7 Potty Training Readiness Signs In Toddlers
Potty training!
These two words gave me a shudder. No kidding! I have just done so much research on this one subject that I could’ve earned myself a Ph.D on this one! It put so much pressure on me when a whole bunch of my friends boasted that their kids were potty trained by their 2nd birthday!! Huh!? I started wondering where I was going wrong as a mother because Ruhaan and I were taking it so damn easy. So to help me get on track, I started devouring on all the literature available. But I was really daunted. Daunted by the things that I had been fore-warned could happen during the process of potty training. I was told the following:
- That my child will release his bodily functions in many other places than the potty.
- That he will not pee or poop on my schedule.
- That he could, and would slide in some invisible pee and almost fall if you have floors in my home.
- That I will find random feces gifts sprinkled around the house during this learning process.
Having heard all of this, I made a decision. A decision to wait (I can be a lazy mom and wait for some things to just figure out on their own). First I waited for the nanny to train my son. That didn’t happen. Then I put my money on his playschool teachers and I waited for them to train him. When that didn’t happen either, I waited for just about anybody else to teach him! That didn’t happen either! So finally one day, I got tired of waiting. So I re-decided. I was just going to have to do the ‘shitty job’ myself. Also he was older and he showed all the ‘Ready To Be Potty Trained Signs.’
Potty Training Readiness Sign 1: Hating a dirty diaper
He didn’t like a dirty bum anymore. He cried to be washed and changed everytime he pooped. This dislike for a dirty diaper was a good opportunity to kick-off the potty training sessions.
Potty Training Readiness Sign 2: Having A Potty Lingo
He could comprehend language and communicate rather effectively that he wanted to go ‘potty’ or ‘pee.’ I for one always taught him the correct (universally acceptable) vocabulary for bathroom business. It just made it simpler for him to communicate with people when I wasn’t around. When with people other than me, I didn’t want there to be a weird potty code that only mamma and he were aware of for others to decipher!
Potty Training Readiness Sign 3: Fewer Wet Diapers
I noticed that the duration at which I changed his diapers was longer now. This meant that he was peeing at longer intervals and hence would be easier to train him.
Potty Training Readiness Sign 4: Exhibiting A Sense Of Accomplishment And Independence
This according to me is absolutely necessary. Ruhaan started showing a lot of signs of independent play especially around 2.5 years. He started responding to encouragement and showed pleasure in small achievements such as watering the plants or keeping his dish back in the kitchen.
Potty Training Readiness Sign 5: The Cute Potty Face
My 13 month old already has a potty face! Ruhaan had it too. Having a potty face means the child is recognizing some sort of bowel activity. Ruhaan would isolate himself and go stand in a corner at pee or potty time. This was a huge sign for me. I also noticed that he usually pooped in the afternoon and that was almost a pattern. It helped that he was getting predictable.
Potty Training Readiness Sign 6: Shows Interest In The Bathroom
I was elated when he asked me what we do on the pot! I gave him all the potty information in a matter of fact manner as I truly wanted him to understand that it’s a very normal thing and mommy and daddy do it too!
Potty Training Readiness Sign 7: Understanding Multiple Commands
Potty training comes with a couple of things attached. There is the part where the child gets undressed, sits, stands, waits to be cleaned or self clean and then re-dressed. You must ensure that your child has the ability to comprehend and follow instructions. Usually if he is able to execute simple things like “please pick up your toy” or “let us sit down” then the process of potty training is far more easy to crack.
How do I proceed from here?
My experience with Ruhaan taught me that there is no quick way to do this. I tried when he was about 2.5 and was just fresh into playgroup. I depended on the support that the teachers there had to offer. Somehow, he just couldn’t get the understanding of what was expected out of him. He seemed adamant to not use the potty. So I stopped and tried again a couple of months later. I started talking to him about how we need to ‘poop’ and ‘pee’ on the toilet. Drawing a parallel between how everyone goes to the toilet and he should too really helped. I also gave him a poop buddy! He has a little stuffed ‘Simba’ (the famous character from Lion King) and it goes with Ruhaan everywhere since he was 2! So Simba and Ruhaan went to the pee together! We pretended that Simba took a leak just after Ruhaan showed him how it was done. I also hyped up the whole idea of him being potty trained and not having to use a diaper anymore. Soon we bid our diapers a very happy adieu.
P.S. – Keep reading to know more about how to potty train your toddler.
Mommy’s Food For Thought: Toilet training is a developmental process. Children’s bodies and brains are developing all the time, and each new phase sets the foundation for the next one to come. No amount of teaching can make those developments happen before their time. As a parent you will simply have an easier, happier time of it if you wait until you’re sure your child is ready.
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