When to potty train a baby. For what reasons can a child be afraid of the potty and what to do in such cases. How to teach to poop in the right place

How many disputes and disagreements this “potted question” causes among child psychologists, parents, and, of course, grandmothers. Some say that it is necessary to plant the baby almost from birth, others categorically refuse to take off the diaper until the child himself refuses it. But the truth, as always, is somewhere in between. And the mother must first of all carefully observe her baby and listen to her intuition. And all the tips and tricks are not a guide to action, but just a good help on thorny path mastering the baby's difficult hygiene skills.

Disposable diaper or potty: who will win?

There is a common belief that "diaper" babies learn to use the potty much later than their peers, who never wore disposable diapers or stayed in them only a few months after birth. Opponents of disposable diapers explain this by the fact that in them the baby is always dry and feels quite comfortable, and therefore, he does not need to ask for a potty. But walk around in wet panties! Unpleasant ... Here, willy-nilly, you will learn how to use the potty. In fact, all this is far from the truth. A few years ago, Japanese scientists conducted a study of two groups of children. One group wore disposable diapers from birth, the other grew up without them. In both groups, the age when the kids started using the potty was about the same - 2 years.

The conclusion is obvious: until the baby is psychologically and physiologically ready to use the potty, all our titanic efforts are almost useless. And this readiness comes on average just in time for 2 years.

When to potty train a child?

In your desire to teach your baby to ask for a potty as much as possible earlier parents miss important thing- Peculiarities of child physiology. In a newborn, the processes of urination and defecation are subject to unconditioned reflexes unrelated to the cerebral cortex. And this means that they are involuntary and not controlled by the child. Of course, you can try to keep the baby over the basin or over the bath, saying the cherished "piss-piss." And in some cases it will even succeed. But you need to understand that it was just by chance (or thanks to my mother's observation) that the moment was caught. But there is no question of any conscious action on the part of the baby. Right now the time has come, here the baby has peed ... To do this or not is up to you. There is nothing wrong with that, but special meaning also no. In the past, when children grew up without disposable diapers, the point was: the amount of washing was reduced. And now? Well, unless it helps to save a little on diapers. Moreover, in the first year of life bladder the child is emptied quite often. From 15–16 months, the number of urination decreases, and the bladder retains an increasing amount of urine. By the age of 1.5–2 years, the baby has sufficiently developed the nerves and muscles that control the acts of defecation and urination, and the child begins to feel the urge. Gradually, the baby learns to control his natural needs, which allows him to have time to use the potty. Only now can potty training be truly conscious for the baby. And therefore it is absolutely unacceptable to shame one year old baby for wet pants. Is it possible to punish for what he cannot cope with because of his age? The average toddler potty trains between 22 and 30 months of age. persistent conditioned reflex usually formed by 3 years of age.

Well, if this is the case, then you can first introduce the baby to the potty at 2 years old, and he will quickly learn toilet skills? Not certainly in that way. Possessing a sufficiently developed mind and decent stubbornness, a two-year-old baby can categorically refuse to sit on the potty. For what? He's comfortable even in a disposable diaper! And it may be a long time before you convince him to try it. Therefore, the first acquaintance should take place much earlier. Not so much so that the baby begins to go to the potty on his own (due to age, this is still unlikely), but so that he begins to slowly realize why this item is needed.

How to potty train a child?

Before embarking on her "mission", the mother must determine for herself and all the household the main tactics of behavior. That is, everyone who cares for the child (dad, grandmother, nanny) should behave the same way. The main thing is a calm attitude to the “potty question” and the belief that you are doing everything right. And do not be discouraged by failures (and they will certainly be). This is absolutely normal phenomenon, which happens to everyone and in no way means that you are a negligent mother or that “something is wrong” with your baby.

For the first time, you can introduce the baby to the potty at the age of about a year (if desired, you can after 6 months - when he learns to sit on his own). A one-year-old baby is curious, and everything new arouses his interest. You can do this immediately after sleeping or feeding. Show the kid new item, let him touch it, after a year, the child can try to explain why he is needed (this can be done in game form, seating toys on the pot). Make sure that the pot is not cold, otherwise next time you are unlikely to lure your son or daughter to it. Let the baby sit on the potty for a while (but no more than 5 minutes, even if nothing has been done). Praise him, and in case of success - even with redoubled zeal. One important thing to understand: the right process- this is when the baby felt that his bladder was full, sat on the potty and did his business. If you constantly put the baby on the potty at those moments when he does not have the need to urinate, sooner or later he may rebel and begin to defend his independence, not wanting to act “on command”. This will be expressed in a persistent reluctance to sit on the potty. Therefore, in early age potty is not to be abused.

If the baby refuses to sit on the potty, do not insist. Wait a couple of weeks or a month. If your baby is over 1.5 years old, you can continue to use disposable diapers during the potty training phase, for example at night, while walking and daytime sleep. And in moments of wakefulness and games, put on panties for the baby. Your main goal is to develop a positive attitude of the baby to the potty and his gradual understanding that "doing your own thing" is possible not only in a diaper.

The most important rule: never scold your baby for temporary failures and try not to show your grief. You can cheer a little: “Well, nothing happens. We will grow up a little more, and we will definitely succeed!” Under no circumstances should a child be forced to sit on the potty. This will only exacerbate the situation. In general, in matters of potty training, there should not even be a hint of coercion: persuade, encourage, play, but never force!

Even on initial stage learning, pay the attention of the baby not only to the pot itself and the processes associated with it, but also to the “entourage”. Here we take out the potty, open it, take off the panties, sit down ... After the successful completion of the “event”, pour out and wash the pot together with the baby, let the baby flush the toilet with your help. Or maybe before you put your baby on the potty, you will put your favorite toy on him. For little man all this - interesting game. Thus, the baby not only learns hygiene. For him, going to the potty turns into a kind of pleasant ritual filled positive emotions. That is the key to success!

It is better not to let the child play with the potty. You can put dolls and bears on it, but “roll it” like a typewriter or put it on your head like it’s a hat, putting cubes there is superfluous. The pot should be an unambiguous object for the baby, adapted for specific purposes (bear and doll, after all, also sit on the pot for a specific purpose!).

