Daddy Toilet Training Tips
Submitted by: Kevin Chertkow

After potty training two boys and a girl, I have one more child just around the corner ready for potty training to start. I have had to ask the same question for each of my children. Is it too early to start potty training? I was also disappointed to find out that no method has worked identically for any of my kids so far. Now that my last one is about ready for toilet training, I am still asking myself, how am I going to do it this time?

I had hoped that since my youngest wants to say and do everything his older siblings does, toilet training is going to be a breeze. Unfortunately, the only fascination he has with the toilet is seeing how many objects he can try to flush before the toilet overflows.  I can tell already that I am going to have to work on some new methods.

Here are some tips and methods that may help any parents’ efforts in potty training.

Have patience.
Frustration could enhance a child’s anxiety making it a harder and longer process than it needs to be. Take breaks if there is not success, give praise for the effort and try again later.

Consider investing in a potty chair. 
This worked well for my daughter because she felt ownership of the potty and it was just her height and size making it less intimidating. I thought that the child potty which made real flushing noises and sang a song when she tinkled would make it more fun and entice her to use it; however, what ended up happening was the music was a distraction and the potty was more of a toy than a learning tool. I had to take the batteries out.  The potty chair did okay for my boys, but they preferred standing on a stool and using the big potty.

For the boys, do not under estimate the power of Cheerios.
Throwing in a couple of Cheerios in the water gives boys a target and a challenge as they try sink them. Who said potty training can't to be fun too?

For the girls, remember directional wiping.
Some dads may not know that it is important for young girls to learn to wipe from front to back, especially after a bowl movement. There will be bigger problems if they take what is in back and smear it to the front.

Schedule potty time.
Trying to anticipate or stick to a schedule is hard to accomplish especially when one works all day long. Having the day provider for the child well informed of the schedule that is to be kept is very important for a quicker more successful diaper to potty transition.

Do not let them fool you.
I have learned the hard way that asking them if they need to go potty should not always be up to them. I would ask, they would say, “no,” then an accident would follow moments later.  I learned to ask but encourage them to try it anyway.

Mistakes will happen.
When they are tired or upset they are probably not thinking about not having the padded protection they are use to having. It is important to stay calm and reinforce the accidents will happen attitude, these accidents will become less and less.

Pull-ups or no pull-ups, I still ask that question.
Some experts believe that pull-ups prolong the potty training process and suggest pull-ups as nighttime protection. I can see their point and they are probably right; however, personally I prefer in the early stages to use pull-up because accidents will happen and it is not as messy to clean when it happens. After a week or two, I would introduce the big boy or girl under pants and work from there, still saving the mattresses with pull-ups at night.

Be prepared.
It is always a good idea to have an extra change in clothes handy just in case there is an accident out in public.

It is such a wonderful feeling knowing the colossal expense of diapers is just about at the end of its cycle. It is also a little bit heart breaking knowing that your baby is no longer a baby.