Potty training our oldest was a struggle. Because of his cognitive disabilities and speech apraxia, it was just a down and out rough road. It took a lot longer than what I was reading about, and when it did finally click we were SO relieved. We had tried rewards – stickers, candies, even money, but the lack of successes led to the diminishing of those rewards and it just wasn’t fun. I’ll admit, we weren’t very patient with him. We tried to understand that it would take longer, take more work, because of his disabilities, but I think because he was our first we really had no idea what we were doing.
This time, while it’s technically considered our second time potty training – we have TWO kids who could be training at the same time. Gavin is 3, but not really interested. Haley is 2.5, and she HAS shown interest! Not consistent, and she’s not telling us before she has to go, but she has been more willing to check out the potty, the Pull-Ups®, and even the princess undies we picked up.
Because kids are so unique (I know Gavin and Haley are) and different, the Pull-Ups® Big Kid Academy provides a personalized approach with potty training tips, potty reward charts and activities, and advice from professionals. No more late-night Internet browsing trying to find answers to your questions, or ideas for a new and more enticing rewards chart – the Pull-Ups® Big Kid Academy gives it all to you! We’ve enrolled to take advantage of all of the free tools and resources, because even though this is our second time around, it’s been a few years!
Potty training should be fun, so the first thing we are going to do before we really get started is make sure that we have our rewards. I would prefer if the kids knew their rewards ahead of time, so they will get to pick! This is a great time to reinforce WHY we have potty rewards, and HOW they can earn them. Who cares what other shoppers think when you talk about earning stickers for going potty?!
Another big potty training tip is to make sure you have patience and keep your attitude in check. It’s not good to get angry over accidents, or to get frustrated when they don’t make it in time. Be gentle. Set a timer to remind them to visit the potty frequently, and instead of grumbling and complaining about an accident, don’t respond to it. Instead, when they DO have a success, celebrate it! Give positive attention when necessary and gentle reminders instead of yells.
So, is your little one ready to potty train? Enroll in the Pull-Ups® Big Kid Academy!
This article is sponsored by Pull-Ups®