If the kid, despite your efforts and optimism, still refuses the potty, postpone your lessons for a month or two. There is nothing wrong with that. The child is simply "not mature" yet. And it makes no sense to spend a lot of time, effort and nerves on something that will easily come by itself a little later. You will definitely cope, and the baby will learn how to use the potty. Because you are the most wonderful mom and your baby is the best!

How to choose a potty for a child?

It is important that the baby likes the potty. So, for example, if it is made in the form of some terrible animal with its mouth open, the child may simply be afraid to sit on it. So buying the first pot is a responsible matter.
The pot must be made of environmentally friendly plastic.
Have a comfortable shape and size so that the baby does not fall into it.
A pot designed for a boy should have a special protrusion-tubercle in the front part (so that the baby does not move the legs and does not pinch the genitals between them).
It is desirable to have a back at the pot.
Do not try to buy a pot with bells, wheels, etc. The kid should treat the pot not as a toy, but as an object for specific actions.

Every parent is faced with the question of when and how to potty train a child . However, many parents, especially those who are raising their first child, often try too early to teach their baby to go to the toilet "like an adult." Below we will talk about how to teach a child to use the potty in the easiest way, how to correctly perceive those failures that inevitably happen in the process of accustoming, why a baby cannot always learn to go to the toilet quickly enough, as well as about others. important aspects interesting for young parents.

How to potty train a child: methods and their features

When the baby grows up, and mom and dad inevitably face the question of how to teach a child to go to the potty, many adults make mistakes that eventually turn into stress for both parents and the child. As a result, adults spend a lot of time and effort in vain, dropping the baby even at night, but they don’t get any result at all, or as a result, an unstable result is noted.

At one time, there was an opinion that it is quite possible to teach a child to the potty quickly and correctly if you start doing this already in the first year of a baby’s life. Even now, many grandmothers and even experienced moms give young parents advice on how to potty train a child at 1 year old. Similar recommendations can sometimes be heard even from individual pediatricians.

However, at present, such early training has already been scientifically recognized as incorrect and untimely, as well as such that it contradicts the natural physiology of the baby. That is, those who are trying to teach the baby to the potty already in recent months the first year of life, contradict his psychology and do not take into account the peculiarities of physiological maturation. As a result, it turns out that this whole process of accustoming is very long and, as a rule, unproductive. In addition, those who are trying to teach such a small boy or girl to use the potty, in fact, have to put pressure on the baby. And this, of course, gives rise to a series negative consequences, namely:

development in a baby, sometimes leading to the development of neurological and psychosomatic diseases;
manifestation urinary incontinence , ;
nervous tics , logoneuroses ;
development serious problems in more late age, in particular, encopresis , overactive bladder .

In fact, parents very often note that the child has the problems described above. But at the same time, they do not compare cause and effect, and often do not understand the nature of these manifestations.

Those who were puzzled by the solution of the question of how to potty train a boy or how to teach a girl to ask to go to the toilet earlier than is determined by nature used the methods of developing conditioned reflexes. However, in this case it was not about developing a conscious skill, which ideally should be achieved.

Because of such training, the wrong sequence of actions was lined up. That is, the parents ensured that the child emptied the bladder when he heard the murmur of water, or when he was sentenced “piss-piss”.

Due to repeated repetitions of such actions, the baby got used to the need to write after such sounds. Although, in fact, an overflow of the bladder should encourage you to go to the toilet.

Moreover, the skill one year old baby received as a result of the development of such a reflex, is not persistent. It may be lost because it is based on the wrong base. For example, any stress can “wean” a baby from the potty - moving, starting a visit to a kindergarten, restless relations between parents, etc.

Also, a child can lose this skill at about 2 years old - at the age when, in fact, it was necessary to begin the process of potty training. If there was such a "weaning" later baby it is already much more difficult to learn to acquire this skill.

Therefore, the conclusion is unequivocal: there is no need to rush, wean the child from diapers as early as possible and try to teach him to the pot in 3 days. This skill must be developed in time and gradually.

Thus, parents should clearly understand when it is necessary to teach the child to the potty, and when it is too early to do it.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies reach physiological maturity between 18 and 24 months of age. Therefore, it is necessary to accustom the baby to the potty not earlier than after he reaches 18 months.

It is important not only to know when to start potty training and what time a small child should learn to ask to use the toilet, but also which method should be used in order for the result to be successful. It is important to use a method that will be focused on the baby. That is, it is necessary to take into account the degree of maturity nervous system little person. It is the maturity of the nervous system that determines whether the baby is ready to acquire such an important skill. If you use just such a model of education, parents will not put pressure on the child.

In turn, the baby will not survive stress if its physiological and psychological readiness will be at the right level. That is why, the most correct answer to the question, at what age can a child be potty trained, is the following: when he is ready for this both physiologically and psychologically.

In the learning process, the baby is the main figure, while he is already aware of what he is doing and what adults want from him.

The main provisions of the physiological method are the following postulates:

physical maturity of the body - strengthening the muscles of the urethra and rectal sphincters, developed innervation of the bladder and rectum.
Psychological maturity - the baby already understands what is required of him, can follow the instructions.
Emotional readiness - the child is positively disposed towards the acquisition of new skills.

Features of the physiology and anatomy of the baby

To explain why training should begin no earlier than one and a half years old, consideration of some features of the physiology and anatomy of the baby will help. A baby can consciously ask for a potty only at a time when he has already formed neuromuscular connections between his brain and the organs of the small pelvis. Their formation begins only after 18 months. These are nerve fibers that form plexuses around the rectum and bladder. It is they who give the impulse that the urea or intestines are full. This impulse is initially transmitted to the spinal cord, and then to the brain. He is the urge to visit the toilet. Therefore, the formation of the correct skill is possible only after the clear appearance of these connections. Therefore, if a child does not go to the potty at 1.5 years old, this is quite normal.

