How and when to potty train a child

Each mother always thinks about the question of what age is optimal for potty training her baby and how this is done. There are many opinions on this matter. Some people advise starting this business almost from the cradle, some recommend taking your time.

But maybe it’s worth first assessing the baby’s psychological preparation and development. After all, if a child does not understand what this new item is for and considers it just another toy, he will not learn to consciously use the toilet. Therefore, many experts recommend potty training at the age of one and a half years, when the child’s psychological and physiological development allows this to be done.

When should you introduce your child to the potty?

It is believed that the most suitable age for introducing a new type of activity is the period from 18 to 24 months. Most pediatric doctors also approve of this.

It is necessary to remember that each baby is individual, and while some are ready to make friends with the potty at one and a half years or earlier, others may delay this matter up to three years. Boys usually learn later than girls. Restless, excitable children also master the potty a little later than their more calm peers. Keeping a child in diapers for a long time also has an effect.

So why is 18 months considered an acceptable age for potty training? Until the end of the first year, almost all babies do not feel the activity of the bladder or intestines. Filled organs push out the contents without awareness of the process. And even if a loving mother watches and puts him on the potty on time, this will not mean that the child is accustomed and his nervous system consciously controls the elimination process. This will help save diapers. But more often there will be wasted nerves and strength, and the child will develop a negative attitude towards the process of putting him on the potty.

And already at the age of one and a half years, the child begins to feel the urge and try a little to restrain himself. But before complete control, time must pass when the baby acquires some skills that make it easier to get acquainted with the potty:

the child knows how to bend over, squat, and then stand up;
collects small things from the floor and puts them back in their places;
understands what adults say and responds to speech;
can use interjections or simple words to express his desires;
during daytime sleep it remains dry, and while awake it may not pee for two hours;
feels discomfort when wearing wet or soiled underwear.

It becomes clear that when it comes to potty training, you shouldn’t look at the age and the neighbor’s kid, who cheerfully runs to the toilet, taking off his pants as he goes. You need to take a closer look at your child's behavior. And at a favorable moment, gently and calmly, plant him on the potty.

Every mother wants the most unusual and beautiful things for her baby. And how can you not choose a cute pot with various interesting things for your beloved child?

Children's goods stores offer a huge selection of a wide variety of items. They differ not only in color, but also in material and shape. Models with legs and high backs, in the form of cars and bicycles, with attached steering wheels and stands for games, prefabricated and camping ones, turning into a cute container, musical ones and imitating small flush toilets are sold.

But many pediatricians advise not to rush to throw money away on advanced, expensive models. It is advisable to first opt for the classic option, practical and convenient. A child who is being taught a new subject and developing a new skill may be frightened by too bright colors or sharp sounds. And subsequently ignore all attempts by parents to master the potty. This is, firstly. And secondly, a child can accept a sophisticated model as a toy, and instead of using the potty for its intended purpose, get carried away by a new fun.

Therefore, the most correct choice for developing a skill is an ordinary simple “toilet” without frills and unnecessary functions. Later, when the child gets used to relieving himself in the “children’s toilet,” then it will be possible to choose a model to suit his taste.

The following characteristics will help you choose the “right” pot:

Sustainability. A small child can be very active even on the potty. And to prevent accidental falls, you need to choose a model with a wide base or with footrests.
Material. It is preferable to buy a plastic pot and only in specialized stores that have certificates of conformity for their products. The surface in contact with the baby's delicate skin should not be sticky, have seams, roughness or nicks.
Form. The convenience of a potty also depends on its shape. So, girls get a round model, boys get an oval one, with a protrusion in front. The difference in shape is due to the different anatomical structure of babies.
For a trip with a baby, it is better to purchase a potty with an existing lid or travel models in the form of containers with handles.

The invention of diapers helped make life easier for mothers. But now the time comes when you have to, as they say, “roll up your sleeves” and be patient. The process of potty training a child is far from the easiest and fastest. Some advice from more experienced mothers will come in handy:

Don't insist too much on the potty on the first day, a new strange thing can scare you. Gently and calmly explain to the baby what this object is, first place your favorite toy on it. If the child is used to diapers, then you will have to take them off. Older children will be a good example, because kids often copy the behavior of their brothers and sisters.
Kids at this age are already trying to get to know their bodies. Mom’s explanations of why external excretory organs are needed will help to understand why the potty exists. Children are able to feel that being in the described pants is very unpleasant, and “friendship” with a new item will help to avoid this.
It is necessary to praise the baby if the potty training goes well. Positive emotions will help reinforce a new skill. If attempts are unsuccessful, do not despair and swear; you need to patiently and affectionately remind the child again about the potty and the opportunity to be dry and clean.
You will have to constantly monitor the time and put the baby on the potty after sleep, food, some time of wakefulness, until he himself begins to remind you of the toilet when the urge arises. Under no circumstances should you do this by force, as this may cause the child to develop a persistent aversion to using the toilet. You need to calmly and affectionately offer to go potty.
While the skill is being formed, the new item should be where the child is constantly located so that it can be quickly used if necessary. If the potty is, as they say, “at hand,” it is easier for the baby to reach it at the first urge.

If your baby is stubborn and doesn’t want to go to the potty, you should come up with little tricks to make the process more fun. For example: reading a certain book at this time, playing with a selected toy, which will help the child relax and forget about his fears. However, you should not get too carried away with this method, so as not to replace the natural process with a game. Many kids are interested in mechanically flushing the toilet. You can also take advantage of this while developing a potty habit.

There is no need to rush and forcefully plant it on the pot. Excessive efforts can cause a backlash in the baby, and as a protest he will do “his business” anywhere but where he should. In such a situation, the best way out is not to think about the potty for a while. In the meantime, boys should be taught to urinate like an adult, standing like a man, and girls should “run a stream” in a bathtub or basin. After a few days, you can try to return to the potty, but try not to insist, but gently offer to sit down and pee.

Never equate your baby with another child and don’t complain if things don’t work out right away. Each child is individual, and everything will work out if you treat him with love and patience.

An attentive and calm attitude of parents will help the baby quickly understand what they want from him. If he strains, tenses, and blushes, this is a signal to quickly go to the potty. A few successful attempts, and the child will ask to go to his own toilet.

Summarizing all that has been said, we can conclude:

quick results are possible if the child has already reached a certain psychological age;
It is mandatory to sit on the potty after the child has woken up, and if his clothes are also dry, then the likelihood of quickly developing a new skill increases;
You should not toilet train an unhealthy child: a sore stomach, teeth coming out and fever are a reason to postpone training for a while;
you cannot induce urination using the sounds of pouring water; the resulting reflex can play a cruel joke on the child in the future;
When potty training, you should not immediately give up diapers;
If you fail, you cannot scold the child, you need to show more care and patience and everything will work out.

Method No. 1: we train in seven days

Every mother wants her beloved child to get used to the toilet as soon as possible. This not only allows you to clearly see how the baby has grown, but will also significantly save the family budget and reduce the woman’s workload with household chores.

There are several potty training methods, one of which allows you to do it within seven days. A special system called “Satisfied Baby” was invented by a British woman, former nurse Gina Ford. It is intended for children over the age of one and a half years, who can understand the simplest instructions and follow them, try to dress and undress themselves, and know the parts of the body. The methodology is scheduled for seven days and is as follows:

First day It begins with the fact that in the morning the child’s diaper is removed (how big you are, it’s time to wear panties!) and often put on the potty. You can take your baby to an adult toilet and clearly show what it is for. If not everything works out right away, repeat the process every quarter of an hour. The mother’s goal now is to stay on the potty for 10 minutes, which should be enough for the baby to complete all his tasks. You can sit down next to him and try to captivate him with something so that he doesn’t have the desire to get up from the potty. If, nevertheless, the panties were dirty, you should be patient and under no circumstances scold the baby.
Second day needed to consolidate the skill. But at the same time, you need to be careful so that the baby does not get too carried away with the games, and replace the potty in time.
The third day continues the chosen method. You need to forget about diapers even when walking, so that you don’t have the desire to urinate in them. Before going outside, you definitely need to hold your child on the potty. And periodically ask if he wants to go to the toilet. At first, you can take a “plastic friend” with you if you don’t want to take your baby to the bushes. After a few days, the child will learn to control himself, and there will be no need for a potty outside.
TO fourth day Many children already go to the potty on their own. Just for now you need to remind the playful little one about the need to go to the toilet. And praise more and encourage more often, but never scold for mistakes. And so on until the end of the week. Later, the potty is placed in the toilet or bathtub so that the baby goes to relieve himself in a specially designated room.

Method No. 2: quick training in 3 days

In the process of potty training a child, it is usually not recommended to rush, so as not to instill in him an aversion to the action itself. And the formation of such a conscious skill can take more than one month. But if you need to speed up this process, for example, it’s time to go to kindergarten or you have a long trip ahead, special techniques for getting to know the potty can help parents.

Quick potty training does not mean that the baby will immediately and forever learn to walk according to his needs without problems. But this will help you quickly realize the need to go to the toilet.

In order for this technique to work, it is determined how ready the baby is for it. The feasibility of its use can be shown by several factors:

the child’s age is about 2 years, in extreme cases – 2 years 1 month;
the baby can calmly withstand 1-2 hours without peeing;
the child no longer wants to put on diapers;
The baby has formed the process of defecation every day and at a certain time.

All the signs are there, now we need to prepare the baby for the upcoming changes. And you should start a couple of weeks before specific actions:

First, you should purchase a pot and explain the purpose of this item.
Repeat often that small children first sit on the potty, and then, when they grow up, on the toilet, and this is what all people do.
A few days before the planned event, explain to your baby that soon he will have to wear panties and go to the children's toilet. You can interest your child in new underwear with bright patterns.
Specially choose a time when you will be able to deal only with your baby for several days. It will be very good if grandmothers or husband help mom these days.

The preparation is done, the time has been chosen, it's time to start potty training. It will take three days.

The first day. For the first time, the baby will be without diapers all day. You can wear panties instead, or you can let them run around with your butt bare. You will have to watch your baby very carefully all day and literally not let go of the toilet. As soon as you see that the baby is about to urinate, immediately carry the potty. And so every time, so that the baby sees the connection between his desire and the appearance of the potty.

If the baby manages to go to the toilet, this should end with praise and a specific explanation of his actions. Failures should be ignored so as not to develop a negative attitude toward the potty.

Before you put him to bed, you need to remember to put your baby on the potty and put a diaper on him.

Second day. On this day, you need to look after the baby again and try to have time to put him on the potty. In addition, you can go out for a walk, but without the usual diaper. First, be sure to take your child to the potty and plan the walk in such a way that you can quickly return home. It would be a good idea to take extra clothes and a travel potty.

Remember that you must praise your child for every success!

Day three. Today you can already go for a walk twice. The baby is already going potty at home, but you need to learn to restrain yourself even when he is not at hand. Be sure to visit this item before and after a walk, before going to bed and after waking up.

Three such active and challenging days will help the baby adapt to the potty and even make his first attempts to sit down on his own. For these days, you need to choose clothes that can be easily removed and do not require outside help. After a certain period of time, we put on pajamas or panties at night.

Retraining

Sometimes situations arise when the baby sharply and categorically refuses to use the potty, although the skill has already been formed. This can happen up to two years, or at three or four years. The reasons are various:

Conflicts within the family always have a bad effect on children. Without the ability to influence them, the baby may rebel or withdraw into his own world as a sign of protest. Reluctance to go to the potty becomes one of the elements of an unconscious reaction to the world around us.

