Potty training your child can be one of the best yet most challenging decisions you make as a parent. The days of diapers and wipes are nearly over, but the stresses of teaching your child a new skill can at times be overwhelming. Especially for parents of stubborn children, the prospect of willingly getting this new habit to stick may appear to your impossible. However, by using these three potty training tips, you may find that getting your child to use the bathroom toilet regularly isn’t as difficult as you had anticipated.
Try To Make It As Fun As Possible
If your child is prone to being stubborn, trying to make him or her potty train by force may not be the best approach to take. Instead, Heather Buen, a contributor to Care.com, suggests for parents to strive to make the process as fun and stress-free as possible. This could include exploring all aspects of the bathroom with your child so they feel safe and oriented as well as have their curiosity quenched. You may also want to help them recognize for themselves when they feel the need to empty their bladder by doing activities such as jumping or bouncing after drinking liquids. This will help him or her feel the need for a toilet rather than having you say they should need to go to the bathroom now.
Have All The Right Supplies On-Hand
Being prepared yourself will help your child be more willing to work on potty training, especially if the supplies you have on-hand make using the toilet and eliminating diapers appear like something they want to do rather than are being forced to do. According to WonderBaby.org, some items you should have ready for potty training include a training seat and step stool, underwear, clothes that are easy to remove, and books that explain using the toilet.
One thing you may want to do is allow your child to help you pick out these items at the store. They can choose the seat they want, the underwear they want, and the literature they want in order to help facilitate the process. This will help them feel more in control.
Seek to Understand Where Issues Might Arise
As was just mentioned, control is likely going to be a big issues for parents seeking to potty train their stubborn child. Marguerite Kelly of the Washington Post explains that you can tell your child has control issues with potty training if they have no physical reason to be averse to potty training—like constipation or a milk allergy—yet still refuses to try. But by simply being aware that the problem with potty training lies in the feeling of control, you can use certain strategies to give your child the appearance of more control over the situation, like was mentioned previously. When potty training is no longer a power struggle, it may be easier for both of you to master this new skill.
Even if you’ve tried potty training in the past and haven’t had success, you can still make small steps toward potty training your stubborn child. Use the tips mentioned above to help them on the path toward more freedom and responsibility through becoming toilet trained.