Of course, some "advanced" parents, almost after the birth of a child, begin to puzzle over how to make a child pee in a pot. However, most attempts at training too early are doomed to failure. Even if certain successes have appeared, children on the potty do not feel confident, and this skill is not consolidated in them as it should.

But if training starts when the child begins to understand what they want from him, and when his body is ready for such a “school”, success will not be long in coming.

Potty ahead of time: is it good?

Many mothers tell about how a baby who is not even a year old regularly goes to the potty. Faced with such stories, some mothers of small children themselves are trying to teach their child to do without diapers as early as possible.

By repeating the sounds “piss-piss” or the hysterical “ah-ah-ah” repeatedly and holding the baby on the potty, of course, you can ensure that he does his job. But do not forget that in this case he will only have conditional .

However, it should be remembered that a baby taught such “wisdom” too early, after a year and a half, may behave completely differently than parents expect. If the child’s bladder is not full, the corresponding impulse does not reach the brain, and in the meantime the baby is stubbornly planted on the potty and encouraged to go to the toilet, the conditioned reflex can already work. And since the new correct method, the child is not trained, the problem of wet panties can again appear in all its glory. At the same time, parents will be perplexed about why something suddenly went wrong. And in this case, re-training to the potty in 1 day is impossible - parents will again have to gradually “work” with the child, so that he eventually develops a stable skill.

The table provides a comparison of the features of too early and on time training.

How do you know when to start learning?

All babies develop differently, so it cannot be assumed that every child is able to go from diapers to a potty at one and a half years. At the same time, parents should clearly remember the fact that the formation of a sustainable skill occurs by 22-36 months. Therefore, all the mistakes of the baby must be taken calmly.

It is important to take into account those signs that indicate that the baby can already begin to learn how to go to the toilet correctly.

A bowel movement occurs at about the same time of day every day.
Urination is noted no more than once every two hours, as can be judged by dry diapers.
The kid already knows different parts of the body and is able to show them. He also distinguishes between items of clothing.
He understands what it means to "piss" and "poop".
Strives to imitate adults.
When the diaper is dirty, the baby experiences discomfort and demonstrates it.
Tries to dress himself.
Interested in toilet, potty.
The baby is already 1.5 years old.

If all of the above features are already observed, this indicates that the process of potty training will be quick and easy for both mom and dad and the child.

You should tune in to the fact that the baby may not sit down on the potty immediately. If all attempts to seat him end in whims and crying, this may indicate that the child simply does not want to go to the toilet now. It is important not to scold him, but simply stop trying for a while and try to repeat everything later - in a few weeks. By about two years old, a small person will learn to ask to use the toilet and do everything right.

It is not necessary to force the baby to sit on the pot if he is afraid to do this for any reason. Parents should be sensitive to such fears and find their cause. Often this is due to the stress experienced or the fact that the pot seems uncomfortable to the child.

How to conduct the learning process?

This should be done gradually, without rushing the baby.

"Introduce" the pot

First you need to show him that you can just sit on the potty. Therefore, at first it is enough to put him on a pot, while not requiring you to immediately use this item for its intended purpose. True, parents here need to be extremely careful, because it is also impossible to let the baby play with the potty, otherwise, he will perceive him as another toy.

Drop off when the baby is supposed to go to the toilet

If the child is not averse to sitting on the potty, it is worth trying to plant him at a time when, most likely, he wants to "small". It is better to do this after eating, after sleeping.

Monitor behavior

If you watch a small person very carefully, you will notice that before urination or defecation, he calms down, as if thinking. Some children startle, others try to take off their panties or panties on their own. It is these signals that may indicate that it is time to sit on the potty.

Consolidate the skill with repetitions

After the baby made a mistake, you need to calmly ask him where to poop and write. If he does not show the pot after that, then you need to bring the child to him and repeat again “Here is the pot. You have to write here."

Accept failures calmly, praise successes

You can’t scold children for mistakes and get upset about this - over time, everything will definitely work out. Everyone has failures over time. Sometimes it is possible to teach the baby to go to the toilet in a week or two, sometimes it takes more time. But if everything turned out right, you must definitely praise the baby and tell him how well done he is and how well he did everything.

Turn potty training into a ritual

Consistent and habitual performance of all actions is necessary. So that the baby gradually gets used to it. An adult should gradually produce them, while telling the baby what he is doing: “We take off our panties, sit on the potty, put on panties”, etc. So it will be easier for the baby to get used to existing order actions.

Rules to keep in mind while learning

The readiness of both the baby and the parents is important. Mom and dad should be aware that the child during this period will have to pay much more attention. You should also tune in to misses and the fact that you have to devote more time to cleaning up after the baby.
Once you start the process, you need to constantly dedicate time to it. That is, it cannot be that on weekends parents teach their child to use the potty, and on other days he walks in a diaper. So you can only confuse the baby and significantly complicate the process.
If during the day the child has not yet learned to ask to go to the toilet, at night the accustoming to spend is not yet time.
A small person should get used to the chamber pot. This item should be in a prominent place - so that it is easy to find as soon as the need arises.
When everything worked out, it is imperative to praise the child, making this one so that he realizes that he did everything well. If a mistake occurs, no “Ai-ya-yay” should sound from the lips of the parents - mistakes should be taken calmly.
It is important to accustom not only to the potty, but also directly to the ritual. Therefore, you need to teach how to perform all actions in sequence, showing how to take off panties, take out the pot, wash their hands, etc.
Over time, you need to plant the baby on the potty before going to bed, walking - that is, when you need to go to the toilet in order to avoid trouble.
At first, during the day, you need to abandon diapers, but it is better to use them at night or for a walk, while the baby has not yet fully mastered this skill. Over time, diapers need to be abandoned completely.
You should not be allowed to play with the pot, so that in the end it will not be perceived as a toy.

