Toilet Training 103: How to Curb your frustrations

Potty training can be a very frustrating time for both the parent and the child involved. Too much pressure can interfere with the whole process. If you end up getting angry or frustrated with the lack of progression, you need to consider taking a break from the process. Remember, you child is really the one in charge of if they are comfortable with the toilet training process. If you get frustrated and they feel or see your frustration, their voluntary cooperation will go right out the window. There are several things that you need to think about and possible reconsider the potty training with your child.

The first thing is that if your child has infrequent bowel movements or if it is difficult to pass. It is possible that your child is suffering from constipation. You need to talk to your pediatrician about what you can do to make going to the bathroom much easier for your child and thus much less frustrating for you. Consider changing your child’s diet. Add in lots of fiber if you are seeing that your child is constipated. This should help to loosen the bowels. Make sure that your child is drinking a lot of liquids, preferable water. Our bodies need this to help aid in digestion and decrease the incidence of constipation. Once you have this under control, then you can resume the toilet training process again.

Secondly, keep in mind that there is no sense in beginning toilet training if you do not have the time or patience. If your child feels rushed, you will not get your child to use the toilet. If you are in the mist of a life changing event (such as getting ready to have a new child, going back to work, changing daycare provider) you need to let go of the idea of potty training at least until you get your lives back on track.

Finally, if you do employ someone else to take care of your child while you work, make sure that they are on board with the whole potty training process. Make sure that you talk through your ideas and philosophies with them. You need to make sure that everyone involved in the toilet training process needs to be on the same page. It can be very disruptive for a child to do one thing at home, another thing at grandmas and a third thing at daycare. It is hard enough for them to remember that they have to tell you they have to go, so don’t expect them to get it right if everyone who is helping is on a different page.

Edonna Devnat is an event planner and uses her vast knowledge of babies and toddlers for Baby Shower Ideas to give her clients the best possible event.