Some changes in the usual lifestyle (moving, the birth of another child in the family) come as a surprise to the baby and can lead to a refusal to do previously familiar things.
The crisis period of three years can also lead to potty abandonment. At this time, the baby begins to realize that he is an individual and tries to do as he himself wants, and is not demanded of him by those around him.
Potty refusal can also occur during a child’s illness, during periods when new teeth appear. Now all the forces of the little body are aimed at recovery, and during this period you should not insist on visiting the potty.

Having found out the reason why the child stops visiting the “children’s toilet” that has already become familiar, you can think about solving it. In any case, you should not insist and plant by force.

How to give up diapers

As your child gets used to the toilet, you need to gradually wean him off wearing diapers. During the day it is easier to monitor the baby and have time to put him on the potty when the first signs appear. If the desired skill begins to develop, you can go to bed at night in panties or pajamas.

At first, special waterproof diapers will help you avoid a damp crib. Over time, a habit will form, and the baby will be able to wake up and ask to go potty even at night. In the beginning, make sure your baby drinks less fluids before bed, and introduce the habit of going to the toilet before putting your child to bed.

Causes of fear of the potty and what to do in such cases

Fear and aversion to the potty may occur in the following cases:

Unsuccessful introduction to a new thing. It may be worth removing the pot for a while and trying again, adding something interesting to the visiting process, for example, sewing a cape or putting on a small performance with toys.
The baby periodically soils his pants and this is followed by frequent and strong swearing, which leads to all sorts of avoidance of the potty.
Planting a half-asleep baby on a cool potty can also perpetuate negativity towards the process itself.
The desire to buy a super new product with music sometimes leads to a fear of going to the potty; the melody that appears can discourage the desire to sit on this item. This problem also includes the fear of a sudden fall.
Fear of the potty also occurs with such troubles as constipation. The child may not understand that this problem has nothing to do with this subject.

And to summarize all that has been said, we can add that everything will definitely work out, the child will get used to peeing in the potty. The main thing is to do everything with love and patience, and the problem will be resolved.

Who knows! One thing is known: it is better to act gently, and not to shame or force.

Before World War II, parents forced children to use the potty as early as eight months, scolding and punishing them for failure. But in the end we got problems: constipation, attempts to endure until the last moment, refusal to use the toilet. Pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton led a real fight against this tradition. And very good! But some parents draw a strange conclusion from this - and bypass the potty, waiting for the baby to tell them that she is tired of diapers. And as manufacturers produce diapers in ever larger sizes, the wait is getting longer. Although there is absolutely no need to do this.

But no matter what age you decide to potty train your child, you need to do it gently. Here are some tips.

Offer an opportunity - and leave it at that. Do not force your child to sit on the potty, do not bribe him. Just let him use the potty. He will decide for himself how to use this opportunity. Of course, you will have to try to encourage your baby to sit on the potty and stay on it for a while, but if she refuses, don’t get started.

To make sure our daughter sits on the potty long enough, my husband and I sit next to each other and sing, read aloud, or blow bubbles. We remind her, “It takes time to poop. You need to sit down, lean forward a little and wait.” If she wants to jump up ahead of time, we say “Has it happened yet?”, and not “No, no, it hasn’t happened yet. Sit back down."

Offer the potty regularly: before and after sleep, before and after a walk and half an hour to an hour after eating. Gradually, the child will get used to it and will know that it is time to sit on the potty, and you will not have to pester him.

We say, “It’s time to go potty.” (Asking our 22-month-old daughter, “Do you need to go potty?” is a sure way to get the answer “No,” even if she’s about to wet herself.) As soon as we get back from a walk, we remind her of the usual procedure: “What we What is the first thing we do when we get home? Let’s sit on the potty” - and we can add: “Do you need help?” or “What song should you sing?”

Don't be dramatic. When a child says, “I need to go potty,” we usually respond, “Okay, sit down.” So she does. If you start fussing and giving instructions, she will change her mind. When the job is done, we limit ourselves to a calm: “Well done, you did everything,” and she breaks into a satisfied smile. And if we make a fuss about her feat, rejoice and clap our hands, then the next time, having done her business, she personally pours the contents of the pot into the toilet, rinses it and brings it to us to brag about. (Joke!)

Take off your diaper. How to teach a child to use the potty? My favorite phrase is: “Just take his diaper off.” A baby can be left without a diaper at almost any age and for any time during the day. Some parents, already in a few months, in the interval between a dirty and a clean diaper, slip a small container under the baby’s bottom or hold him with his legs tucked under the toilet. Others sit the baby in a potty chair while they take a shower. Still others try to “intercept” all the child’s natural functions, putting him on the potty every half hour or hour. Yes, many small children pee with such frequency! If the child begins to pee or poop, parents accompany the process with appropriate sounds. Subsequently, these habitual signals inform the child that it is time to go to the toilet, and allow him to communicate his needs to his parents.

I only started leaving my daughter at home without a diaper when she was about 12 months old. Things went with varying degrees of success: carpet cleaning became a routine task. When she started running to the potty chair on her own, I thought that now she would always do this. But, having played too much, she wasted time. As I. Now I understand that I could be more consistent in offering her the potty and instruct the babysitters to do the same.

Take your time with the night toilet. Most American children sleep in diapers at night until they are four or five years old, and doctors don't even diagnose bedwetting in children under five.

You can start potty training your child even before he has full control over urination and bowel movements. Enough so that he can delay the process for a short time. Moreover, only 20% of children have full control over their movements by the age of two, when many parents begin learning.

But if your child is two years and eight months old and still wears diapers, don't delay potty training any longer. Otherwise, the baby’s risk of developing urinary tract inflammation increases due to incomplete emptying of the bladder. The likelihood that he will have poor urinary control, which means he will pee in his pants more often, also increases.

When your baby turns one year old, try to use disposable diapers less often, as they, while effectively absorbing moisture, do not contribute to the development of potty skills. Put on diapers before going for a walk and going to bed, and the rest of the time let your child wear rompers.

If he already knows how to express his desires, understands the speech of adults, begins to walk and can sit on the potty independently for at least 5 minutes, it’s time to accustom him to this subject.

When and how to teach a child to use the potty?

Many children can begin to be taught at about two and a half years old. Consult your pediatrician when you bring your child to him for his next check-up at two years of age. If your doctor agrees it's time to start, first take a deep breath and relax. All people sooner or later become potty trained. If the baby is not ready yet, but you definitely want to finish this matter before the time comes to send him to kindergarten, or before the birth of your second child, you probably will not be able to speed up the process, and maybe it will even drag on. If you wait until the child is truly ready, everything will be much easier for both him and you. Don't worry: the age at which a child learns to use the toilet is not an indicator of intelligence, and future academic success does not depend on it. In no college or job interview will anyone ask when he learned to use the potty.

By what signs can you determine that a child is ready? In particular, according to the following.

It stays dry for hours on end.
He has regular, predictable bowel movements.
Gives signals that he is going to do his business in diapers: for example, he hides or squats.
Doesn't like to stay in a wet or dirty diaper and asks to be changed.
Performs simple actions - goes to the bathroom and tries to undress himself.
He wants to learn how to use the toilet and walk like a big boy without a diaper.

To potty train, your baby must sense when it’s time to go to the toilet, correctly evaluate these sensations, tell you about it, and perform certain actions (namely, pee or poop in the potty). This usually occurs around two and a half years of age, but can happen earlier or later.

You can start preparing for the potty in advance. Here are a few steps to success.

Potty talk. Teach your child the words that are commonly used in your home to call the toilet and everything connected with it. (“Potty,” “poop,” and “pee” are fine terms, but whatever words you choose, keep in mind that your child may repeat them in front of everyone, such as in a store.) Describe what he did and what he did. What are you doing: “Jacob just pooped,” or: “Let’s change the diaper.” Children are not stupid: the baby will quickly understand everything and begin to tell you when he has done his business or when he needs to be changed.

A soft chair. Make sure your baby's stool is soft enough. If he is constipated and his stool becomes hard, he will not want to go to the potty because it hurts. He will endure it as long as he can, and then the stool will be even more abundant and hard, the child will be even more painful, and potty training will stall.

It's better to see it once. Tell your child when you need to go to the toilet and show him how. Teach him to always wash his hands after using the toilet.

Big or small pot. You can buy a special baby seat or simply place the baby seat on the toilet. In any case, it is better if the child can rest his feet on something. Have you ever tried to defecate while holding your legs up? It's not that easy.

Games and entertainment. Make this time enjoyable for your child - read him a story or sing a song. There are good books about potty training children. Try not to scold him if he doesn't go potty on time, and don't force him to sit on it. It is much better and more effective to praise him for any, even the weakest, effort. Reward him with praise, hugs, kisses, or you can come up with a special song or dance. If necessary, you can also buy special stickers or small prizes.

So that the child wakes up dry

Potty training is a daytime activity. Most children learn to wake up dry in the morning much later. In fact, it is quite normal for children to wet the bed until they are six years old, and sometimes longer. Therefore, put on your baby waterproof panties or diapers at night (you can call them “night panties”) until he learns to wake up dry.

My three year old son knows how to use the toilet, but only does it occasionally. I'm already tired of thinking every time what to wear for him - normal underwear or waterproof panties. What should I do?

If a child knows what to do and succeeds several times, it may be a matter of habit. Maybe he is confused by the fact that he has to wear either regular panties “for big people” or diapers “for little ones.” Choose a time when you have several days off in a row and will be at home with your child all the time. Tell him that from tomorrow he will only wear “big” underwear, throw away all the diapers and waterproof panties, buy more regular panties and get started! Use a reward system: put a special stamp on your hand or have your grandparents call and congratulate your baby every time he goes potty safely. If something goes wrong, say so (“Wow, that didn’t work out”), help your child clean up (“Let’s throw the poop in the potty and rinse out our pants”) and continue (“Next time, tell mom what you want to do.” potty, I'll help you"). If you are consistent, persistent and do not back down (wear diapers while driving in the car or going to the store), then most likely within a week your baby will be potty trained.

When and how?

Child psychologist I.A. will answer this question for you. Karpenko and senior teacher L.H. Bukaeva.

Both of them have been working at Children's Home No. 25 in Moscow for many years.

You can start potty training from the time when he can hold his back firmly and sit confidently. In most Russian families and in child care institutions where they work with infants, potty training begins at the age of one to one and a half years.

Please note that children, as a rule, do not want to sit on the potty. The baby can pee in his pants and continue playing. For children of this age, all these actions are quite normal.

Adults need to remember: learning toilet skills takes a long time and a lot of patience. And, I must say, few of the “teachers” enjoy this process.

What should you do to teach your baby to go potty?

Potty him regularly.
Try to have your baby sit on the potty at least every hour, but sit on it for no more than 5 minutes.
After your ward has sat on the potty for the allotted time, pick him up and wipe his bottom, if necessary.
If he has done his job, then it is best to immediately hug him and praise him: “What a great Andryusha! Pee-pee on the potty,” or any other affectionate words that seem appropriate to you.
Then say: “Now we’re up, now let’s put on our pants.” If he tries to do it himself, then be sure to praise him.
Then wash the pot. Invite your child to take part in cleaning as much as possible, although until he is used to going to the potty, do not insist. But if he wants to help you, then let him help - he learns to feel responsible for the “toilet” procedure.
Help your child wash his hands, saying: “Well, now we’ll wash our hands.”
Wash your hands yourself.