How to choose a pot

First of all, it is important to choose a comfortable potty. It is quite possible that you will have to initially change several of them so that the baby gets the one on which he will be most comfortable.
Its shape must be anatomical. It is better for girls to choose round pots, for boys - oval pots that have a ledge in front.
Stability is important so that the baby toilet does not move or fidget on the floor.
It is preferable to buy a potty with a back.
As for the presence of a lid, there are no special recommendations here - you need to choose what you like.
The ideal option is an ordinary, as simple as possible pot, without musical accompaniment and decor in the form of eyes, ears, etc. Such things not only distract the baby, but are also perceived by him as a toy. Therefore, in the end, you can only confuse him, later spending a lot of time on accustoming.
Adults should understand that all children learn this skill. Therefore, you should treat the process calmly, without turning it into something super-important. When both mentally and physiologically the baby is ready for this, everything will definitely work out.
We must not forget that children can finally master this skill at the age of 2-3 years. Therefore, if mistakes still occur from time to time by the age of three, there is nothing wrong with that. In this case, you can not focus on this, swear.
It is important to always remember important rule: everything has its time. The sooner training starts, the more strength and nerves will be wasted.

Sooner or later, every mother is faced with the question of how to potty train a child. There are a great many ways to solve the problem, and innovative ideas on the topic “baby and potty” are increasing every year. How to choose effective option to quickly potty train your baby? Let's try to figure it out.

The time has come: when to potty train a child?

So, when should you start potty training your baby? Ambitious parents take a course on the idea of “the sooner the better”, and in all seriousness begin to potty train a child from infancy. But it is completely pointless to demand from a baby who is barely a year old a conscious attitude to the potty. Physiology is relentless: for learning to use the potty, to walk, but also to firmly master the logical chain “piss-toilet”, and this is possible only if the baby’s nervous system is ready.

Pediatricians call 1.5-2.5 years of the child the most optimal period for starting potty training. In this age range, the baby is especially sensitive to praise, already adequately perceives the recommendations of adults and is ready for “cooperation”.

If you look at modern statistics, then:

- up to 2.5 years, 25% of children begin to confidently use the potty;

- by the age of 3, 50% of children master the skill;

- after 3 years, the remaining 25% are “pulled up”.

Important! According to experts, up to 4.5-5 years old, periodic “misses” in a child are considered the norm, especially if they occur at night.

How do you know if your child is ready for potty training?

There is a stereotype among some parents: what before the baby masters cleanliness, the better and faster will be his development. Mothers are in a hurry to teach their child to go to the potty, forgetting that early training is not a top priority. The more important task is to help the child understand the connection between the desire to go to the toilet and what happens after: why the pants got wet, why the mother is unhappy with soiled clothes.

A child is ready to learn to use the potty if they:

can;
understands and fulfills simple requests from parents (“bring a typewriter”, “give me a cup”);
can pass a couple of hours in a dry diaper;
expresses dissatisfaction with discomfort from wet clothes, tries to take it off on his own;
knows how to express a negative answer (“no”) and can express the process of urination and defecation in his own language (“a-a”, “pee-pee”);
wonders what the toilet is for and what adults do there.

Note! When the baby learns to recognize his need to relieve himself and can simultaneously control the muscles of the bladder, then the successful development of the “toilet” will occur.

Why does the child refuse to go to the potty?

In some cases, parents may be faced with a categorical protest of the child to the potty. The kid refuses to even sit on it, and accustoming in this case seems impossible. What could be the cause of such a reaction to the pot? There are several options.

Crisis moment

Sometimes the moment of potty training coincides in a child with a period of denial. An attempt to force the baby to “go to the potty” ends in failure. It is not easy to cope with the waywardness of the crumbs, and the main assistant in this matter is time. Try removing the potty for a couple of months, and after a while, invite your child to make friends with him again.

On a note! It happens that children from the age of 2.5 years and more consciously refuse the pot, but show interest in a regular toilet, trying to imitate adults. In this case, offer the child to meet the needs with a special toilet pad. Perhaps the potty will completely bypass you and the baby will go to the common toilet.

First impression

If the first acquaintance with the subject of hygiene was unsuccessful, the child can remember this moment and by all means avoid repeating it. The potty was cold, or unpleasant to the touch, or maybe the baby sat awkwardly and fell off it - in this case, potty training can cause dislike.

Psychological stress

The formation of the skill of cleanliness may be delayed if the baby is in a state of fear, anxiety. When a child does not feel emotionally safe, he may not only not perceive attempts to learn to go to the potty, but also lose this skill, if it was acquired. The appearance of a new family member (zealous feelings), hospitalization, excessive severity - all this postpones the moment of potty training.

Family situation

Involuntary urination in children older than 2.5-3 years may be associated with an unfavorable family environment. In case of quarrels of parents, negligence in relation to the formation of hygiene skills of the child, physical punishment(for soiled clothes, unwillingness to sit on the potty), the baby may respond by refusing to teach, and in some cases even with sphincter disorders.

My friend is a pot: features of teaching children of different ages

The table shows how to potty train children aged 6 months to three years of age:

Age at start of potty training	Average learning time	Features of potty training (during the specified period)
6 months	12-15 months	A baby at the age of 6-8 months is actively mastering the skill of sitting without support. It is too early to try to potty train at this age; you can gradually hold the baby over the container after feeding to develop a urination reflex.
7 months
8 months
9 months	10-12 months	From 9-10 months and up to a year, the child develops early stage control over physiological functions. A baby in a year old can voluntarily retain urine for some time, so in a year you can try to plant it on a potty before going to bed and immediately after; but physiologically one year old baby not yet ready to be trained.
10 months
11 months
1 year
1.5 years	6-8 months	At the age of 18 months, the child has an awareness of the fullness of the bladder, and a two-year-old baby can even notify his mother that he wants to "wee-wee." There comes the middle stage of achieving control, this is the moment that is considered the most suitable to start acquaintance with the potty.
2 years	6-8 months
2.5 years	< 5 месяцев	At the turn of the third year of life, the baby is already completely ready to master the children's pot. A three-year-old child already understands the meaning of the process, the purpose of the pot and reaches desired result for a short time.
3 years and older	< 5 месяцев

Popular potty training techniques

How to potty train correctly is a topic that is always relevant for parents whose children are from 0 to 3 years old. Someone practices training by long hard landings and trainings; others try to make the process as conscious as possible for the child. different ways habits are collected in methods, among which you can choose the one that suits your baby, or take them as a basis for creating your own “potty” method.

