Since there are too many factors that affect the process of “learning”, there are no uniform rules for everyone. It is impossible to accurately indicate the age when accustoming the child to the pot becomes possible.
There are general recommendations adopted 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.
The issue of early monitoring of urination and urge to go to the toilet became irrelevant, which postponed the deadline for accustoming the toddler to the pot by 2.5-3 years. However, many mothers are concerned about the question, from what age is it still worth accustoming, and how to accustom a child to the pot correctly, without psychological trauma and unpleasant emotions?
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 teaching children to potty.
An unconventional approach to pottery
The recommendations of doctors say that a child can consciously control his own urge to the toilet no earlier than 2.5-3 years. However, there are many examples when a child was taught not to write in clothes even in infancy.
For example, among African tribes it is customary to teach a child to potty during the first days of life. Mom carries the baby constantly in a sling on his back (on his side), carefully watches him, sees when to take the baby from the diaper and hold it to pee. A woman whose weekly baby urinates in the diaper is considered an inattentive mother. The African norm is to teach a child to potty in 3 days.
Things are quite different in civilized countries. Here, the “dryness” of the baby is supported by diapers, and the process of accustoming to the pot is considered the norm after 1-2 years. However, even among Europeans, there are parents who began the process of accustoming to the pot much earlier than official medicine recommends.
In the theory of natural education, it is believed that you can quickly accustom a child to the pot within the first month. The child in this period always gives certain signals about the desire to empty. This happens unconsciously, but an attentive mother can highlight these symptoms among other behavioral characteristics. Perhaps grunting, holding his eyes, restless sniffling and even a call-out scream, which will indicate that the baby needs help – he wants to go to the toilet.
Careful observation of the child also affects the formation of a close relationship between him and his mother. This is another plus of the natural approach.
However, for many women, this process is too complex. Few people can watch their baby all the time. Therefore, the reflex skill is not formed, by the age of 2 months the baby stops giving any signals and calmly pisses in diapers or diapers. In this case, you should turn to the recommendations of modern doctors.
The modern method on the advice of doctors
The advice of physicians at the beginning of the 21st century in Europe and America comes down to the fact that it is not worth accustoming a child to a pot before 2 years. If a child at 2 years old does not go to the potty – this is not a problem at all. In this case, slight variations are possible. For example, the best age to teach a child to go potty is accepted as two years in Europe, and closer to two and a half in America.
In any case, the process of getting to know the toilet occurs when the baby is able to walk, sit down, carry out errands, understands speech. Therefore, during this period often do without pots, they use special lining on the toilet and front foot benches next to the toilet.
By what signs it is determined that the baby can already be accustomed to conscious use of 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 mode of “going” to the toilet (for example, he must piss after sleep, or poop 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 shows its negative emotions after getting wet panties (however, for this it is necessary that reusable diapers are replaced with simple cotton panty liners or panties without diapers).
In addition, there are additional recommendations. To start accustoming to the potty, the child must be able to carry out simple tasks, remove and put on pants, pronounce and understand the 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 teaching modern doctors that most parents use it.
What recommendations do psychologists give
All psychologists agree that it is impossible to accustom a child to a pot with negative emotions and actions. Acquaintance with the new, the accumulation of new skills, knowledge, should take place against the backdrop of positive assessments.
It should be understood that sooner or later a healthy child will write on a potty or in the toilet (if he does not have mental disorders, he will simply repeat after parents and peers in the kindergarten).
And all our efforts in accustoming to the pot are aimed at the following goals:
- reduce the amount of washing;
- reduce the cost of expensive diapers;
- look “no worse than others.”
It is important to know: relaxation is necessary to empty the bladder and defecate. 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. Do not use aggressive methods to teach your baby to potty.
So, let’s turn to the recommendations of psychologists who will help to accustom the child to the pot correctly.
Personal example of dad or mom
Personal example is the main motive for learning. If the child sees his older brother (or sister) writing on the pot (toilet), he will definitely want to repeat their actions. Therefore, it is much easier to teach a younger one to the pot than the only child in the family. But what about the elder?
Dad or mom can set an example. Although in Slavic traditions it is not customary to urinate in front of children, for show. But this helps to explain to a small child without words what a pot and a toilet room are for.