Never forget to show what you noticed: Andryusha did his business in the potty, and this makes you happy - after all, kids usually want to repeat what attracted your attention.

Many babies, even if they hardly speak, can tell you that they need to go potty in different ways: gestures, sounds (“a-ah”), grunting. But they will only do this if they understand that it is important to you.

When it happens that Andrey wets his pants, tell him in a calm tone: “Andrey peed in his pants. You need to ask to go to the potty. Say "ah" (or any other word your child can say). Let’s go change my pants.”

Do not forget to cuddle your baby after each potty session, regardless of whether he has done his business or not.

If adults have the opportunity, try to ensure that all people caring for a child during potty training act in the same way and use the same words to refer to all excretory processes and other events associated with this important event.

The period during which a child begins to ask and go to the potty depends on his individuality and ranges from one to three months. So be patient: sooner or later, we hope you get results.

As the baby grows up, with each new month, all mothers begin to think and wonder when they should start introducing their baby to the potty, and how to properly and quickly teach and accustom the child to go to the “toilet” that is new to him. Some parents begin training before the age of one, while others are in no hurry to do so.

If you decide to start potty training your child, evaluate his psychological development before doing so. For a successful result, the child must understand why he is being placed on an object that is unfamiliar to him, why his pants are being removed, and what is required of him. Therefore, the process can drag on for several weeks or even months, and patience and calm are required from parents.

Watch the video. Mom scolds the girl for wearing tights?

At the beginning of their training, children do not understand why they are trying to put them on the potty: some begin to be afraid of it and begin to cry only at the sight of the “toilet”.

Parents should never raise their voices or scold their child. In a positive case, if the child managed to go to the potty, he must be praised.

At this time, parents need to carefully monitor the child’s behavior: some babies begin to show signs that they want to go to the toilet. Some children freeze, others begin to push - as soon as these signs are noticed, you need to put the baby on the potty. If you catch the moment several times, the child will begin to understand a little what this item is for.

When should you introduce your child to the potty?

At what month should you start potty training your child?

Optimal age 18 - 24 months! And here's why: until 18 months, the baby simply does not control the filling of the bladder and intestines. If a neighbor's baby sits on a potty under the age of one year, this does not mean that he consciously asks for his needs. You can say that the child is guided by reflexes, they put him on the potty - do your “business”, if you didn’t have time to “catch” him, you will get dirty pants. Everything changes when the baby turns 2 years old. At this point, you already have certain skills that can help you begin potty training:

Can bend, squat and stand;
Pick up small objects from the floor and put them in place;
He understands the speech of an adult well, he can come to an agreement with the child and explain;
He pronounces some words himself and can communicate his needs;
Remains dry after a nap, may not pee for about 2 hours while awake;
Feels discomfort in wet or soiled underwear.

Children develop individually, so the age at which they can be potty trained is also different. If a child begins to relieve himself in the potty at 7-8 months, this is due to the binding of the reflex, but not to the baby’s meaningful decision. And you need to teach your child to go to the potty consciously! The child must consciously understand what he is doing! All these “pee-pee”, “ah-ah-ah-ah...” are just reflexes

The reflex can become a problem when reaching an older age (2-3-4 years): the child will already begin to understand the internal processes associated with filling or emptying the bladder, and parental urges to “pee-pee” can cause misunderstanding on his part.

Which pot to buy

Children's stores offer many models of potties for children of different ages. They differ in material, shape and color: you should not think that if you buy a pink pot for a girl and a blue one for a boy, you will make a good choice.

For small female representatives, it is preferable to purchase round-shaped pots, and for future men, oval ones, this is due to the anatomical features of the body structure. Also, when buying a “toilet” for a boy, you can pay attention to pots with a protrusion in front.

It shouldn't be cold. The baby will not like this, and learning will fail at the very beginning. Agree, it’s unpleasant to touch something cold with your body, and even more so the baby’s butt, which touched the diaper, diaper, mother’s hands, everything warm and soft, and then you decided to put him on an iron or ceramic pot! Therefore, give preference to plastic models;
Convenience is no less important in this delicate matter. Fortunately, the market now provides a huge selection, and you can choose an option that is convenient for yourself and your baby, both based on anatomical characteristics and financial considerations;
It is important that the pot is stable. Otherwise, at the slightest awkward movement, the child may flop down along with the potty, and this is fraught with refusal to sit on the “dangerous” object in the future for many months;
Models with a removable cover are convenient for travel;
You should not buy a potty with musical or lighting effects, kids will perceive it as a toy;
The presence of a backrest will help the child sit comfortably on the potty.

When potty training your child, try to be patient, because it won’t happen instantly, and then no one is immune from “accidents.” Some simple tips will help make this process easier, sometimes even speed it up a little:

When introducing your little one to the potty for the first time, do not be persistent, this will only scare the baby away from a new, strange and incomprehensible thing. Position it as a toy, explain why this item is needed, why it is good (for example, that the baby’s bottom remains clean), and first place a doll or teddy bear on it. It is very good when there are older children in the family who act as good examples. If you have a “diaper” child, you will have to expose him;
The little person needs to get to know his body. Having found out what the butt or genitals are for, it will be easier to explain to the baby that walking wet or dirty is unpleasant, and in order to avoid unpleasant sensations, you need to do your “business” in the potty, and maybe your child prodigy will come up with this himself!
If everything “succeeded”, encourage the baby, this will cause pleasant emotions, and the baby will definitely want to repeat it. If not, don’t despair, don’t swear, but just kindly remind them of the existence of a miracle pot that will allow you to stay dry and clean;
Try to keep the potty within reach of the little user. If he can reach it himself and manage it, there will be no bounds to his joy, and his mother will receive the expected pleasant result. Place a potty in the children's room; the baby must first become interested in the new object, then get used to it. After which, the child can be gradually seated on the potty for a couple of minutes;
Be sure to explain to your baby why the potty is needed: “Baby, let’s pee on the potty?” etc. Also suggest going to the potty after sleeping or eating;
Put your child on the potty when he needs to pee or poop. This will prevent any embarrassment from occurring at the wrong time.

Use little tricks:

Allow the toilet to be flushed after the contents of the pot have been flushed there;
You can have a colorful, bright book or toys with which you can play or read only when visiting the potty, but you should not have a puppet theater or library; for a small person, the act of going to the toilet should not be a game. These “toilet things” will help your baby relax and take his mind off his fears, adding positive emotions, which can play into your hands when learning to use the potty.

You should not be too insistent on putting your child on the potty. This can cause disgust and protest in the baby, he will do his “business” anywhere, just not on the potty, and if he can be sat down, he will do his best to restrain the urges, and this cannot lead to anything good. Therefore, if you find yourself in such a situation, it is better to completely forget about the existence of the pot for a while. The alternative could be something else. Boys can be encouraged to go to the toilet “in an adult way”, like dad, standing up. A girl can let streams flow into the bathtub or basin, of course with the help of her parents. If the experiment was a success, you can return the pot after a while, but don’t be so persistent.

Don't forget that your baby is an individual. Therefore, you don’t need to look up to the neighbors’ kids who are already using the potty; everything will definitely work out over time.

How quickly the child understands what is required of him depends on the attentiveness of the parents. If you notice strange behavior in your baby (the child freezes, tenses, strains), immediately put him on the potty. After several positive results, the baby will begin to ask to go to the toilet.

So, to get a successful result, there are the following recommendations:

You can quickly potty train when the child reaches a certain psychological age;
put your child on the potty after every nap. If you see that his panties are dry, then there is a greater likelihood of urinating in a special toilet;
do not start training if the child is not healthy (teething, abdominal pain);
don’t give up diapers;
do not scold your baby if he relieves himself in his pants;
Do not stimulate your child to urinate with the sounds of pouring water; such a reflex can have a negative impact at a later age.

Methodology: we train in seven days

Most mothers want to potty train their child as quickly as possible. And this is reasonable, because quite a significant expense item is eliminated - there is no need to buy diapers, and the number of washes has also decreased. There is a method of potty training in 7 days, it has been approved by a large number of mothers.

If your child is not potty trained when he reaches the age of one and a half years, there is a special seven-day training system. The “Voluntary Baby” method was developed by Gina Ford and is intended for children who can perform simple actions (take off clothes, understand the words of their parents).

Start the first day by immediately taking off the diaper after sleep, motivate by the fact that you are already big (big), and adults wear panties, and put the child on the potty. You can try using a visual aid: take your baby with you and show him why he needs to go to the toilet. If your baby is unable to relieve himself, repeat this procedure every 15 minutes. Your goal is for your child to spend 10 minutes on the potty; this time should be enough for all the “wet and dirty” tasks. You can sit down next to him and entertain your baby so that he doesn’t jump up from the potty. If you didn’t catch “this moment” and everything happened in a flash, don’t despair and don’t swear, be patient.
On the second day, you consolidate the acquired skills, while monitoring the baby’s behavior so that he does not play too much and relieve himself in his pants.
On the third day, stick to your chosen line of behavior. If you decide to potty train, you should not wear diapers even for a walk, otherwise you risk simply confusing your baby. He simply won’t understand going to the potty or wearing diapers. Before leaving, offer to visit your “plastic friend.” During a walk, it is better to often ask if the baby wants to pee (poop) to avoid surprises. If you don’t want to run into the bushes, take a potty for a walk. Soon the baby will get used to holding urination and you will not have to carry this “element” with you on every walk.
Starting from the fourth day, you and the baby know approximately how long it takes to go to the potty; if the baby gets too playful and forgets about going to the toilet, you need to remind him of this. After a “successful” visit to the potty, be sure to praise the child; encouragement and mother’s joy can be the starting point in successfully mastering this skill.

Quick training method in 3 days

As has already been said, consistency and gradualness are important when it comes to potty training. This process can take several months if the child is not hurried. However, there are situations when you need to “make friends” of the baby with the potty as soon as possible. For example, if the child needs to be taken to kindergarten soon, or before going on vacation. In this case, quick potty training techniques come to the aid of moms and dads.

Quick training does not mean that after a week of active actions on the part of the parents the child will never “misfire”, however, such methods help to quickly convey to the child the need to go to the potty. During “quick training,” the child develops the basis for mastering “toilet” skills.

We determine readiness and create conditions

In order for quick potty training to be successful, you need to understand how ready the child is for this procedure and “prepare the ground.” When assessing the feasibility of rapid training, you should focus on the following factors:

It is better to use “fast” methods before the age of 2 years, the deadline is 2 years and 1 month.
The child may not write for 1-2 hours.
The baby begins to resist putting on a diaper.
A defecation routine is developed and the baby begins to poop at approximately the same time every day.

If, by all indications, the child is ready for training, it is worth focusing on “preparing the ground,” that is, on preparing the child’s consciousness for the fact that some changes are coming in his life. You can start preparing 2 weeks before the transition to active actions.

Get a potty and every day, as if casually, tell your child what this item is, why it is needed, and how to use it.
Say that all children go to the potty and then to the toilet, this is natural and correct.
About a week before training, start telling your child that soon he will no longer wear diapers, but will wear panties and pee in the potty. For these conversations, it will be useful to buy new underwear for your baby. And to make him interested in changing his diaper to panties, choose underwear, for example, with images of his favorite characters.
Choose a moment when you can devote several days entirely to your child. It will be more convenient if there are assistants nearby during potty training: a grandmother or a spouse.