3 Day Training Method (Fast)

This technique does not guarantee that after three days the child will constantly and accurately go to the potty. But nevertheless, during this time it is possible to form the basis for the active assimilation of cleanliness skills. To make learning as easy as possible, you need to understand that a particular baby is ready for the training procedure. To do this, you need to make sure that:

the child has developed an approximate mode of defecation (the baby walks “in the big” at about the same hours);
the child can hold back urination for 1-2 hours, for example, while walking and before coming home, he remains dry;
the baby is not yet 2 years old.

The active stage of training takes three days.

Day 1. Remove the diaper at home.

To kid disposable diaper It is removed immediately after waking up and is not worn throughout the day. The kid can run naked or in ordinary cotton shorts (if the season allows and room temperature). The parent constantly keeps the child in sight, and as soon as he notices that the baby is going to “do things” - instantly put him on the potty, even if some time is lost, it is necessary to finish the process on the potty. Stable landings throughout the day will gradually become fixed in the mind. You can wear a diaper for a walk and at night.

Day 2. We remove the diaper for a walk.

The second day completely duplicates the first, the only difference is that walks on the street also take place without a diaper. For safety, you can take a couple of sets of interchangeable pants with you, or purchase a “travel” potty (inflatable or folding).

Day 3. Consolidation.

The third day also passes with active use of the pot at home and outside of it. It is necessary to plant at regular intervals (every 1.5-2 hours), before going to bed and before going outside. You can add another unscheduled walk. Praise the baby if he comes from the street dry. child for three active days A potty friend learns to restrain his needs until potty training, and eventually you will be able to stop using a diaper for good.

Potty training in 7 days

Potty training in a week is quite real. This technique, developed by Gina Ford, adheres to a large number of moms who, on their own experience, approved of its effectiveness and simplicity. At what age should a child be potty trained using this method? If your child is able to simple steps(take off panties, understand the parent's requests), then this training system suits you.

On the first day, the child needs to be explained that he is old enough to remove the diaper and wear panties like an adult. You can show pictures of children sitting on the potty or a themed cartoon. Invite the baby to sit on the potty himself, let him spend some time on it. Plant a couple more times throughout the day.
On the second day, continue your potty training at a more active pace. Place your child on it immediately after sleep, after breakfast and before naps. So that the baby does not get distracted and does not get up, be with him, entertain him. When hinted to relieve the need, try to guess the moment and land on the potty.
Sticking to one line of behavior, continue to calmly offer the pot to the child, ask if he wants to “do things”. From this day on, try to remove diapers for good, even while walking - so as not to confuse the child and determine the seriousness of the intention to potty train.
On the fourth and subsequent days, gradually develop a “routine” for using the potty. If the child played too much and forgot about the need to sit on the potty, remind him of this. Be sure to reward your baby after each successful trip to the potty with praise.

Important! During potty training, dress your child in clothes that he can remove on his own if necessary. No straps, buttons and tight elastic bands - otherwise the baby may one day just sit down in clothes and relieve himself in it, if he did not have time to ask to take off his pants in time.

Five steps to potty training

The main role of parents in teaching cleanliness in children is to make the process as natural and positive as possible. It will take a little time, and the baby will successfully master everything that you (so far, perhaps, unsuccessfully) teach him. Try to reinforce the skill of neatness in your child, using simple tips.

Before moving on to step by step description process, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the advice of a psychologist on how to potty train children:

Get a potty and put it in the children's room (or closet). Tell your child what the item is for and how to use it. At first, you can let him sit on the potty dressed so that the baby does not feel fear of him.
If the child willingly and with interest began to sit on the potty, invite him to try to sit on it, removing the diaper. Show correct position- the legs should stand firmly on the floor, this is important during bowel movements. Let sitting on the subject of hygiene gradually become part of the baby's day, start with 1 session and increase to 3-4 times a day.
When your baby gets used to the presence of a new object in the house, try changing his filled diaper near the potty. Shake the contents of the diaper into the pot so that the child understands that the pot is designed specifically for this.
Encourage your child to use the potty as intended shortly after regular use. Remove the diaper from the crumbs, put the pot near the playing place. Let the baby play near the potty, reminding him that if he wants to “go to the toilet”, then you need to use the object standing next to him. The child will probably forget about the potty at first, but do not blame him for this - just keep reminding him. Wait for the moment when the baby succeeds, and be sure to praise your child.
Once potty use becomes regular, swap out Velcro diapers for disposable training panties. In this stage of potty training, boys learn to urinate into an "adult" toilet, following the steps of their father or older brother. Girls may also wish to use a special toilet seat. Praise your child when he takes the initiative to go to the toilet on his own.

On a note! Learning will go smoothly and stress-free if parents keep a calm attitude in case of mistakes and do not refuse pressure on their baby.

And in addition, a few more tips for easy potty training from an experienced mother:

Pots and children are a much bigger problem for some parents than Turgenev's well-known question about fathers and children. For some mothers (and it is she who most often begins to teach the baby to the pot), this difficult process becomes a real test, which cannot be passed in a short time set in the head.

The Root of "Evil": Relatives and Neighbors

This is because children growing up with neighbors, relatives, friends already all go to the pot on their own and do not feel any fear or embarrassment in front of him. Here, grandmothers also work in the wings, and aunts: advice flows like water, and a plastic throne appears in the house, bought by caring advisers.

When relatives stand above their souls and reproach their parents. Like, a week has passed, but where is the result? But after all, in the process of accustoming to do without punctures will not work! Other children make a “walk” past the potty, even having become accustomed to it even in adulthood, and their mothers, covering their faces with their hands, burn with shame under the menacing glances of grandmothers and nannies in the kindergarten.

Patience and understanding is the key to solving the problem

Not understanding how to potty train a child, mothers run to Internet forums, but even there, despite all the flurry of advice, they do not find a way out. This is because each child is individual, and in itself the question of accustoming the baby to the potty is ambiguous. And even if you have long decided to get rid of excess laundry as soon as possible or, having saved on the purchase of diapers, buy a fur coat, you will not be able to solve this issue quickly.