For an analogy, remember how you taught your baby to build a pyramid out of cubes. You folded it yourself many times, playing with the child and quietly prompting him to repeat the action. While he himself did not want to repeat the same and try to put the cubes on top of each other.
Positive emotions and praise
For any achievements the child needs to be praised. The praise of parents, words and emotions of approval are understandable at any age. This is the main bonus that forms the child’s inclinations and character. What is evaluated positively is developing. Therefore, if the “trip” to the toilet was a success, the baby should be praised, patted on the head, clapped, express admiration for his “heroic” act. If there was a failure, the kid wrote in his pants, do not worry, it will turn out next time.
The game is the best training
This motto will help you in the future. The best way to teach your baby to do something is 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. Further – play different situations in the roles – the tiger cub happily agreed to pee on the toilet, or the tiger cub refused and the pot was upset, or the elder brother came to the tiger cub and showed him an example, or another story that you think of yourself.
It is important to know: an invented role-playing game should be unobtrusive, bring pleasure to the child.
Potty training as recommended by pediatricians
Our pediatricians say that early accustoming to the pot forms the wrong sequence of impulses. The child gets used to the fact that with sound (ps-ss or aaaa) you need to empty yourself, regardless of whether there is something inside the bladder or intestines. Therefore, at the age of about two years, when signs of independence are manifested, children begin to protest against the pot, showing parents that they have nothing to write now. However, the protest is not always formed and not at all.
According to the recommendations of doctors, it is necessary to start training after 2 years. Show the baby a pot, talk about what you need to write on it, sit at a certain time – in a word, do the same as other techniques recommend.
Sometimes in the process of learning, problems arise. 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.
How to teach a child to potty 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 filled and becomes too heavy.
- Remove the diaper from the baby periodically after a year (in summer, when it’s warm, or during the heating season at home). You can not keep children over a year in diapers from morning to evening.
What features should be considered when accustoming a baby to a night vase?
- No to diapers. This condition is necessary, without giving up diapers, the child will not distinguish between wet pants after writing and dry clothes.
- Kids are kept above the basin or bathtub without being planted. Children over 1 year old are planted directly on the pot. Plant recommend both girls and boys. This is due to concomitant bowel movements. The boy can not only pee, but also poke.
- There is a time for mandatory planting. Children almost always write 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 the pot.
What time to teach a child to potty
You can teach a child to go to the pot even in six months. You may not achieve a lasting effect, 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 emptying their own intestines or bladder.
It is definitely worth accustoming the baby to the potty after two years. But if you see a negative in relation to the process of learning, forget about the pot for a couple of months. And after – return to the question again.
It is worth taking care of potty training before kindergarten. Since in the group itself, the teachers will not have time to deal with your baby’s toilet.
The question of at what age to accustom a child to a pot does not have an exact answer. It is determined by the desire and abilities 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 early training technique
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 her back to herself).
In order for the baby to empty the bladder or intestines, he must relax.
To do this, use two methods:
- It is recommended to easily pat (or stroke) the baby on the perineum to the genitals.
- It is recommended that the baby be sucked.
Potty training method after 1 year
This method was used in most Soviet kindergartens. Children were planted on the pot at regular intervals. It is mandatory – after eating and after sleep.
The technique is simple and works flawlessly. However, most children get used to writing on the potty even before 2 years.
Types of pots and their features
Old metal pots are long gone. They were replaced by convenient plastic “bowls” that do not “cool” the skin of the child and are made in a form convenient for the baby to sit. In addition, there are pots for use on a visit or on the go.
Travel pot for children can be a plastic collapsible or rubber inflatable. Plastic collapsible structures are laid out in a familiar bowl with a chair and assembled in a suitcase. The bowl is often made from a dense plastic film. The circle, back and legs of the seat are made of plastic.
Inflatable pot for children – made of dense medical rubber. It turns out 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 the baby a new device, show him an inflatable pot, demonstrate its inflation and deflation. Perhaps the baby first jumps in the springy seat, and only after that he agrees that you can write to it.
The pot is an important invention of mankind. You can teach a child to a pot at any age. In this case, you will have to spend some effort, and after that – get a reward in the form of a reduction in washing and a decrease in the cost of diapers. However, if you can’t teach your baby to potty early, don’t be upset and do not put pressure on the child. Everything has its time.