After the time has been chosen and preparation has been carried out, you can move on to the active stage of training. This process takes three days.

Day 1

On the first day, the child gets used to being without a diaper, so you need to remove the diaper immediately after waking up. It’s worth saying right away that quick potty training assumes that the child will not pee in his pants while awake. To completely abandon diapers, even during sleep, requires much more time and effort, because the baby does not yet know how to control his excretory processes.

So, the child remains without a diaper for the whole day. You can put panties on your baby, or you can allow him to run around naked all day (if the temperature in the apartment and the time of year allow this). Adults should put aside all their affairs and watch the child, literally follow on his heels with a potty in their hands. As soon as you notice that the child begins to pee or poop, he needs to be seated on the potty. Of course, it won’t be possible to “catch” every drop, but the child should see a clear connection between his actions and sitting on the potty. That is why it is better to have two adults and they take turns watching the child: if sitting on the potty is not stable for each attempt to pee, this connection will not be fixed in the mind.

For every “hit in the potty,” the child should be praised, and not just “well done,” but you should say exactly what you are praising for. But it’s better to ignore misfires without focusing attention on them, and under no circumstances scold the child: because He will have mainly negative memories associated with the potty and the training process may take a long time.

Before daytime and nighttime sleep, you can invite the child to sit on the potty, but if he refuses, do not insist, but simply put on a diaper.

Day 2

The second day is almost no different from the first, but if on the first day the child is at home, then on the second day you can go outside without a diaper. It is better to plan your walk so that you can quickly get home at any time. It is better to go for a walk immediately after the child has gone to the toilet, but just in case, you can take a change of clothes with you. If you have a camping inflatable potty, you can take it with you.

Don’t forget to praise your child for every job done successfully!

Day 3

On the third day, we add another walk so that the child not only gets used to going to the potty at home, but also resists his urge to go to the toilet in a situation where the potty is not at hand. Before each walk and bedtime, you need to unscheduledly put the child on the potty, the same should be done after waking up and upon returning from the street.

After three days of such active immersion in the “toilet” topic, children begin to calmly accept the potty, and some even try to ask or sit down themselves. During active training, it is better if the child is at home in clothes that can be easily removed: without buttons, straps, or tight elastic bands, so that if necessary, he can take off his pants or panties. Even under this condition, children do not immediately get used to taking off their underwear and sometimes sit on the potty and do their business right in it. This is not scary and there is no point in scolding for such behavior: as children grow older, they master the entire sequence of actions, they just need to wait a little. And over time, you can stop wearing diapers at night.

Retraining

Re-training your baby to go potty

Situations often occur when a child regularly visited the potty and suddenly began to refuse to go to it. This can happen not only at the age of 1.5-2 years, but also at 3-4. The reasons for this can be quite different.

Moving or change of scenery. Even the simplest changes in a little person’s way of life (entry to kindergarten, moving, the appearance of a second child in the family) can lead to protest in many things that the little one did regularly and with pleasure. This also applies to the pot;
By the age of three, a child begins an age crisis. During this period, the baby strives to do everything in reverse. This is a temporary phenomenon and you just need to endure it;
Family problems can cause potty refusal. When parents argue in front of their child, this will in any case negatively affect the child’s psyche and behavior. The baby may begin to rebel against everything or, on the contrary, withdraw into himself;
Sometimes, in painful conditions and during teething, the baby may stop asking to go to the potty because all his strength and thoughts are directed in a completely different direction.

In any case, it is worth finding out the reason for refusing to use the potty, and then focusing your efforts on solving it. Do not force or put pressure on the baby, be patient and everything will return to its previous place.

READ ALSO: How to teach a child to wipe his butt on his own: when to start teaching

How to give up diapers

It is much easier to refuse diapers during the day than at night. During the day we can “catch” the baby, remind him if he is playing too much, but what about night sleep?

Once your little one gets the hang of using the potty regularly, you may notice that the night diaper stays dry every night, which means you're in luck and it's time to put him to bed in his pajamas.

But not all children are the same; many children simply do not control the act of urination in their sleep; a waterproof diaper or oilcloth and spare sheets will help you here. Over time, the child will get used to getting up to go to the toilet even at night. Don't get your baby up at night specifically to go to the toilet, otherwise every time you forget or don't have time to wake him up, you'll end up with a puddle. The baby himself must learn to recognize his urge to go to the potty.

We also read: how to wean your baby off diapers

Attention! There are special diaper panties that help wean you off diapers and potty training -

For what reasons may a child be afraid of the potty and what to do in such cases

There are some reasons why your baby reacts this way to the potty:

Sometimes parents scold the child too much for soiled panties or even spank him. These negative emotions affect the reluctance to communicate with the potty;
If the first meeting was not entirely successful. It happens that the little user simply did not like the pot at first glance, or it could be cold or unpleasant to the touch. Put it away for a while. And then repeat the “first meeting”. But with something new and interesting. A bright cape or an even more practical thing that you can do yourself: sew a soft cover from warm material (you may need more than one, as it can get dirty or wet during use). This will definitely attract the baby and help you continue to use the potty successfully;
Often the child begins to be capricious due to the fact that he was put on a cold potty and sleepy. These unpleasant sensations are remembered for a long time;
Perhaps the baby was frightened by some sharp sounds, or he fell from the potty in the process and hit himself painfully;
A baby may also be afraid of the potty if he is constipated. As a result, even a potty-accustomed child may associate the process of defecation with torture. It is difficult for him to explain that it is not the potty that is to blame, so the child may avoid contact with it.

IMPORTANT!

10 mistakes when potty training your baby
If a child is afraid of the potty, what to do?

In conclusion, I would like to say: give the children more warmth and your love, and all problems with the potty must be solved!

"Easy Potty Training Formula"

Does this sound familiar to you? - Your child screams, arches his back and categorically refuses to sit on the potty... You are tired of constantly wiping up puddles on the floor! You don’t know how to help your child get used to “toilet routine”? Are you tired of spending a ton of money on tons of diapers!!

Let's see how Maria potty trained her son Lesha - Maria's story

Here's what mommies write on forums:

Snowflake: Don't rush too much! Our son, just at the age of 7-9 months, went to the potty several times a day - he was planted after meals. And then - NO WAY. As a result, my husband taught him when he was already 1 year and 9 months old.

Guest: Children around the age of 2 years old ask to use the potty. So don’t torture your little one.

Miki: First let him learn to play with it, let it not be an unknown thing to him. When you feel more relaxed about him, just sit him on it. Start substituting when he pees. And also if you want to get used to the potty at a normal age, which is 1-1.5 years. Then you will have to give up diapers. The child should physically feel what wet pants are

Guest: I also couldn't sit on the potty. I just turned on the water so there was a sound of water and held the pot in front of him (I have a boy). Started around 9 months. A week later she didn’t turn on the water, but he already began to understand what was required of him. Now he's one and four years old and he's starting to ask to go potty.

Maryana: I don’t want to brag, but, for example, we started training ours at 3.5 months. We used diapers very rarely and kept it over the potty to do our business. so by the 5th month he began to ask - he grunts, gets nervous, etc. We immediately take off our pants and hold them over the potty. Now he is already 7.5 months old, we are slowly giving up night diapers. sleeps peacefully from 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. without a diaper, then gets up, does her chores, and continues to sleep until 9. The main thing here is to start on time and not be lazy.

Valeria: But we didn’t wait until 2 years old in the hope that the child would understand everything and learn to use the toilet; Marina helped us with her technique - Do we recommend 1.4 with my daughter?

Yulia Mamulia: You were given the only correct advice - to remove the diaper COMPLETELY. And give the child the opportunity to pee in his pants without having to sit him down every 10 minutes. Maybe he's afraid to pee when his little pussy is naked and unprotected? :)
In general, all “potty” problems are in mothers’ heads. I never bothered with the issues of “training”, I just removed the diapers at the age of one, and by the age of 1.5 the children were already consistently asking to go to the potty. And we learned to poop even earlier

Book: Potty Training in 1 Day (Nathan Ezrin, Richard Fox)

The authors of this book have come up with an incredible method with which every child can be potty trained even in 4 hours. And he will immediately be able to go to the toilet on his own without any help or reminders. For a wide range of readers.

You can download the book from our Yandex Disk -

Survey

At what age did you start (plan to start) potty training your child?

Having scoured the Internet about potty training, I’m sharing with you the information about this procedure. It’s a lot of letters, but if you’re interested, read it, it’s a very useful article. Here you will find answers to many questions...

From the moment of birth - and this is an obvious fact - the processes of urination and defecation by the child are not controlled. Those. these processes are subject to unconditioned reflexes - actions that do not require the participation of the cerebral cortex. The elementary task of potty training, translated into smart terminology, is to make a naturally unconditioned reflex conditional - to subordinate it to the will of a particular young individual. The success of retraining is determined by three factors:

2. The state (development) of the nervous system, primarily the cerebral cortex.
3. The intensity of external influences or, more simply, the pedagogical activity of relatives.

The three listed components are closely interrelated, but already at this stage very significant conclusions can be drawn, which, however, are quite obvious:

The sooner you begin the potty training process, the more effort it will require from you.

The higher the level of physiological development of the child, the more successful, painless and simpler potty training is.

Practical experience confirms the above: the road to the potty is full of tears, children's screams, labor and disappointments, but only when you set off too early.

Many patient and active parents manage to achieve excellent results in the first year of life. Quite often proud statements are made that a child at 10, 9, 8, even at 7 months, empties his bladder on the command “pipi”, and walks only after “aa”. And there is absolutely nothing surprising in this. It is not difficult to achieve the emergence of a conditioned reflex by repeated beeping and aaaking, but this reflex is not quite what we need.

Why? Yes, because this is the connection between the process of emptying the bladder and the sound of “pee-pee”. And if this sound is pronounced often and for a long time, and if they still don’t come off until you urinate, then this connection will be established sooner or later.

But the chain should be different: not “pipi” - filling the bladder - urination, but filling the bladder - potty - urination. Those. the incentive to use the potty should be a physiological process (filling the bladder), and not a sound stimulus (“pipi”).

The payoff for early success comes in the second year of life. A supposedly capable and developed child who has been sitting on the potty since the age of 9 months suddenly, for some “incomprehensible” reasons, stops doing this and actively fights for his freedom with concerned relatives. And the considerations are very clear - the time is coming for the formation of that very normal, natural control over secretions that we have already talked about. The bladder is empty, and here they come with their “pipi”...

No matter what “amazing successes” you achieve, these successes will be temporary until 1.5 years, and episodes of mistakes will be frequent. And this must be approached very philosophically. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that you can save a certain amount of diapers and introduce your child to such an interesting thing as a potty. But this acquaintance, at least from the point of view of medical science, will be superficial, and the skills developed will not be durable.

However, the timing of the formation of reflexes is individual, conscious communication with the potty can take place even at the age of one, but the situation when up to 3 years “well, nothing works out” is also not at all uncommon.

This is where the serious problem lies. Parents, concerned that things are not working out, are trying to actively influence the process. Possible influences certainly include elements of violence - forcing you to sit down, not allowing you to stand up, punishing you for making a puddle in the corridor. The consequence is hysterics, the child’s antipathy towards the process in general, towards the potty and relatives in particular.

