by Robin Tidwell

Created on: January 02, 2011   Last Updated: January 04, 2011

Potty-training is a very controversial subject; some parents insist on going the au naturel route, forgoing diapers entirely, some believe that a child is incapable of controlling his bladder or bowels until he says or show that he’s “ready”, but experienced parents know that a child is able to be potty-trained as early as our grandmothers trained our parents.  In other words, at the parents’ convenience, not the child’s.

To potty-train your child, begin with the basics: a potty seat.  This is an excellent first-birthday gift, as a child before the age of one year is unlikely to be walking; what’s the point of potty-training a child who cannot get to the potty under his own steam?  You may as well carry him to the changing table.

Put the potty seat in an accessible location – you can move it to a bathroom later – such as the living room or family room, wherever you and your toddler spend the most time.  You don’t have to “introduce” him to the potty seat, just let him play in and around and on it.  He might even sit on it.

During this process, he’ll get used to it.  After a month or so, you can tell him in more detail what exactly it’s used for – and strip him down and let him sit there for a few moments.

You don’t need to push the issue, you don’t need to read to him or give him treats for doing his business.  This is something he’ll use all his life, and it’s a necessity.  Would you give him a cookie for, say, getting out of bed in the morning? 

Sit your child on the potty seat every morning after he gets up, after he eats breakfast, and again about mid-morning.  He doesn’t need to sit there every hour; do you use the bathroom every hour?  A child, like an adult, has to “go” about every four hours, and he will – it’s just a matter of timing.  Eventually, he’ll give you clues (or, rather, you’ll recognize clues) that say NOW is the time.

Sit him on the potty again before his nap, after his nap, mid-afternoon, before and after dinner, and before bed.  Whether he goes or not isn’t the issue; again, it’s the timing.

When he does go, praise him briefly, tell him he’s a “big boy” now, and continue the “training”.  That’s exactly what it is – you’re training him to use the potty instead

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