Today I said goodbye to the last and final pieces of diapers laying around the house.
It belonged to Curly.
It was a sentimental plus relief moment for me. She was officially potty trained around May this year and I purposely kept the diapers incase we needed to go out and long trips etc.
I fondly remembered giving birth to Salman and then being so clueless about diapers. I dont even know how to put it on for him as I grew up with a sibling close in age and didnt get any chance to babysit infants or young kids.
Le Cha did and so he helped educate me on how to put them on properly. After close to 12 years of dealing with diapers. I can finally say; Good Riddance!!
Just the cost of diapers right now scares the hell outta me. So with that here are some quick tips on how to potty train your kids.
Step 1: Is Your Child Ready? Before embarking on the potty training journey, it's essential to determine if your child is truly ready. Look out for signs like staying dry for longer periods, showing interest in the toilet, or expressing discomfort with dirty diapers. Readiness is a crucial factor for success in potty training. There is no way of training through tears and when fear is still there for the child.
Step 2: Gathering Supplies To set the stage for success, gather the necessary supplies, including a child-sized potty chair, training pants, underwear and rewards like stickers or small treats. Having these items on hand will make the process smoother. Please do not get the one where you let them use it and then you have to dispose their excrements into the toilet. Purchase something that you can use directly on the normal toiletbowl. This creates familiarity of using the actual toilet and you dont have to do extra dirty work or worry how the child is going to the toilet when you are in malls or outside.
Step 3: Creating a Positive Environment Ensure that the bathroom is a welcoming and safe space. Decorate it with your child's favorite characters, and consider using a step stool to make reaching the toilet easier. Encourage your child to sit on the potty to get used to it, even if they don't need to go.
Step 4: The Importance of Routine Establish a consistent potty routine. Encourage your child to use the potty after meals, before bedtime, and upon waking. Consistency helps children understand when it's time to go and builds confidence. I cant stress this enough cause most of tend to give up once it gets tougher. Choose a period of time preferably 2 weeks long maybe during the school holidays for you to focus on this.
Step 5: Effective Communication Open and honest communication is key. Teach your child the appropriate words for body parts and bodily functions. Praise them for using the potty and reassure them that accidents happen and it's okay.
Step 6: Positive Reinforcement Use a reward system to motivate your child. Stickers, small toys, or a special treat can be given as a reward for successful potty trips. Make it a fun and positive experience.
For each kid, I bought a special gift and wrapped it up. It must be huge in size but not necessarily expensive. I put it somewhere they can see it and each time they successfully use the toilet, I will remind them its one step closer to opening the gift or tearing up the wrapping paper. It helped ALOT!!
Step 7: Be Patient and Understanding Expect accidents to happen, and when they do, remain calm and understanding. Avoid showing frustration, as this can make your child anxious about using the potty.
Step 8: Transition to Underwear Once your child is consistently using the potty, transition them from training pants to regular underwear. This is an exciting step toward independence. They get to choose their favourite cartoon characters. And when accidents happened, I will just sadly say 'Oh no, you peed on Elsa/PawPatrol/Cars/Dinosaur/Princess, nevermind we try again ok?'
Step 9: Nighttime Potty Training Nighttime training may take longer. Limit fluids before bedtime, and use training pants until your child consistently wakes up dry. Invest in a good quality waterproof bedsheet for this. Buy 2.
Step 10: Celebrate Success Celebrate your child's achievements along the way. Whether it's the first successful trip to the potty or staying dry through the night, acknowledge and praise their efforts.
Step 11: Handling Setbacks Expect setbacks from time to time. If your child regresses or resists using the potty, stay patient and offer support. It's a normal part of the process.
Step 12: Seek Professional Help if Needed In rare cases, children may face difficulties with potty training that require professional assistance. Don't hesitate to consult a pediatrician or child psychologist if you have concerns.
It is an important milestone for the child and believe it or not for yourself too. Take it easy and try to go through it peacefully together.
I am so happy cause I can finally take out all my small handbags and flaunt them once again cause bye bye diaper bags.. >_<
Love,
Ana
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