Making A Positive Potty Training Environment

Your child picks up multiple cues from his environment. These inconspicuous messages can support or hinder your attempts at potty training. A positive atmosphere is a must. You want potty training time to be geared to your child's body, your child's way of thinking and our child's needs.

• Potty training should be fun, as your child learns through play. Giggles always improve your chances of success.

• Potty gear should be helpful rather than overly complicated.

• Bathroom should be child friendly. Your child does not want to spend time in a boring place his told is dirty and disgusting.

• Routines should be stable and predictable. Your child is learning to pay attention to significant moments in his day. You can make that easier if your child can guess when those moments are most likely to happen.

• Schedule should be relaxed. Eliminate the frantic need to be in too many places at once. If you do your child will have time to think.

• Expectations should be opportunities for success. Unrealistic demands and the threat of failure undermine the process of learning from mistakes.

• Choose easy to clean clothes and surfaces. Fancy clothes and new carpeting add frustration without adding anything to your child's learning.

Situations To Avoid

If simplicity works in your favor, life's complications work against your child's success. Changes can upset your child. However, keep in mind that your child experiences her world up close and personal. For example travel might throw of her sleeping schedule, but having her favorite teddy bear and hearing her special lullaby can make everything just right.The following situations may complicate your child's potty training experience.

• A new baby in the house takes time consuming support away from your child's potty efforts and also presents the confusing suggestion that babies get all the attention.

• Changing your child's sleep routine from the crib to the bed requires another dimension of independence if your child is already on shaky grounds.

• Traveling may disrupt well established schedules and routines

.

• Moving to a new house changes the routines and the familiarity of the environments.

• Any changes that draw energy and effort away from your child will impact potty training: new jobs, new school, family stresses.