Hence the important rule: if it doesn’t work out, wait. Close the topic for 1-2 months, return to the diapers that are familiar to the whole family, and don’t needlessly disturb your and your child’s psyche.

There are physiological norms established by specialists.

1. The natural transition to control of secretions begins after one year and actively “ripens” during the second year of life.

2. The average age for developing more or less stable “pot” skills ranges from 22 to 30 months.
3. Persistent conditioned reflexes are formed by the age of three.

All of the above is a theory that precedes subsequent practical recommendations. But before moving on to specific advice, I would like to emphasize once again: attempts to potty train a child under the age of one year can only lead to saving diapers (which is important), but these attempts have nothing to do with the formation of conscious control over excretory functions.

In order for the process to go as smoothly as possible, you should know some signs that indicate the mental and physiological readiness of the child’s body to learn toilet science.

These signs include:

Establishment of a more or less stable bowel movement regime;

The ability to keep diapers dry for more than 1.5-2 hours;
- knowledge of body parts and names of clothing items;
- knowledge or understanding of the words “pee” and “poo”;
- demonstration of negative emotions as a result of being in dirty (wet) diapers;
- desire (ability) to undress independently;
- desire (ability) to independently enter and exit the toilet.

And, finally, the most reliable sign: the ability to convey the word “I want” to parents in any way - with words, grimaces, specific sounds, gestures.

In the matter of potty training (as in other issues of child development), it is necessary to focus not on numbers, but on the child’s behavior.

Suppose the favorable moment has come and you decide to slowly start teaching your child to use the potty.

Why on the sly? You can speed up this process. And do this not forcefully, but gently and naturally. Read on...

How to quickly potty train a child?

So, all the preconditions are present. Desire to eat. Begin.

1. In addition to the readiness of the child, there must also be the readiness of adults. Obviously, during the transition from diaper to potty, the time spent on direct communication with the baby increases noticeably. You can't develop toilet skills only on Sundays or only on those days when an official visit from the grandmother is expected.

2. A child, like any adult, is prone to changes in mood. The early stage of toilet training is best done when all family members are healthy and cheerful.

3. The best time is summer. It’s easier to get rid of clothes, and there are fewer items to wash in case of a mistake. And everything dries noticeably faster.

4. Getting to know the potty. We offer it to the child when the likelihood of the “process” is maximum - after sleep, after eating, when we understand from his behavior that it’s time.

5. If successful, we praise you very, very much. In case of failure, we try our best not to be upset, and if we are upset, we do not show disappointment.

6. We fix attention not only on the potty itself, but also on the actions immediately preceding communication with the potty and parting with it: how to get the potty, how to open it, how to take off panties, how to put on panties, how and where to pour the contents from the potty, how wash the pot, how to close the pot and put it in place. The implementation of all of the above easily turns into an interesting game. It is great if, after each successfully completed action, parents do not skimp on praise - the whole process in this case is accompanied by positive emotions, and this is perhaps the most important thing at the transition stage.

7. We gradually organize potty sessions not only when it’s time for the child, but when the daily routine requires it. For example, we make sure to sit down before going to bed, before going for a walk.

8. You should not part with diapers completely and irrevocably. They are quite useful for traveling in public transport, at night, while walking in the cool season, at first and during daytime sleep. But every time we woke up dry and quickly sat down on the potty, we pay attention to how great we are and, in confirmation of this obvious fact, we demonstrate a dry diaper.

9. The shape of the pot, its color and the number of “bells and whistles” (musical accompaniment, unscrewing parts, painted eyes and protruding ears) are not of fundamental importance. It is still important that the pot is perceived not as a toy, but as an object with a very specific purpose.

10. Not important: potty or toilet (implies the presence of a special child seat). Here it’s more convenient for you. Taking into account the fact that, especially at first, the process may be delayed, a potty is more convenient, since it is more pleasant to communicate in the room than in a cramped toilet space. Combining a potty with a toilet is a completely acceptable option, especially for boys. A special stool in the toilet, and urinating from it is just pleasure and a conscious introduction to the world of adults. And if dad still finds time to show how it’s done...
The easiest way to learn to use a potty is for children who did not wear diapers (their mothers dropped them off); for them, the process of training occurs quickly and without puddles. But all is not lost for “diaper” children, you just have to endure puddles and piles on the floor (and in other places) for a while.
Here are recommendations that, if followed, will allow you to speed up the training process as much as possible:
If your child spent all his time in diapers before potty training, you will have to remove them. Why?
The baby must study his body to know what the butt and genitals are for.

He must establish a connection between urges and the following impulses. To do this, he must see the act of urination and defecation. And more than once.

It is necessary to show by example when and how to use the potty.

To do this you need to watch the child. You will notice that before he relieves himself, he shows dissatisfaction or calms down (strains, groans), and at this moment you offer the baby a potty. It’s good if the child also sees from the example of adults or older children where and how the need is dealt with.

The potty should be within sight and reach, that is, on the floor in the children's room, let the child get to know it and sit if he wants.

You need to offer the baby a potty with words explaining why it is needed: “Sunny, let’s pee (poop) in the potty... The potty is needed to pee and poop in it... Where should we pee (poop)?”
Every time after an “accident,” gently remind your child about the existence of the potty: “Sweetheart, where should I pee?” You can express your disappointment, but under no circumstances scold your baby or force him to sit on the potty so that he does not develop an aversion to this object. Be calm and patient!

For example, I started training my “diaper” child in this way at 1 year and 8 months. Two weeks later he sat on the potty by himself for the first time, and a week later he was already using it for its intended purpose without any reminder. All this time he was running naked, and I was running with a mop. But the result was worth it! There was no coercion, everything happened naturally!

It takes different amounts of time for each child to learn to go potty on their own without being told.

The older the child is and the more time he spends naked, the shorter the potty training time.

That is, to potty train a one-year-old baby, it will take a month or two, and a 2-year-old – a week or two.

Why do potty training fails?

Even a child who already knows how to use a potty can have “accidents”:
At first, while potty training is underway.
When the baby is teething.
A child who is engrossed in play may not feel the need to urinate for a long time, even if the bladder is full. Therefore, in this case, an “accident” may occur.

During the “one year crisis”.

During the potty training period, it is better to remove the carpets in the room where the baby will spend most of the time, and cover the sofas and armchairs with disposable diapers or large towels folded several times.

It is convenient to quickly remove a puddle from the floor with a mop with a foam attachment, which quickly absorbs the liquid.

How to refuse a diaper on the street?

Some time after developing a stable skill in using the potty, you can teach your baby to do without a diaper outside. Best in the warm season.

Usually, babies who did not wear disposable diapers, by the time they are potty trained, already know how to ask and even endure the entire walk.

Children with diapers will also be fine, but you will have to remove the diaper before going for a walk and stock up on a pack of spare pants.

Before a walk, invite your child to go potty. If he doesn’t want to, don’t insist.
If you don’t want to go into the bushes, then take a pot with you.
Don't forget to bring several pairs of pants (and maybe socks).
Every time after an “accident” on a walk, gently explain to your child what happened: “Sunny, you peed your pants! Look, they're wet! Let’s go potty next time (water the grass)!” And after that, change the child's clothes.
If the baby asks, praise and affectionately hug the baby or pat him on the head so that the child has pleasant emotions.
After your walk, encourage your child to go potty.

After some time, the child will begin to tolerate the entire walk. And you won't have to carry a potty and spare clothes with you.

For my son, this period lasted for... 3 days. But before we started going for walks without diapers, he was already “potty trained.”

How to refuse a night diaper?

After some time, after developing a stable skill of using the potty, your baby will wake up at night to go to the potty and then it will be possible to do without a diaper at night.

For those babies who did not wear disposable diapers, this happens at an earlier age.

Usually, by the age of 2 years, the function of urinary retention is so strengthened that it begins to manifest itself during sleep; the child stops waking up at night to go to the toilet.

It will not be possible to train a small child to sleep through the night without peeing. A person cannot control himself during sleep.

The only thing you can do is to invite your child to go to the potty before bed.

Why does a child over 2 years old wet the bed?

The fact is that if the mother herself puts the baby on the potty, or the child goes to the potty only so that the mother will praise or so that the mother does not scold for the described pants, BUT at the same time, she does not feel the need for this within herself (in other words, I do not agree “to be friends” with the potty), then at night, when conscious control sleeps with the body, its subconscious plays such tricks. That is, he pees in the bed.

If a child enjoys going to the potty on his own, that is, his skill is not only conscious, but also subconscious, then there will be no problems at night.

To make your baby love the process of using the potty:

do not scold the child for the described pants;
do not praise too much and especially do not reward the baby for going to the potty, just gently pat the baby on the head and smile at him;
Do not put your baby on the potty if he can already do this on his own; give him the freedom to act on his own in this intimate matter.

Thus, the baby will go potty not so as not to be scolded or, on the contrary, to be praised, but in order to enjoy the knowledge that he can control his body, that this is pleasant and healthy!

Final observation from the practice of a pediatrician.

Honestly, in two decades of working as a pediatrician, I have never encountered a situation where the parents of a normal four-year-old child consult a doctor because the child does not know how to use the potty.

But the sobs of a mother whose two-year-old offspring pees in his pants are a fairly typical phenomenon. At the same time, the main reason for disappointment is not the fact that our pants are wet, but the fact that everyone else has been going to the potty for a long time

What makes you think that everyone else is walking?

That's what they say themselves!

On this occasion, I remember a wonderful anecdote about how pensioner Ivan Ivanovich complains to a sex therapist: “My neighbor Pyotr Petrovich, like me, is 70, he says that he can do it 3 times, but I can’t do it at all!” And the doctor advises: “So you say”...

A newborn baby is completely dependent on its parents and needs round-the-clock care. Gradually, the child grows, learns a lot of new things about the world around him and learns a variety of everyday skills. One of the most popular questions among young mothers is: “When and how to potty train a child?” Komarovsky, a well-known and authoritative pediatrician, has his own opinion on this issue. What does the specialist advise parents?

Getting to know the potty is not a feat!

Many modern mothers are passionate about the topic of early development. They keep special diaries of successes and discoveries and constantly brag about the kids’ new achievements to their friends. Very often, successful potty training is included in the category of such feats. In fact, there is nothing magical or extraordinary about the “correct” fulfillment of natural physiological needs. Do any adults (with the exception of those who suffer from some specific diseases) pee in their pants? Or perhaps he is proud of the fact that he makes it to the toilet? In fact, it is a personal decision for each family when and how to potty train a child. Komarovsky advises waiting until the optimal age and not concentrating too much on this issue. Parents should not forget that sooner or later the child will successfully learn to control his physiological needs.

Optimal age

A potty should not appear in a child's life until 18 months. It is by this age that the skills of conscious urination are formed. You can achieve significant success (and quite quickly!) in about 22-30 months. It is after one and a half years of age that a child can control his own body and understand what his parents want from him. In any case, this is what Dr. Komarovsky says.

How to potty train a child without unnecessary hassle? Before you start teaching this skill, you should make sure that the baby is really psychologically and physically ready. Don't start too early. Many mothers are proud of the fact that they manage to “catch” their baby up to a year old and “take him to the toilet correctly.” This strategy actually has nothing to do with potty training. Dr. Komarovsky recommends not giving up diapers until the age of one and a half years. In our age, enough accessories and ingenious devices have been invented, thanks to which women can fully enjoy the joys of motherhood with a minimum amount of hassle.

