Training Talk

[bubblyfish]

Before we begin, let's clarify some common misconceptions about potty training and lay out what successful potty training actually looks like.

Potty training should not be about making your child use the toilet completely independently and consistently by a certain age. That's a surefire way to set yourself up for frustration! Instead, it's about teaching them the skill of pottying, which they will eventually apply to staying dry and clean.

The goal is for them to progress from knowing nothing about toilet use to being able to identify their body signals, then act upon them successfully by getting to the toilet or potty in time. It's a massive learning curve for little ones, so give yourself and your child plenty of time - most children won't master it until they're ready, which is usually between 18 months to three years old.

Remember that every child develops differently, so take into account their individual stage of development, personality, and readiness. While some kids might be physically ready to potty train earlier, others may have the necessary skills but lack the interest or attention span required.

Ultimately, successful potty training means your child can tell you or initiate going to the toilet when needed, stay mostly dry through the day and night (accidents happen!), and develop confidence from this newfound skill. And of course, congrats are in order once they're consistently making it to the potty or toilet! So tell us - what stage are you at right now? Let's share tips and insights to help each other out!

 

[sunnybunny]

Before we begin, let's clarify some common misconceptions about potty training and lay out what successful potty training actually looks like.

Potty training should not be about making your child use the toilet completely independently and consistently by a certain age. That's a surefire way to set yourself up for frustration! Instead, it's about teaching them the skill of pottying, which they will eventually apply to staying dry and clean.

The goal is for them to progress from knowing nothing about toilet use to being able to identify their body signals, then act upon them successfully by getting to the toilet or potty in time. It's a massive learning curve for little ones, so give yourself and your child plenty of time - most children won't master it until they're ready, which is usually between 18 months to three years old.

Remember that every child develops differently, so take into account their individual stage of development, personality, and readiness. While some kids might be physically ready to potty train earlier, others may have the necessary skills but lack the interest or attention span required.

Ultimately, successful potty training means your child can tell you or initiate going to the toilet when needed, stay mostly dry through the day and night (accidents happen!), and develop confidence from this newfound skill. And of course, congrats are in order once they're consistently making it to the potty or toilet! So tell us - what stage are you at right now? Let's share tips and insights to help each other out!

Some parents might expect their toddlers to be fully independent in toileting by a certain age, which isn't realistic. It's encouraging to know that the goal is to teach them the skill and have them progress at their own pace.

My two-year-old has started showing signs of readiness, like staying dry for longer periods and showing interest in toilet activities. She's also very verbal, so she can tell us when she needs to go. We've began encouraging her to initiate, which is a challenge but an exciting step!

I'm curious to know how other toddlers progress in their potty training journey at this age! Any particular methods or tips you've found helpful? I'm all ears!

 

[luciana]

Two is such an exciting age for toilet training, as it's a time when many children show an interest and have more understanding. It's wonderful that your child is verbally expressive, as that definitely helps with the process!

Our approach has been very slow and gradual. We started by having our son help us understand his needs - like he'd tell us immediately if he'd soil his pants, which helped us understand his signals. We also began with a routine of regular tries; every morning when he woke up dry, and then increasing attempts through the day.

We found that incentivizing worked well - not with rewards but just simple, fun praise and lots of applause! Also having him help pick out new underwear with his favorite characters was motivating. He loved the responsibility and would try harder because of it. We also made sure to offer lots of fluids so that he'd have ample chances to practice!

It's a process and setbacks are normal - don't be discouraged if there are accidents or periods of regression. It's all part of it! Hang in there, mama!

 

[lioness]

What an insightful share! A very methodical and thoughtful approach,

Using incentives and making it fun is a great idea - it's so true that children respond well when they're engaged and feel empowered. Using their favourite characters is a lovely trick to pull into the mix too - adding an element of excitement.

It's so helpful to hear about your experience; the slow and steady wins the race mindset is a good reminder that this is a normal part of childhood development, and there's no need to push too hard. It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job!

 

[stargazer]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

I really do believe that children thrive when learning is made fun and they feel engaged. Using incentives has definitely helped me especially with using their favorite characters as a reward system. It's nice to have a fellow parent validate that slow and steady wins the race - it's such a huge part of childhood development that we often forget!

I appreciate your kind feedback, it means a lot

 

[queenie]

What an insightful share! A very methodical and thoughtful approach,

Using incentives and making it fun is a great idea - it's so true that children respond well when they're engaged and feel empowered. Using their favourite characters is a lovely trick to pull into the mix too - adding an element of excitement.

It's so helpful to hear about your experience; the slow and steady wins the race mindset is a good reminder that this is a normal part of childhood development, and there's no need to push too hard. It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job!

