Every parent gets to a stage when they know it's time to start potty training. It's a daunting prospect, one which promises lots of cleaning up and messy accidents but it's also one that's off-set by the promise of no more nappies and a very proud child. Luckily there are some ways to make the process a little easier, quicker and, dare we say it, more enjoyable for both parent and child.

Firstly, take your child out with you at about 18 months to buy a potty. Let them choose which one they like and tell them that when it's time, nappies will go and they will go to the toilet on the potty. They might not understand this at first, but reintroduce the idea when you change their nappy and then 6 months later when it's just about time for them to start training they should be ready. A good indication could even be that they start asking to use it.

Secondly, consider your situation. Are you a stay-at-home or work-at-home parent? If so you might just be lucky enough to crack potty training in one week. This is best done in warmer months too when children can run around outside. It's quite straight forward. Simply let your child play naked all day, until they go to bed at night. Keep the potty in whichever room you and the child are in and remind them that the potty is there every 20-30 minutes. Children of that age get very engrossed in play and will completely forget they need the toilet, so keep asking them if they think they should go, and if they say yes, show them what to do. You're almost guaranteed to have some accidents, so keep a bowl of warm water and disinfectant on hand, or stay only in rooms without carpet.

One important thing to note before potty training is that you need to make sure the child knows exactly what's happening. Remember you are teaching them, not simply going through a stage of growth. Use stickers to reward them when they go to the toilet properly and incentives such as sweets or a trip out if they avoid having accidents all day. Also, very importantly, never shout, get angry or even get exasperated with your child when they fail to get the hang of it (this is very likely to happen). Remember that their bowel and bladder muscles are very different to ours and they may not have full control over them yet.

If you work outside of the home and have no choice but to do potty training gradually then try and have set times when you really concentrate on using the potty. This could involve telling your child a story about a boy or girl who goes to the toilet very well and then asking them 'why don't you have a go now?' This reinforces what they need to do in their head and they're less likely to forget to first pull their pants down, then go, then wipe, then flush etc.

The majority of potty training is simply a lot of patience and cleaning up on your part and a lot of confusion on the part of your child. Don't worry though, there will come a day when they get the hang of it and you've reached yet another milestone in their lives.

Stan Tian

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