How do you know when your baby is ready to use the potty?

At what age should you potty train your child? Komarovsky advises all parents to remember the main signs of a child’s readiness to master this skill. You should think about purchasing a potty if your child relieves himself quite rarely. Namely, if the baby is able to stay dry for 2 hours or more. Establishing a bowel movement routine is also important. The child will learn to use his first toilet if he understands the words associated with the poisoning of natural needs. It is also worth paying attention to how the baby reacts to dirty or wet pants. If the child realizes discomfort and shows dissatisfaction, then it’s time to get acquainted with the potty.

Rules for choosing a potty and the baby’s first acquaintance with it

Modern manufacturers of children's products offer an impressive range of children's potties. Note! For girls, you should choose round-shaped products, and for boys, oval ones. The first pot should be made of plastic. Why are iron “night vases” bad? They can be cold and cause discomfort for the baby. It is also important that the pot is stable enough and has a back. “You shouldn’t turn going to the toilet into a game,” says Dr. Komarovsky. Not all parents know how to potty train a child quickly. Many people think that it is necessary to entertain the baby. In fact, from the very first time the child must understand why a new household item is needed. It is for this reason that you should not buy pots that resemble development centers. Built-in play panels and rattles will only distract the baby.

How and when to start potty training your child? Komarovsky advises

It is important to introduce the baby to the potty and try to explain to him what it is and what it is needed for.
You should put your child on the potty after waking up and at the first sign that he wants to go to the toilet.
Be sure to praise your child every time you manage to do all your chores carefully. You can even exaggerate your own joy, but it is important to clearly identify success and the reasons for praise.
When and at what time should you potty train your child? Komarovsky advises starting in the warm season. Try to leave your baby out of diapers more often while awake. It is important that the child realizes how nice it is to be clean. Be sure to make sure that the baby will not freeze or catch a cold.

We praise for successes, but do not notice failures!

One of the secrets to successful potty training lies in the complete absence of criticism. Even if the child doesn’t succeed in something right away, parents should not scold him. It is better not to notice such an embarrassment at all. And this is an important rule, because sharp criticism can permanently discourage a child from sitting on the potty or even just approaching him. Komarovsky speaks regularly about the rules for developing hygiene skills and how to potty train a child. The famous doctor advises finding a compromise between the child’s education and convenience for parents. Diapers can be used during sleep, walks and visits until the baby learns to fully control himself. At home, you should give your baby the opportunity to walk around in panties. It is important that the floor is warm and its coating is easy to clean.

Potty games

The child should associate the potty directly with the discharge of natural needs. If for some reason the baby does not show interest in this product, you can try to correct the situation. How to potty train a child using games? Komarovsky's advice on this issue may seem strange to some parents, but it really works. It is very good if a parent of the same sex as the child tells him about how he himself goes to the toilet. If necessary, you can even show the whole process - take the child to an adult toilet on an excursion. Young children love to imitate their parents. Believe me, such training will be incredibly effective. If for some reason your baby is negative or wary of the potty, you can play with him a little. “Take your child’s favorite toys to the toilet and show that they are not afraid and know what to do.

Secrets of strengthening the right habits

Rituals are of great importance for children. A set of actions repeated day after day gives the child a feeling of stability and security. So why not include going to the toilet as part of your daily rituals? Place your baby on the potty after sleep, walks and meals. Try to explain to the baby that he can and should ask to go to the toilet himself at the first desire. Many parents choose not the most beautiful things as home clothes for their children. And this is a big mistake. Early childhood development experts advise always dressing your baby neatly. It wouldn’t hurt to draw the little one’s attention to his appearance and unobtrusively ask him to get dirty less. Of course, you will still have to wash off stubborn stains from time to time. But with modern household chemicals, this is not too difficult a task.

Why do younger children learn faster than older children?

In families with two or more children, the question is very rarely asked: “How to properly potty train a child?” Komarovsky notes that parents with many children usually experience the least amount of difficulties with developing personal hygiene skills. The secret is simple - younger children, observing older ones, copy their behavior. For this reason, in large families there are usually no difficulties with potty training or hand washing. What should families do when they have their first child? If possible, organize communication for the baby with slightly older children. If you regularly provide your child with the opportunity to play at home with cousins or children of your friends who are a little older than him, he will easily learn their healthy habits.

Popular mistakes parents make

What not to do and how to potty train a child? Komarovsky recommends approaching this issue responsibly. The most common mistake parents make is introducing their baby to the potty too early. It makes no sense to require conscious trips to the toilet from a baby under one year old. The optimal age for instilling this skill is considered to be 1.5-3 years. You should not introduce the potty during difficult moments in your child’s life. If the family has recently moved to a new location or faced some other change, wait a while. Sometimes the first “correct” trip to the toilet causes negative emotions in the baby. If a child is scared of something, knocks himself or is unhappy for any other reason, it makes sense to stop using the potty for about a week. Remember: forcing your baby to do something against his will will not achieve positive results.

And don’t forget: you can’t scold a child for being careless. How and when should you potty train your child? Komarovsky recommends choosing a moment when the baby is healthy and feeling well. It is quite important at first to constantly praise the child for his successes. Parents must remember that praise should not be material. It is enough to say something encouraging, stroke and kiss the baby. But it’s not worth giving candy and new toys for successful potty training. The formation of hygiene skills should not be associated with receiving gifts. Let it be better perceived by the baby as a natural stage of growing up.

Very often, grandmothers and other representatives of the older generation advise to accustom one to the “correct” discharge of natural needs as early as possible. Try to politely refuse such advice. Do not forget that in the USSR, most children at the age of 1 year began to attend nurseries. In them, the ability to use this accessory was welcomed. Today, each family can independently decide at what age to instill this skill in their child. Don't plan in advance what time to potty train your child. Komarovsky advises monitoring the baby and focusing on his personal needs. In any case, sooner or later your child will learn to control his physiological needs.

General information

Every parent at one time or another faces the question of when and how to potty train a child. However, many parents, especially those raising their first child, often try too early to teach their baby to go to the toilet “like an adult.” Below we will talk about how to most easily teach a child to use the potty, how to correctly perceive the failures that inevitably happen during the training process, why a baby cannot always learn to go to the toilet quickly enough, as well as other important aspects that are interesting to young parents.

How to potty train a child: methods and their features

When the baby grows up, and mom and dad inevitably face the question of how to potty train a child, many adults make mistakes that ultimately result in stress for both parents and the child. As a result, older adults waste a lot of time and effort in vain, dropping the baby off even at night, but do not get any results at all, or in the end, an unstable result is noted.

At one time, there was an opinion that it was quite possible to potty train a child quickly and correctly if you started doing this already in the first year of the baby’s life. Even now, many grandmothers and even experienced mothers give young parents advice on how to potty train a child at 1 year old. Similar recommendations can sometimes be heard even from individual pediatricians.

However, at present, such early habituation has already been scientifically recognized as incorrect and untimely, as well as in such a way that it contradicts the natural physiology of the baby. That is, those who try to potty train a baby in the last months of the first year of life contradict his psychology and do not take into account the peculiarities of physiological maturation. As a result, it turns out that this entire process of habituation is very long and, as a rule, unproductive. In addition, those who try to teach such a small boy or girl to use the potty essentially have to put pressure on the baby. And this, of course, causes a number of negative consequences, namely:

development stress in a baby, sometimes leading to the development of neurological and psychosomatic diseases;
manifestation urinary incontinence, constipation;
nervous tics, logoneuroses;
development of serious problems later in life, in particular enuresis, encopresis, overactive bladder.

In fact, parents very often note that their child develops the problems described above. But at the same time, they do not compare cause and effect, and often do not understand the nature of these manifestations.

Those who were puzzled by the question of how to potty train a boy or how to teach a girl to ask to go to the toilet earlier than determined by nature used methods of developing conditioned reflexes. However, in this case we were not talking about developing a conscious skill, which is what ideally needs to be achieved.

Because of such training, the wrong sequence of actions was built. That is, the parents ensured that the child emptied his bladder when he heard the murmur of water, or when he was told to “pee-pee.”

Due to repeated repetitions of such actions, the baby got used to the fact that it was necessary to write after such sounds. Although, in fact, bladder overflow should prompt you to go to the toilet.

In addition, the skill that a one-year-old baby acquired as a result of developing such a reflex is not permanent. It may be lost because it is based on the wrong basis. For example, any stress can “wean” a child off the potty - moving, starting kindergarten, troubled parental relationships, etc.

Also, a child may lose this skill at about 2 years old - at the age when the process of potty training actually needed to begin. If such “unlearning” occurs later, it is much more difficult for the baby to learn to acquire this skill.

Therefore, the conclusion is clear: there is no need to rush to wean your child off diapers as early as possible and try to potty train him in 3 days. This skill must be developed in a timely and gradual manner.

At what age should training begin?

Thus, parents must clearly understand when it is necessary to potty train their child, and when it is too early to do it.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies reach physiological maturity at the age of 18-24 months. Therefore, it is necessary to potty train your baby no earlier than after he reaches 18 months.

It is important not only to know when to start potty training and what time a small child should learn to ask to go to the toilet, but also what method should be used for the result to be successful. It is important to use a method that is baby-oriented. That is, it is necessary to take into account the degree of maturity of the little person’s nervous system. It is the maturity of the nervous system that determines whether the baby is ready to acquire such an important skill. If you use this particular teaching model, parents will not put pressure on the child.

In turn, the baby will not survive stress if his physiological and psychological readiness is at the proper level. That is why the most correct answer to the question at what age a child can be potty trained is the following: when he is ready for this both physiologically and psychologically.

In the learning process, the baby is the main figure, and he already understands what he is doing and what exactly adults want to achieve from him.

The main provisions of the physiological method are the following postulates:

Physical maturity of the body- strengthening the muscles of the urethra and rectal sphincters, developed innervation of the bladder and rectum.
Psychological maturity– the baby already understands what is required of him and can follow instructions.
Emotional readiness– the child has a positive attitude towards acquiring new skills.

Features of baby physiology and anatomy

To explain why training should begin no earlier than one and a half years old, consideration of some features of the baby’s physiology and anatomy will help. A baby can consciously ask to use the potty only at a time when he has already formed neuromuscular connections between his brain and the pelvic organs. Their formation begins only after 18 months. These are nerve fibers that form plexuses around the rectum and bladder. They are the ones who give the impulse that the bladder or intestines are full. This impulse is initially transmitted to the spinal cord, and then to the brain. This is what motivates you to go to the toilet. Consequently, the formation of the correct skill is possible only after the clear appearance of these connections. Therefore, if a child of 1.5 years does not go to the potty, this is quite normal.

Of course, some “advanced” parents, almost after the birth of the child, begin to rack their brains over how to get the child to pee in the potty. However, most attempts at training too early are doomed to failure. Even if there has been some success, children do not feel confident using the potty, and this skill is not consolidated in them as it should.

But if learning starts when the child begins to understand what is wanted from him, and when his body is ready for such a “school,” success will not be long in coming.

Going potty early: is that good?

Many mothers talk about how a baby who is not even a year old goes to the potty regularly. Faced with similar stories, some mothers of small children try to teach their child to do without diapers as early as possible.

By repeatedly repeating the sounds “pee-pee” or the hysterical “ah-ah-ah” and holding the baby on the potty, it is, of course, possible to ensure that he does his job. But do not forget that in this case he will only have conditioned reflex.

