| When I was potty training my two young boys, | | | | places his/her hands in the lukewarm water to |
| I discovered this method of potty training | | | | play with the toys, if the child needs to |
| that made it an enjoyable, yet very effective | | | | physically go, they nearly instantly go potty |
| way to potty train toddlers. | | | | (it's almost an instinctive type of physical |
| | | | reaction), then cheer, cheer, cheer! Give |
| First, make sure your child is ready for | | | | lots of praise, and if you wish to give some |
| potty training, shows interest, wants "big | | | | type of a treat, go ahead. |
| kids pants" etc. If they show no signs of | | | | |
| readiness, it may be best to let them mature | | | | Let them play as long as they want, as long |
| a bit more. | | | | as they sit on the potty. When they are done |
| | | | playing, put the toys away for next time. |
| Make this a game, make it fun and you will | | | | This is really great because it makes it fun |
| not run into stubborn opposition (after all | | | | for them so they cooperate, it totally ends |
| it is the child's body). Go out and buy or | | | | all power struggles, and also no more waiting |
| find around the house items you don't | | | | and waiting for them to go only to have them |
| normally let your child play with. Some | | | | go potty as soon as the diaper goes back on. |
| examples might be toys that can be used in | | | | They also feel good because they have |
| water (3 or 4 things), like little plastic | | | | immediate success. Potty training no. 2 was |
| pitchers, balls, tiny cups, whatever, but | | | | more difficult I found, that just came with |
| make them SPECIAL. The only real rule to this | | | | some time and patience and them learning in |
| game is these special "potty" toys can only | | | | their own space and way, relax, it will |
| be played with while the child is sitting on | | | | happen. |
| the potty! This is very important; no | | | | |
| breaking this one rule, or it won't work. | | | | Do you want to know how I get this idea? It's |
| | | | kind of a funny thing, my husband used to be |
| Once the child is sitting on the potty fill a | | | | in the military and when he was young in boot |
| large bowl or small bucket with lukewarm or | | | | camp they used to always play jokes on each |
| tepid water, place the new "potty" toys in | | | | other in the night by dipping the hand of |
| the bowl and set the bowl of water in front | | | | someone who was sleeping, into a pan of |
| of the child. On the floor if the potty seat | | | | lukewarm water, thus making the person wet |
| is low, or if it's a potty seat that sits on | | | | the bed. It just seemed like a natural |
| top of the regular toilet, set the bowl of | | | | progression to use this trick for good use in |
| water on a TV tray or something that provides | | | | the potty training area and it worked great! |
| a step, in front of the child. When the child | | | | |