Not everything will work out in one moment: you have to go through months of torment, unequal struggle, efforts, tears and tantrums, so that in the end it will come important point when the baby makes "wee-wee" in plastic friend and clapping his hands for joy. Learned!

What to do if nothing works? What to do when the baby is afraid of the potty? When should training start? Let's understand this issue in detail.

Natural instincts: when to start?

As you know, immediately after birth, the baby cannot control the process of urination or defecation. Time passes and he understands when he wants to go to the toilet, and when he doesn’t, but every now and then he “misses”. That is why success in potty training lies in the development of a natural conditioned reflex.

Early "landing" on the pot - a temporary success

Yes, some especially impatient parents manage to start potty training a child very early - a year or earlier and, according to them, succeed in just a couple of weeks. Sometimes it seems that these people opened an army branch so that the child would do "pipi" on command and even poop on cotton. But this is absolutely not the same reflex!

The chain of actions that needs to be achieved: the bubble is filled - sat on the potty - peed. In other words, an elementary physiological process, and not the word "pipi", becomes the motivating factor in accustoming.

Moreover, the retribution for such a drill will come quickly: when everyone around has already forgotten about the problem, the child will most likely suddenly stop going to the potty. After all, he will only begin to enter the age when he will have a natural process of forming control over various “excretions”.

Optimal age

Know that if acquaintances brag about the fact that they taught the baby to the potty even before the year, thereby hitting everyone around, their successes were most likely temporary!

Yes, there are exceptions and conscious approach to the plastic "throne" in some children happens quickly. However, examples where three year old does not respect the pot, is also not uncommon.

This means that it is possible to accustom a child to a potty at 1 year and even less, but it will not be possible to have time to form control over excretory functions.

In this regard, we can safely say that the baby should learn to go to the potty at the age of one to three years.

Signs that you should focus on to start "learning"

relatively stable mode of urination and defecation of the child;
1.5-2 hours of "free" time from getting wet;
learned "lessons" of anatomy and knowledge of wardrobe items;
knowing what it means to "piss" and "poop";
pants sticking to the pope cause the baby to anger and tears;
the ability or desire to take off your pants on your own;
the ability to enter and exit the toilet;
the ability to convey the word "I want."

So, let's start, or how to properly "plant" on a pot

When all the necessary conditions connect with desire, potty training begins.

Emotional mood

Get ready for such a difficult event. Understand that for this you can take a lot of time and effort, but there is no place for weekends and pauses on the hard way.

All children are capricious and experience mood swings. It is best to start potty training when everyone is emotionally ready for it.

Remember, the baby needs praise for a job well done, and you, in turn, need the ability to hide negative emotions if a failure occurs.

How to choose the right potty?

Additional "chips" - musical toys, ears, tail and pens - do not play a big role. The main thing is that the children's "accessory" you choose should be plastic, comfortable and warm.

The pot should be perceived by the child as an object for business. Therefore, do not initiate or support entertainment with his participation.

What time to choose to meet a new "friend"?

In the summer, it will be much more convenient to start “learning”, because the baby will be able to take off his pants faster, and if an “accident” suddenly happens, the washed clothes will dry faster.

The organization of "meetings" should be carried out according to the daily routine.

Serve the pot:

after meal,
before and after sleep
after and before you go for a walk,
and also if the baby for a long time did not ask for a potty.

Emphasis on action

Fix your attention not on the pot, but on actions. The child must understand the sequence of the ritual, starting with opening the lid of the pot, ending with where you can pour some water. As they say, start well and end well!

Potty or toilet?

A toilet or a potty is not as important as where the child will feel comfortable. Or rather, on what. You can even combine these things, especially if you decide to teach a boy to him.

What about diapers?

Do not completely eliminate diapers, at first they will still be useful to you on a walk, in winter (if you started the process in the cold season) and during daytime sleep.

Why can potty training fail?

Main reasons:

you entered the path of “war only recently;
the baby began to cut teeth;
the kid was carried away by the game;
"crisis of one year";
the child is tired;
did not have time to reach the pot.

How to avoid mistakes?

no pressure

Parents of toddlers who have lost patience in the learning process have a very emotional impact on the child: they force them to sit down on the potty, they are not allowed to get up until the job is done, and they even punish them for puddles, like a kitten.

But after all, they do not get the result, but hysteria, contempt for parents and antipathy for the potty. Therefore, if nothing comes out, you just need to wait and remove the burning topic from the agenda for a month or two.

Process explanation

It is worth mentioning that it is easier for children to learn to use the potty, who avoided the "fate" of going to the toilet in diapers, but the kids "after diapers", or rather, after removing them, will achieve visible success in the process.

It is very important that before this the baby examines his body and understands why he needs this funny “tube” and buttocks.

When offering a pot, say what it is for: “Let's pee!”, Or: “Where should you pee (poop)?”.

Correct example

Show your baby how you use the “potty” while sitting on the toilet, and most importantly, watch your child and when he shows signs of anxiety, begins to grunt, draw in and get nervous, give your child a plastic friend.

Always in the "access zone"

A naked baby goes to the potty faster, because he does not need to spend time taking off his pants. Put it in a prominent place so that the baby can always use it.

What to do if there was a "confusion"?

If an accident occurs, remind the child in an affectionate way that there is a wonderful object in the world that will definitely save him from getting wet and puddles on the floor. But in no case should you be angry and nervous.

If the puddle has already “formed”, just wipe it off with a rag and in no case show dissatisfaction - only if it’s a slight disappointment.

Praise is the best reward

If the kid did everything right, praise the child for diligence. Let him remember the emotions associated with this great event.

Finally, do not forget that in order to do the “deed”, you need to relax, so avoid stress and do not force you to do it in front of people in front of everyone.

How to get rid of a diaper on the street?

