Potty Training 101
By Katie QuirkYour toddler may be showing all the supposed signs of being ready to leave diapers behind, but if you’re like me, you’re clueless as to what to do next. The web and bookstores are awash with so-called experts extolling the virtues of their infant/early/one-day/three-day/just-go-naked/potty party methods, while the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents take a wait-till-they’re-ready-and-make-it-no-big-deal approach. Which advice should you go with? I’ve read a handful of potty-training books, and while the experts love to dispute each others’ claims and techniques, they all seem to agree on three things:
1. Trying to force/guilt-trip/ pressure your child to use the potty is sure to result in an unhappy kid and a frustrated you - and could possibly drag out the process. So regardless of the method you choose, you should try to relax, be patient and even have fun with it.
2. Accidents are a given, so do whatever you need to do to be OK with them - roll up the rugs, cover the couch with plastic - and just calmly clean them up when they happen.
3. Ultimately every child will be successfully potty trained, and yours is not going to be the random exception. You’ll get there!
While the various methods differ on how fast or slow to go and how to approach it, the bottom line of all them is basically this: Before you can expect your child to use the potty, you need him to understand the purpose of the potty and have the ability to use it, as well as a real interest in doing so. How you choose to gently help your little one reach that goal is your choice; you can cherry-pick ideas from different techniques and combine them to make a plan that will work for you and your unique child. Here are three popular potty-training approaches.