Potty Training And Stress Tips For Parents

Missing Potty Training?

I smiled when I looked up the month of June and saw that it was Potty Training Awareness Month. My boys have been long out of diapers and I can now look back at this time and actually miss the days that they toddled around in diapers.

Potty Training Failure

I was fortunate. Potty training came very easy for both of the boys, though I can remember one particular day that I didn’t cope well. My oldest son had a set back after his little brother was born and in my heightened stressed out state, I was determined to have him sit on the potty until he ‘decided’ to go on the potty. He was just as stubborn and it was a battle that didn’t need to happen. Not a proud mommy moment for sure.

Potty Training and Stress

Potty training is training not only for the child but also the parent. We need to look for the clues that they are ready to try and the clues that they are ready to cope with this next phase of development. Consistency is a big key but so is not stressing over when it is time to potty train. Take the lead from your child and make it a fun experience.

Potty Training Success

My funniest potty training success: My oldest son was in the midst of learning how to use the potty and so, being spring, we decided to get rid of the diapers all together. He was outside in his shorts and rubber boots playing in the puddles and the sandbox. As he was standing in the yard, he accidentally peed and it went into his boots. He was so “grossed out”, for a lack of a better term, that this was pretty much the last accident that he had.

Beverly’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Promoting Potty Training Awareness Month:

Be consistent
When you’re out and about, remember to take frequent potty breaks.
Try to head to the bathroom at the same time each morning and afternoon
Don’t dwell on setbacks
Potty training is a process and it is normal to have setbacks
Keep your sense of fun
If it is not stressful for your child and yourself, potty training will be a lot smoother of a transition for both of you
Don’t make comparisons
Children potty train in different ways and at different ages. This not a reflection on you or your child’s intelligence or parenting
Use the resources that are out there
Rely on the creativity of other parents and experts to help you find the right motivators for your child
Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns

Potty training is just one of the many stressors that parents will face in the years of raising their children and the less you sweat it the better. Beverly Beuermann-King Click to tweet

SOS Principle and Potty Training

My S-O-S Principle still applies. S – Tackle the situation – how can you problem solve the challenges you may face. O – Take care of yourself – keep a sense of perspective, get enough sleep, don’t focus on only the challenges but recognize the successes. S – Use your supports – talk to other parents for tips, ask your doctor if you have concerns, use the web to find interesting motivators and remember…have fun.

When it has come and gone, you may actually find yourself missing those days when they were small and toddling around in their diapers.

If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!