My Child Is Hesitant About Asking Other Adults For Potty Help

Your child's world is growing larger and larger all the time. It may include visits with family, playdates, or days at school. Your child may need your help learning to speak up for what he needs in a timely way. Even kindergartners can struggle with this one.

• Encourage your child to speak up at home. Resist the urge to read his mind just to save time. Verbalizing potty needs is an essential skill.

• Practice speaking up with different adults that your child knows. A child might hesitate to speak up because an adult looks or act differently. A teacher might have different glasses or a quirky smile. Some times adults appear gruff or rushed when in fact they are willing to help.

• Rehearse speaking with puppets to practicing with you. Be sure to let your child play himself and play the role of another person.

• Be a positive role model. Let your child see you talking with the person. If the other person isn't a good listener, demonstrate how to catch that person's attention.

• Speak up. When you drop off your child in a new setting, let the other person know that your child needs some extra encouragement with this new skill.