When you are successful in potty training your baby, move on to new level: try to teach him to do without a diaper both at home and outside (it is better to do this in the summer). To do this, before the street, remove the diaper and grab a couple of panties in reserve, so that later you don’t run headlong into the apartment and look for a “remedy” to fix the problem.

Immediately before the walk, put the baby on the pot, however, if he opposed this, do not force it. Try to go “to the bushes”, but keep in mind that even before the wild thickets, the child may have fear, therefore, in addition to panties, just grab a pot for everyone.

Did the kid piss in his pants? Do not swear! Reassure him and tell him that next time you will definitely water the weed. When you get home, invite your child to sit on the potty again.

How to wean from diapers at night?

As soon as the child learns to use the pot during the day, at night he will wake up and go to the toilet. It's time to wean from diapers at night!

In children at 2 years old, the process starts in a natural form. Of course, sleeping through the night and not peeing is an impossible and unsafe task, so just put your baby on the potty before bedtime.

Do not scold children for described pants, do not praise them violently and with dances. Do not put your child on the potty if they themselves are accustomed to using them. As a result of this, he will go there in order to receive real pleasure from realizing the possibilities of controlling your body, and not to receive praise.

Medical Problems: When Should You See a Doctor?

It also happens that “accidents” happen again when you have already forgotten about the “pot problem”. Perhaps she has a medical nature, for example, the child has an infection urinary tract leading to frequent or even painful urination.

If this happens, you need to seek advice from a general practitioner or nephrologist and, if necessary, carry out complex treatment requiring the use of antibiotics. Do not delay with this, because how to treat advanced disease much more difficult than the one that just arose.

Summing up

To potty train a child is a delicate matter, like the east. Often the path to this event is long and thorny, but the result is worth it! After all, its main meaning is that the child later feels like a full-fledged member of society.

Yes, sometimes the result does not come immediately, but only after weeks and even months, yes, you will spend a lot of time and nerves on it (as without it), yes, you will listen to a bunch of demands and claims from your relatives.

But you just have to be patient and one day the cherished day will come on your street when the child asks to go to the toilet on his own and will be sure to be glad that he succeeded!

The issue of early control of one's own urination and urge to go to the toilet has become irrelevant, which has pushed back the time for accustoming the little one to the potty to the turn of 2.5-3 years. However, many mothers are concerned about the question, from what age should it still be taught, and how to teach a child to the potty correctly, without psychological trauma and unpleasant emotions?

Since there are too many factors that influence the "learning" process, there are no one size fits all rules. It is impossible to accurately indicate the age when potty training a child becomes possible. Eat general recommendations accepted by modern doctors, which do not coincide with the advice of pediatricians twenty years ago. Since even the views of medicine are changing, you should be critical of any advice and carefully evaluate the capabilities and desires of your child.

And in order to create our own more or less objective opinion, let's get acquainted with different points of view and different traditions of potty training children.

An unconventional approach to "potting"

Doctors' recommendations suggest that a child can consciously control his own urge to go to the toilet not earlier than 2.5-3 years. However, there are many examples when a child was taught not to pee in clothes even in infancy.

For example, among African tribes, it is customary to potty train a child during the first days of life. Mom wears the baby constantly in a sling on her back (on her side), carefully watches him, sees when to take the baby out of diapers and hold him to pee. The woman who has week old baby urinates in diapers, is considered an inattentive mother. The African norm is to potty train a child in 3 days.

Things are quite different in civilized countries. Here, the "dryness" of the baby is supported by diapers, and the process of potty training is considered the norm after 1-2 years. However, even among Europeans there are parents who began the process of potty training much earlier than official medicine recommends.

In the theory of natural education, it is believed that it is possible to quickly accustom a child to the pot within the first month. The child during this period always gives certain signals about the desire to empty. This happens unconsciously, but an attentive mother can distinguish these signs from other behavioral features. Perhaps groaning, holding a look, restless sniffing and even an inviting cry, which will indicate that the baby needs help - he wants to go to the toilet.

Careful observation of the child also affects the formation close connection between him and his mother. This is another plus of the natural approach.

However, for many women, this process is too complicated. Few people can watch their baby all the time. Therefore, the reflex skill is not formed, by the 2nd month the baby stops giving any signals and calmly pisses in diapers or diapers. In this case, it is worth referring to the recommendations of modern physicians.

The advice of doctors from the beginning of the 21st century in Europe and America boils down to the fact that it is not worth potty training a child before the age of 2. If a child at 2 years old does not go to the potty, this is not a problem at all. However, slight variations are possible. Eg, best age to teach a child to go to the potty, in Europe it is taken as two years, and in America - closer to two and a half.

In any case, the process of getting to know the toilet occurs when the baby knows how to walk, sit down, run errands, and understand speech. Therefore, during this period they often do without pots, use special pads on the toilet and footstools next to the toilet.

What signs determine that the baby can already be taught to consciously visit the toilet:

when the diaper remains dry for 1.5-2 hours;
when the baby often wakes up in the morning or after a nap with a dry diaper;
when the child has established a certain regimen of “going” to the toilet (for example, he always pees after sleep, or poops 2 hours after eating);
when a child “gives a sign” to parents (often this happens unconsciously) - before urinating or pooping, he stops, thinks, stops playing. This suggests that the child feels the process taking place inside him, and is already able to consciously control it;
if the baby often demonstrates his negative emotions after getting his pants wet (however, this requires that reusable nappies were changed to simple cotton pads or panties without diapers).

In addition, there are additional recommendations. To start potty training, a child must be able to follow simple instructions, take off and put on pants, pronounce and understand words. In particular, it is necessary to understand the names of clothes, the meanings of the words "write", "poop", "puddle". This is a method of accustoming modern doctors, it is used by most parents.

All psychologists agree that it is impossible to accustom a child to a potty with negative emotions and actions. Acquaintance with the new, the development of new skills, knowledge, should take place against the backdrop of positive assessments.

At the same time, one must understand that sooner or later healthy child will write on the potty or in the toilet (if he does not have mental disabilities, he will simply repeat after his parents and peers in the kindergarten).

