Potty training your child can be a stressful time for you both, with different children coping with this process in different ways. While your little one may struggle initially but manage to get the hang of it in time, others will continue to find the process difficult, even as they attend nursery. With many childcare settings able to help out with your potty training routine and continue with any rules you’ve set out, trust Little Acorns Day Nursery in either Eastleigh or Hedge End. Read ahead as we guide you through some top tips and advice for learning to use that potty.
Starting At The Correct Time
Starting your child off with potty training at the correct time is absolutely crucial, ensuring you don’t knock their confidence by expecting too much of them at an early age. Though not always the case, most children are ready to master potty independence and lead in many parts of the process from around 18 months of age – you should never rush your child though, and more often than not, you’ll know when they’re ready.
A Consistent Routine
Consistent routines ensure that your child is fully aware of what is expected of them, and that they have a good understanding that using the potty will be a permanent part of their routine from now on. Invite your child to take over their toileting, discuss with them that they’ll be in charge of their toilet duties from now on,or perhaps even read children’s books about using the toilet to help the process make sense. Making the situation seem normal and logical is bound to be helpful. At Little Acorns Day Nursery, we’re committed to continuing with any existing routines you may have.
Tracking Progress
Tracking progress is a great way to encourage your little one when they’re attempting to learn how a potty works. Aside from offering actual tangible rewards and incentives, showing them that they’re making good progress while offering encouraging words can really make a difference. Charts, graphs and more can make progress clear, while the most important consideration is making sure your child understands and appreciates that they’ll be rewarded with praise and encouragement should they continue on the same trajectory.
Offering Incentives
Though we would never encourage you to offer treats, sweets and food as an incentive to learn potty training basics (this could lead to your child expecting a reward every time), there are other incentives you may want to provide. The overall idea is to make the child feel good about their progress and keep them motivated, so provide them with rewards that line up with their interests and things they like, such as trips to the park when they reach particular milestones, or toys.
At Little Acorns Day Nursery, we are hugely proud of our continued grading as ‘Outstanding’ and ‘Good’ by Ofsted, confident that when you choose our childcare services, you can rest assured your child will find themself in a caring and educational environment. Don’t hesitate to contact us today for an overview of our services, including baby care, weekend supervision and more.