Whitewater with a
they  go  potty  on  the  potty. (If  you dodegree in Special Education, she decided to
find a way to stay home and raise her
purchase candy, make sure it is somethingchildren. 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 ofdistricts with children with special needs,
M&M's  each  time  they  go  potty,  you willacted 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 orchildren. 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 smallertips.



1 A B C D 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97