And all our efforts in potty training are aimed at the following goals:

reduce the amount of washing;
reduce the cost of expensive diapers;
to look "not worse than others".

It is important to know: relaxation is necessary for emptying the bladder and defecation. If the child is under stress, he is clamped, frightened by the discontent of his parents, then it will be difficult to make him pee on the potty. Don't use aggressive potty training methods.

Personal example of dad or mom

Leading by example is the most important motive for learning. If a child sees an older brother (or sister) pissing on a pot (toilet bowl), he will definitely want to repeat their actions. Therefore, it is much easier to potty train the youngest than the only child in the family. But what about the older one?

Mom or dad can set an example. Although in Slavic traditions it is not customary to urinate in front of children, for show. But it helps to explain to a small child without words, for what you need a pot and a toilet room.

For an analogy, remember how you taught your kid to build a pyramid of cubes. You have folded it yourself many times, playing with the child and imperceptibly prompting him to repeat the actions. Until he himself wanted to repeat the same and try to put the cubes one on top of the other.

Positive emotions and praise

For any achievement of the child should be praised. Praise from parents, words and emotions of approval are understandable at any age. This is the main bonus that forms inclinations and character in a child. What is evaluated positively - develops. Therefore, if the “going” to the toilet was a success, the baby should be praised, stroked on the head, clap your hands, express your admiration for his “heroic” act. If there was a failure, the kid wrote in his pants, it's okay, it will work out next time.

Play is the best learning

This motto will help you in the future. The best way to teach a kid to do something - to come up with a game. In the case of a pot, you can use a role-playing game where a toy pot comes to a hare, a hedgehog, a tiger cub. Next - role play different situations- the tiger cub happily agreed to pee on the toilet, or the tiger cub refused and the pot got upset, or the elder brother came to the tiger cub and showed him an example, or another story that you come up with yourself.

It is important to know: invented role-playing game should be unobtrusive, bring pleasure to the child.

Our pediatricians say that early potty training creates the wrong impulse sequence. The child gets used to the fact that at the sound (ps-s-s or a-a-a) it is necessary to empty, regardless of whether there is something inside the bladder or intestines. Therefore, at the age of about two years, when signs of independence appear, children begin to protest against the potty, showing their parents that they have nothing to write with now. However, the protest is not always formed and not at all.

According to the recommendations of doctors, it is necessary to start accustoming after 2 years. Show the baby a potty, talk about what to write on him, seat him in certain time- in a word, do the same as recommended by other methods.

Sometimes problems arise during the learning process. For example, if the baby was constantly in diapers before, then at first it can be difficult to leave him without a diaper. He protests, he often does not agree to part with his usual clothes.

Do you want something interesting?

How to potty train a child after diapers?

Give the baby the opportunity to feel that the diaper is bothering him. To do this, do not remove the diaper until the moisture-absorbing layer is full and becomes too heavy.
Remove the diaper from the baby periodically after a year (in summer, when it is warm, or during the heating season at home). Can't keep kids older than a year in diapers from morning to evening.

What features should be taken into account when accustoming a baby to a night vase?

No diapers. This condition is mandatory, without giving up diapers, the child will not distinguish between wet pants after peeing and dry clothes.
Babies are kept over a basin or bath without dropping them off. Children over 1 year old are planted directly on the potty. Planting is recommended for both girls and boys. This is due to concomitant defecation. The boy can not only pee, but also poop.
There is a mandatory drop off time. Children almost always pee after sleep and often want to go to the toilet a short time after eating (from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours). At this time, they must be planted on a pot.

What time to potty train a child

You can teach your child to go to the potty even in six months. Lasting effect you may not achieve it, but the number of wet pants and used diapers will be noticeably less. Yes, and the baby will have the opportunity to associate the process of getting wet with the emptying of their own intestines or bladder.

Potty training is a must after two years of age. But if you see negativity in relation to the training process, forget about the potty for a couple of months. And then come back to the question again.

Consideration should be given to potty training kindergarten. Since in the group itself, educators will have no time to take care of your baby's toilet.

It is important to know: to teach small child to the pot, it will take time, attention. If you do not have it, your efforts in this moment doomed to fail.

The question of at what age to potty train a child does not have an exact answer. It is determined by the desire and capabilities of the parents. You can teach to write in a night vase as early as six months, or introduce a child to a potty after two years.

Potty training early

The development of a reflex in the first months of life is based on careful observation of the baby. When the mother sees signs of anxiety, discomfort, she takes the child in her arms in a certain position (“eagle” - presses his legs and turns his back to her).

In order for the baby to empty the bladder or intestines, he must relax.

For this, two methods are used:

It is recommended to lightly pat (or stroke) the baby on the perineum and genitals.
It is recommended to let the baby suck on the breast.

Potty training method after 1 year

This method was used in most Soviet kindergartens. Children were planted on the potty at regular intervals. In this case, it is necessary - after eating and after sleep.

The technique is simple and works flawlessly. At the same time, most children get used to peeing on the potty before the age of 2.

Types of pots and their features

The old metal pots are long gone. They were replaced by comfortable plastic "bowls" that do not "cool" the baby's skin and are made in a form that is comfortable for the baby to sit on. In addition, there are pots for use at a party or on the road.

A travel potty for children can be plastic collapsible or rubber inflatable. Plastic collapsible structures are laid out in a familiar bowl with a high chair and assembled in a suitcase. The bowl is often made from a dense plastic film. The circle, backrest and legs of the seat are made of plastic.

Inflatable potty for children - made of dense medical rubber. It turns out to be soft, springy, going to the toilet on such a pot is not always convenient, especially for those children who get used to the new for a long time.

Therefore, a week before the trip, offer your baby a new device, show him an inflatable potty, demonstrate how to inflate and deflate it. Perhaps the baby will first jump on the springy seat, and only then agree that you can write into it.

The pot is an important invention of mankind. You can potty train your child at any age. In this case, you will have to spend some effort, and after that you will receive a reward in the form of a reduction in laundry and a decrease in the cost of diapers. However, if you can't potty train your baby early, don't get discouraged and don't put pressure on your child. Everything has its time.