However, it should be remembered that a baby taught such “wisdom” too early, after a year and a half, may behave completely differently than his parents expect. If the child’s bladder is not full, the corresponding impulse does not arrive to the brain, and in the meantime the baby is persistently placed on the potty and encouraged to go to the toilet, the conditioned reflex may already be triggered. And since the child has not been taught the new, correct method, the problem of wet pants can again appear in all its glory. At the same time, parents will be perplexed as to why something suddenly went wrong. And in this case, repeated potty training in 1 day is impossible - parents will again have to gradually “work” with the child so that he eventually develops a lasting skill.

The table provides a comparison of the features of too early and timely training

How do you know when to start training?

All babies develop differently, so you can’t assume that every child is capable of moving from diapers to a potty at one and a half years old. At the same time, parents should clearly remember the fact that the formation of a stable skill occurs by 22-36 months. Therefore, all the baby’s mistakes should be taken calmly.

It is important to take into account those signs that indicate that the baby can already begin to be taught to go to the toilet correctly.

Bowel movements occur at approximately the same time of day every day.
Urination is observed no more often than once every two hours, as can be judged by dry diapers.
The baby already knows different parts of the body and is able to show them. He also distinguishes between items of clothing.
He understands what it means to “pee” and “poop.”
Strives to imitate adults.
When the diaper is dirty, the baby experiences discomfort and shows it.
Makes attempts to dress independently.
Interested in the toilet, potty.
The baby is already 1.5 years old.

If all of the above features are already observed, this indicates that the potty training process will be quick and easy for both mom and dad and the child.

You should be prepared for the fact that your baby may not sit on the potty right away. If all attempts to sit him down end in whims and crying, this may indicate that the child simply does not want to go to the toilet right now. It is important not to scold him, but simply stop trying for a while and try again later - in a few weeks. By about two years old, a little person will learn to ask to go to the toilet and do everything correctly.

There is no need to force your baby to sit on the potty if for some reason he is afraid to do so. Parents should be sensitive to such fears and find their cause. This is often due to stress or the fact that the child finds the potty uncomfortable.

How to carry out the learning process?

This should be done gradually, without rushing the baby.

“Introduce” the potty

First you need to show him that you can just sit on the potty. Therefore, first it is enough to sit him on the potty, without immediately requiring him to use this item for its intended purpose. True, parents need to be extremely careful here, because they shouldn’t let their baby play with the potty either, otherwise he will begin to perceive it as just another toy.

Drop off when the baby presumably wants to go to the toilet

If your child doesn’t mind sitting on the potty, you should try to sit him out at a time when he most likely wants to do something small. It is better to do this after eating, after sleep.

Monitor behavior

If you watch a little person very carefully, you will notice that before urinating or defecating, he becomes quiet, as if thinking. Some children shudder, others try to take off their panties or panties on their own. It is these signals that may indicate that it is time to sit on the potty.

Reinforce the skill through repetition

After the baby makes a mistake, you need to calmly ask him where to poop and pee. If he doesn’t point to the potty after that, then you need to bring the child to him and repeat again, “Here’s the potty. You need to write here."

Take failures calmly and praise successes

You can’t scold children for mistakes and get upset about it - over time, everything will definitely work out. Everyone has failures over a period of time. Sometimes it is possible to teach a baby to go to the toilet in a week or two, sometimes it takes longer. But if everything turned out correctly, you need to praise the baby and tell him how great he is and how well he did everything.

Turn going to the potty into a ritual

Consistent and habitual performance of all actions is necessary. So that the baby gradually gets used to it. An adult should gradually produce them, while telling the baby what he is doing: “Take off your panties, sit on the potty, put on your panties,” etc. This will make it easier for the baby to get used to the existing order of actions.

Rules to remember during the training process

The readiness of both the baby and the parents is important. Mom and dad must realize that the child will have to pay much more attention during this period. You should also be prepared for mistakes and the fact that you will have to devote more time to cleaning up after your baby.
Once you start the process, you need to constantly devote time to it. That is, it cannot be that on weekends parents teach their child to use the potty, and on other days he wears a diaper. This can only confuse the baby and significantly complicate the process.
If during the day the child has not yet learned to ask to go to the toilet, it is not yet time to teach it at night.
A little person needs to get used to a chamber pot. This item should be in a visible place so that it is easy to find as soon as the need arises.
When everything works out, it is imperative to praise the child, doing it in such a way that he realizes that he did everything well. If a mistake occurs, no “Ay-ya-ay” should be heard from the lips of the parents - mistakes should be taken calmly.
It is important to train not only to the potty, but also to the ritual itself. Therefore, you need to teach how to perform all the actions sequentially, showing how to take off your panties, take out the potty, wash your hands, etc.
Over time, you need to put your baby on the potty before going to bed, before going for a walk - that is, when you need to go to the toilet, in order to avoid troubles.
At first, during the day you need to give up diapers, but at night or during a walk it is better to use them while the baby has not yet fully mastered this skill. Over time, diapers should be completely abandoned.
You should not be allowed to play around with the potty, lest it end up being perceived as a toy.

How to choose a pot

First of all, it is important to choose a comfortable potty. It is quite possible that you will have to initially change several of them so that the baby gets the one on which he will be most comfortable.
Its shape must be anatomical. It is better for girls to choose round ones, and for boys - oval pots that have a protrusion in the front.
Stability is important so that the child's toilet does not move or fidget on the floor.
It is preferable to buy a pot with a back.
As for having a lid, there are no special recommendations - you need to choose what you like.
The ideal option is an ordinary, as simple as possible potty, without musical accompaniment and decoration in the form of eyes, ears, etc. Such things not only distract the baby, but are also perceived by him as a toy. Therefore, in the end, you can only confuse him, later spending a lot of time on training.
Adults need to understand that all children learn this skill. Therefore, you should treat the process calmly, without turning it into something super important. When both mentally and physiologically the baby is ready for this, everything will definitely work out.
We must not forget that children can finally master this skill at the age of 2-3 years. Therefore, if by the age of three mistakes still happen from time to time, there is nothing wrong with that. In this case, you cannot focus on this and swear.
It is important to always remember the most important rule: everything has its time. The sooner you start training, the more effort and nerves you will have to waste.

The process of teaching a child begins from the very first days of the baby’s life. And it consists not only of various pedagogical methods, but mostly of ordinary life experience - learning about the world by trial and error. That is, the child learns everything that he sees around him. However, there comes a time when the baby has to be accustomed to special activities that concern him exclusively. It is this topic that I would like to dwell on now. How (Komarovsky and his methodology), what needs to be done, and what actions it is best to refuse, so as not to traumatize the psyche of your baby - this will be discussed further.

About your baby's readiness to use the potty

While the baby is still very small, he perceives the potty as a toy. For him this is just a piece of furniture. The baby does not yet understand all its significance and necessity. Therefore, you should not scold your child if he starts playing with the potty. By the way, it is very important not to miss this moment, because this is an excellent reason to start accustoming your baby to this hitherto unknown subject. You can try to plant toys on it, try to sit the baby himself. But if the baby resists and cries a lot, you need to leave this idea for now. Most likely, the baby is simply not ready yet.

Here it is worth saying that if mothers begin to put their baby on the potty at the age of 8-9 months, and the baby does everything that is supposed to, we can only talk about a well-developed reflex. The baby will pee in the potty completely unconsciously. This can be achieved mainly through training (most often if punishment is used). Controlled urination at such a young age is out of the question. And all because the child’s nervous system is not yet completely ready for this.

More specifically about the numbers

At the age of up to one year, a child’s potty is not yet a conscious toilet item. As mentioned above, it is perceived by the baby more like a toy or an interior item. Before the first year of life, you can, of course, introduce the baby to him, but this will have virtually no effect on anything and will only lengthen the learning time. Consciousness, understanding and, most importantly, the first signs of self-control come to the baby at about the age of 18 months. For some, this may happen a few months earlier, but mostly later. You need to understand that all numbers are relative. And you just need to know your baby in order to understand whether the child is ready to be put on the potty.

About day and night landings

When figuring out how to potty train a child, Komarovsky also says that you need to take into account the time of day. If at one and a half years the baby can begin to control the urges of his body during the daytime, then with the night period things are not so simple. At night, children can pee even up to 4 years of age. And there's nothing wrong with that. After all, night control in children is approximately 3-3.5 years. Parents should not forget about this.

About child readiness indicators

Often mothers and fathers wonder how to potty train a child in one year? Is it possible to teach a baby such skills? Pediatricians say that there are certain indicators that will tell you that the baby is completely ready for delivery:

The potty is not scary for a child, the baby is not afraid of it and sometimes even tries to sit on it himself, even without lowering his pants.
One of the signs of a baby’s readiness is his ability to walk and sit up independently.
The next indicator is that the child can tell his parents about his desires and body needs.
The baby understands when adults approach him with various requests.
One of the signs is that the child understands the parents’ commands.
If the child understands praise and encouragement from adults, he is also partially ready for potty training.
Komarovsky claims that if the baby shows his dissatisfaction with a full diaper or wet pants, he is also ready for training.

If all these indicators, or at least most of them, are present, experts are sure that you can begin the process of accustoming the baby to your potty.

When is the wrong time to start training?

It sometimes happens that a child is afraid of the potty, he feels uncomfortable being on it. This indicates that the time has not yet come for the first accustoming to this toilet item. However, here it is necessary to strictly distinguish between the child’s manipulative behavior and actual fear or discomfort. Other indicators that indicate that the first plantings should be delayed:

When your child is nervous or ill, you should not begin the training process.
Recess time is not the best time for potty training. If the family is moving, is about to expect a new addition, etc., this is already stressful for the baby. And training during this period will be completely ineffective.
And the last point is the absence of the above skills, which indicate the baby’s readiness to sit on the potty.

About choosing a pot

Where should the training process begin? Of course, with the right choice of the pot itself! What should it be like? Manufacturers today offer a huge selection. It can be a musical potty for children, in the shape of a horse or a car, with or without a back. Dr. Komarovsky advises choosing the simplest one. In this case, the baby will not perceive the potty as a toy. And a musical potty runs the risk of developing a reflex to defecate to the music, which will ultimately turn out to be a big problem. Rules for choosing this toilet item:

As mentioned above, the pot should be the simplest. The only thing is that you can choose the color that your child likes most.
Having a backrest wouldn't hurt. The baby should be comfortable sitting on his “throne”.
You need to remember that the baby’s legs should be at a right angle (or the knees can be slightly raised). This is very important, because otherwise the baby risks developing hemorrhoids or rectal fissures, constantly pressing on the diaphragm with his legs.
The pot should also be as stable as possible. The baby can spin while sitting on it, and if he falls several times, he may refuse to sit on it altogether.

Stages of potty training: introduction

So, as Komarovsky advises not to rush, but to divide the learning process itself into several important stages. The first one is familiarization. So, it’s good if a mother goes shopping for a potty with her child. The baby will be able to choose exactly what he likes. You just need to remember that you shouldn’t doubt the choice of your baby. So, the pot has been purchased. Now it needs to be placed in a visible place in the child’s room. We must try to explain to the child what it is and what this item is intended for. It’s best to illustrate your stories with pictures from books or an example of planting your favorite soft toy on a potty. You shouldn’t try to put your child there right away. Let him get used to the new occupant of his room.

