by: Lindsay Hutton
Turn it Into a Game
Another good trick that boys, as well as girls, will love is to put some food coloring in the toilet water. Your child's "deposit" will be an interesting lesson in science and art: He'll get a kick out of seeing the water turn colors!
Says one parent, "At the preschool I work at we put food coloring or bathtub colors in the toilet so when the child pees it changes color. The child gets very excited and often likes to show other children who are training." Hey, whatever works, right?
Skip the Disposable Underwear
One reader who tried this says, "We had a lot of laundry, but only for a couple of days. My son was recently potty trained in less than 48 hours with this method."
Ease Their Fears with Fun
M&M Reward
If you'd rather not use candy as a reward, pennies work like a charm, too!
Make a Chart
Some parents chose to give their child a big reward once they are completely trained and don't need the chart anymore.
Make Your Child Feel Important
One reader says, "After my child showed many signs of being ready, I got him pumped up for pre-school and made sure he understood that he had to go in the toilet. I put big boy underwear on him and off to school he went. Although he had an 'accident' at the end of class the first day, I told him how proud I was of him and that he can try harder each day. Since then, he has stayed dry all day and loves using the toilet."
Lead By Example
One mom notes, "I would take my son with me every time that I went, then show him what I had done. He caught on fairly quick."
Naked and $75
And what about the money? Our reader says, "The $75 is for carpet cleaning." Another (cleaner) option if you're training during warmer months, is to try this method while playing outside (in the privacy of your own backyard, of course).
Bring the Potty Everywhere You Go
One mom says, "When I potty trained my daughter, we took the potty chair all over the house. If I was in the kitchen, so was she and the potty chair. Every half hour or so, I would put her on it, and sometimes she would surprise herself and go! Then it was exciting for her. Within about a week, she had graduated to the regular toilet, and never had an accident after that."
Let Your Child Decide It's Time
- Has dry periods for at least two hours at a time.
- Can pull his pants up and down himself.
- Dislikes the feeling of a wet or dirty diaper.
- Desires independence and takes pride in accomplishments.
- Shows interest in learning to use the toilet.
Says one mom, "My son 'trained himself' in a few days, but only after we stopped forcing the issue."