Ya, it's quite amazing how effective simple encouragement can be! We parents just need lots of patience and creativity-- cannot always rely on the same tricks leh, got to keep innovating our praise and incentives haha!

Our biggest challenge now is getting him to poop in the toilet... that's a whole other beast we're tackling. I'm sure every child and their needs are different, but it's always encouraging to hear others' experiences and know you're not alone in the struggles!

 

[happyfeet]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

I really do believe that children thrive when learning is made fun and they feel engaged. Using incentives has definitely helped me especially with using their favorite characters as a reward system. It's nice to have a fellow parent validate that slow and steady wins the race - it's such a huge part of childhood development that we often forget!

I appreciate your kind feedback, it means a lot

It's encouraging to hear that I'm on the right track with my daughter's potty training too - especially since you've seen progress with your son! It's true, accidents and setbacks are bound to happen so it's best to keep a level head and remember every child develops differently. Here's to us moms being able to take a deep breath and roll with the punches! Haha

 

[nature]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

I really do believe that children thrive when learning is made fun and they feel engaged. Using incentives has definitely helped me especially with using their favorite characters as a reward system. It's nice to have a fellow parent validate that slow and steady wins the race - it's such a huge part of childhood development that we often forget!

I appreciate your kind feedback, it means a lot

That's great to hear about your success with an encouraged and fun approach! Keep up the fantastic work; it definitely sounds like you're nailing it as a parent!

 

[sunnybunny]

That's great to hear about your success with an encouraged and fun approach! Keep up the fantastic work; it definitely sounds like you're nailing it as a parent!

You're too kind! Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I think we mummies are just doing our best, aren't we? It's heartening to have fellow parents who understand the struggles and celebrate the wins together. So happy to have found this community!

 

[nature]

You're too kind! Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I think we mummies are just doing our best, aren't we? It's heartening to have fellow parents who understand the struggles and celebrate the wins together. So happy to have found this community!

Yeah, it's really a great support to have like-minded parents to share experiences with and know we're all in this together. Hope you'll continue to find solace and encouragement here! Have a great weekend ahead!

 

[sunflower]

Yeah, it's really a great support to have like-minded parents to share experiences with and know we're all in this together. Hope you'll continue to find solace and encouragement here! Have a great weekend ahead!

You too! Enjoy the long weekend break (I'm assuming you're also based in Singapore since you mentioned the recent public holiday)! Hopefully, it'll be a relaxing one with your little one - if not, at least it's a great opportunity for more toilet training practice haha. Have fun!

 

[bubblyfish]

Yup, same to you! Haha yes, seize the long weekend then! Definitely needing some good rest and hopefully the toilet training will sink in too. Too many accidents these days. Enjoy yourself too and your quality time with your little one!

 

[eternity]

Hopefully the long weekend helps with the toilet training - it's definitely a challenging phase! Accidents happen, but the break will help things settle in and before you know it he'll be getting the hang of it! Enjoy the downtime too!

 

[bananarama]

That's right! Here's to hoping the extra time helps things click into place! Accidents are bound to happen, but the progress will be so rewarding once it starts rolling. Enjoy that downtime - it'll be well deserved!

 

[sunnybunny]

Hope the extended training period helps with your preparation and that the hard work pays off once things get going. Enjoy the break while you can!

 

[queenie]

Extended training has been amazing so far - really excited for what's to come!
The extra time helps a lot, especially with the detailed briefings and simulations we've been running. Can't wait to put all this hard work into practice though, feeling very prepared already!

 

[lioness]

Extended training has been amazing so far - really excited for what's to come!
The extra time helps a lot, especially with the detailed briefings and simulations we've been running. Can't wait to put all this hard work into practice though, feeling very prepared already!

That sounds like a good strategy to prepare ahead extensively. Simulations can be quite helpful to get ready for the real thing! It's great that you're feeling confident! All the best!

 

[luciana]

That sounds like a good strategy to prepare ahead extensively. Simulations can be quite helpful to get ready for the real thing! It's great that you're feeling confident! All the best!

All the preparations and simulations leading up to the actual training have been beneficial giving us an overview and helping us feel prepared in advance. We are certainly hoping for the best. Thank you!

 

[sunnybunny]

All the preparations and simulations leading up to the actual training have been beneficial giving us an overview and helping us feel prepared in advance. We are certainly hoping for the best. Thank you!

It looks like your thorough preparations will pay off soon! It's encouraging to see you're well-equipped and ready to go. I hope everything goes as planned, if not better!

 

[chickadee]

It looks like your thorough preparations will pay off soon! It's encouraging to see you're well-equipped and ready to go. I hope everything goes as planned, if not better!

It's been a nice change of pace from our regular routine. It's exhilarating to be able to focus on this new project and have fun preparing for it. Thank you for your well wishes!