First plantings

It is worth remembering that if a child does not sit on the potty, you should not insist on it. You just need to forget about this science for a few days and get distracted. And after a while try again. So, the first plantings should be carried out at the most convenient hours for defecation: after sleep or half an hour after eating. In this case, the result will be visible to the child. And, of course, do not forget that the baby needs to be praised after what he has done. Encouragement is perceived very positively by children.

If at first the child does not want to take off his pants and sit on the potty, you don’t have to demand this for now. It’s good if the baby at least sits on this object. This period generally takes from one week to 10 days.

Conscious hikes

Let's look further at how to potty train a child. Komarovsky says that if the baby is no longer afraid of this piece of furniture and treats it calmly, you can plant it more often. Approximately every 2-3 hours. Mothers often call this period “catching a pee.” That is, parents are simply trying to catch the moment when the child may want to defecate. This must be accompanied by questions about whether the child wants to write. They need to be formulated in a form that is convenient for your baby. This stage also lasts approximately ten days.

However, you should not be completely attached to the numbers. After all, all children develop differently, each baby requires a certain amount of time to learn. For some, the entire learning process may take one and a half months, and for others, as much as six months.

About training and rapid learning

Some parents are sincerely confident that potty training a baby can be done very quickly. Especially after reading articles “potty training a child in 7 days” or the like. Of course, this can be done. However, only by intimidating your baby. Yes, many parents boast that their children are already asking to use the potty when they are one year old. However, they will never tell anyone at what cost they achieve this. If you beat and scold the child after each urination in his pants, keep the baby on the potty for half an hour until the result is visible, you can, of course, achieve quick learning. But is it worth it to mock your child like that, distorting his psyche from a very early age? What to do in this case is decided only by the parents of the baby.

How not to discourage your baby from going potty

There are three main taboos that all parents should remember:

You cannot insist and force a child to sit on the potty if he does not want to do it.
It is strictly forbidden to hold your baby on the potty by force.
You can't scold a baby for peeing in his pants. At first, it will be very difficult for the child to control the urges of his body.

If parents have made at least one of the above mistakes, they risk discouraging the baby from going to the potty. You also need to remember that such behavior of a child may be the most common protest against the violent actions of adults. There will definitely be no sense in this.

About diapers and the potty

How much does a potty for children cost? Its price depends on many factors. The cheapest of them costs about 100 rubles, and there are no upper limits to the cost. But, having bought this toilet item, you need to remember that you shouldn’t suddenly give up diapers. Moreover, pediatricians claim that wearing them does not in any way affect the process of potty training. At first, diapers will be needed for night and daytime sleep. It will also be difficult to do without them on a walk. But gradually you will still have to give up diapers, but only not to the detriment of the child.

As a small conclusion, I would like to say that whether the child has a potty with a back, in the shape of a horse or a musical one, the entire learning process depends only on the parents. We must remember that it is important to be patient and calm. You also need to be consistent in your decisions. That is, having decided to teach your baby, you need to do it regularly, without giving yourself or your baby a vacation for a day or even a week. And most importantly, the whole process should be in a good mood for the child. Only in this case the result will not be long in coming, and the learning process itself will take place without the child’s tears.

When to potty train?

1. The condition (development) of the organs directly involved in the processes of urination and defecation: bladder, urethra, rectum, abdominal muscles, sphincters of the rectum and bladder (sphincter is a special circular muscle that compresses a hollow organ or closes the exit out of him);
2. The state (development) of the nervous system, primarily the cerebral cortex.
3. The intensity of external influences or, more simply, the pedagogical activity of relatives.

The three listed components are closely interrelated, but already at this stage very significant conclusions can be drawn, which, however, are quite obvious:

The sooner you begin the potty training process, the more effort it will require from you.

The higher the level of physiological development of the child, the more successful, painless and simpler potty training is.

Practical experience confirms the above: the road to the potty is full of tears, children's screams, labor and disappointments, but only when you set off too early.

Hence the important rule: if it doesn’t work, wait. Close the topic for 1-2 months, return to the diapers that are familiar to the whole family, and don’t needlessly disturb your and your child’s psyche.

There are physiological norms established by specialists.

1. The natural transition to control of secretions begins after one year and actively “ripens” during the second year of life.
2. The average age for developing more or less stable “pot” skills ranges from 22 to 30 months.
3. Persistent conditioned reflexes are formed by the age of three.

In order for the process to go as smoothly as possible, you should know some signs that indicate the mental and physiological readiness of the child’s body to learn toilet science.

These signs include:

Establishment of a more or less stable bowel movement regime;
- the ability to keep diapers dry for more than 1.5-2 hours;
- knowledge of body parts and names of clothing items;
- knowledge or understanding of the words “pee” and “poo”;
- demonstration of negative emotions as a result of being in dirty (wet) diapers;
- desire (ability) to undress independently;
- desire (ability) to independently enter and exit the toilet.

And, finally, the most reliable sign: the ability to convey the word “I want” to parents in any way - with words, grimaces, specific sounds, gestures.

In the matter of potty training (as in other issues of child development), it is necessary to focus not on numbers, but on the child’s behavior.

Suppose the favorable moment has come and you decide to slowly start teaching your child to use the potty.

Why on the sly? You can speed up this process. And do this not forcefully, but gently and naturally. Read on...

How to quickly potty train a child?

So, all the preconditions are present. Desire to eat. Begin.

2. A child, like any adult, is prone to changes in mood. The early stage of toilet training is best done when all family members are healthy and cheerful.

3. The best time is summer. It’s easier to get rid of clothes, and there are fewer items to wash in case of a mistake. And everything dries noticeably faster.

4. Getting to know the potty. We offer it to the child when the likelihood of the “process” is maximum - after sleep, after eating, when we understand from his behavior that it’s time.

5. If successful, we praise you very, very much. In case of failure, we try our best not to be upset, and if we are upset, we do not show disappointment.

And in this regard, you should not encourage just playing with the potty. “This is a chair. They sit on it” - and, by analogy, “it’s a potty, they pee and poop on it. It is desirable, however, that the pot be made of environmentally friendly plastic, be comfortable - the size matches the butt, and not be cold. The presence of a back (potty in the form of a chair) will not hurt at all.
The easiest way to learn to use a potty is for children who did not wear diapers (their mothers dropped them off); for them, the process of training occurs quickly and without puddles. But all is not lost for “diaper” children, you just have to endure puddles and piles on the floor (and in other places) for a while.
The easiest way to learn to use a potty is for children who did not wear diapers (their mothers dropped them off); for them, the process of training occurs quickly and without puddles. But all is not lost for “diaper” children, you just have to endure puddles and piles on the floor (and in other places) for a while.
If your child spent all his time in diapers before potty training, you will have to remove them. Why?
The baby must study his body to know what the butt and genitals are for.
He must establish a connection between urges and the following impulses. To do this, he must see the act of urination and defecation. And more than once.

He must establish a connection between urges and the following impulses. To do this, he must see the act of urination and defecation. And more than once.

It is necessary to show by example when and how to use the potty.
A naked baby won't have to take anything off to sit on the potty.
The potty should be within sight and reach, that is, on the floor in the children's room, let the child get to know it and sit if he wants.
You need to offer the baby a potty with words explaining why it is needed: “Sunny, let’s pee (poop) in the potty... The potty is needed to pee and poop in it... Where should we pee (poop)?”
Every time after an “accident,” gently remind your child about the existence of the potty: “Sweetheart, where should I pee?” You can express your disappointment, but under no circumstances scold your baby or force him to sit on the potty so that he does not develop an aversion to this object. Be calm and patient!
Every time after an “accident,” gently remind your child about the existence of the potty: “Sweetheart, where should I pee?” You can express your disappointment, but under no circumstances scold your baby or force him to sit on the potty so that he does not develop an aversion to this object. Be calm and patient!

If the potty was used for its intended purpose, praise and affectionately hug the baby or pat him on the head so that the child has pleasant emotions associated with using the potty. Offer your baby a potty immediately after each nap. And also after eating
To go to the toilet, you need to relax. In a stressful situation, in an unfamiliar environment, in front of strangers, the baby cannot relax well and go to the potty. This must be taken into account when potty training.
For example, I started training my “diaper” child in this way at 1 year and 8 months. Two weeks later he sat on the potty by himself for the first time, and a week later he was already using it for its intended purpose without any reminder. All this time he was running naked, and I was running with a mop. But the result was worth it! There was no coercion, everything happened naturally!

It takes different amounts of time for each child to learn to go potty on their own without being told.

The older the child is and the more time he spends naked, the shorter the potty training time.

That is, to potty train a one-year-old baby, it will take a month or two, and a 2-year-old – a week or two.

Why do potty training fails?
At first, while potty training is underway.
When the baby is teething.
A child who is engrossed in play may not feel the need to urinate for a long time, even if the bladder is full. Therefore, in this case, an “accident” may occur.
During the “one year crisis”.

During the “one year crisis”.

It is convenient to quickly remove a puddle from the floor with a mop with a foam attachment, which quickly absorbs the liquid.

How to refuse a diaper on the street?

Some time after developing a stable skill in using the potty, you can teach your baby to do without a diaper outside. Best in the warm season.

Usually, babies who did not wear disposable diapers, by the time they are potty trained, already know how to ask and even endure the entire walk.

Children with diapers will also be fine, but you will have to remove the diaper before going for a walk and stock up on a pack of spare pants.

Here are recommendations on how to proceed:
Before a walk, invite your child to go potty. If he doesn’t want to, don’t insist.
If you don’t want to go into the bushes, then take a pot with you.
Don't forget to bring several pairs of pants (and maybe socks).
Every time after an “accident” on a walk, gently explain to your child what happened: “Sunny, you peed your pants! Look, they're wet! Let’s go potty next time (water the grass)!” And after that, change the child's clothes.
If the baby asks, praise and affectionately hug the baby or pat him on the head so that the child has pleasant emotions.
After your walk, encourage your child to go potty.

After some time, the child will begin to tolerate the entire walk. And you won't have to carry a potty and spare clothes with you.

For my son, this period lasted for... 3 days. But before we started going for walks without diapers, he was already “potty trained.”

How to refuse a night diaper?

After some time, after developing a stable skill of using the potty, your baby will wake up at night to go to the potty and then it will be possible to do without a diaper at night.

For those babies who did not wear disposable diapers, this happens at an earlier age.

Usually, by the age of 2 years, the function of urinary retention is so strengthened that it begins to manifest itself during sleep; the child stops waking up at night to go to the toilet.

It will not be possible to train a small child to sleep through the night without peeing. A person cannot control himself during sleep.

The only thing you can do is to invite your child to go to the potty before bed.

Why does a child over 2 years old wet the bed?

If a child enjoys going to the potty on his own, that is, his skill is not only conscious, but also subconscious, then there will be no problems at night.

To make your baby love the process of using the potty:
do not scold the child for the described pants;
do not praise too much and especially do not reward the baby for going to the potty, just gently pat the baby on the head and smile at him;
Do not put your baby on the potty if he can already do this on his own; give him the freedom to act on his own in this intimate matter.

Thus, the baby will go potty not so as not to be scolded or, on the contrary, to be praised, but in order to enjoy the knowledge that he can control his body, that this is pleasant and healthy!

Final observation from the practice of a pediatrician.

What makes you think that everyone else is walking?

That's what they say themselves!

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