Potty training will not always be a walk in the park. Potty training problems do arise. Here are some of the top potty training problems and possible solutions to fix them.
Child doesn't want to go potty - Encouraging your child to go to the toilet is the best way to solve this problem. Make the environment fun and comfortable for your child to be in. Encourage but don't push them.
Child wants to play with toys rather than potty - This is one of the potty training problems that most parents deal with at some point in time.The best way to deal with this is to bring a little fun to the area where they are being potty trained. If they want to play with toys, make it where they can have a toy that they can play with while pottying that doesn't interfere with them actually pottying.
Child is afraid of the potty and doesnt want to use it - This problem is more with the "big" toilets than there personal potty. Start off with the small potty, which is going to be used anyway in most cases, and explain to them what a potty is and what it does. Do this with the big potty too. Let them flush the toilet and watch things disappear. They may even feel better watching you use the toilet. Let them know it is nothing to be afraid of.
Child doesn't poop in the potty - This is a big potty training problem. Getting your toddler to poop in the toilet can take some time. To help encourage them to poop in the potty, you can try having your toddler to flush poop from their training pants and let him watch it go in the toilet. While doing this explain to them what you are doing and that poop supposed to go in the toilet. You can also let your toddler sit on the toilet for a few minutes while you read them a book talking about potty training. It's good to get one specifically that talks about pooping in the toilet (there are some like that).
Potty Training Regression - This is when a child has been potty trained and then all of a sudden starts having accidents all over again. One possible reason for this is something that has happened to him that affected how they feel about pottying such as having a painful bowel movement causing them to not want to poo poo. Then it may relate to some type of illness or change in situation at home such as a move or another sibling.
To handle potty training regression, its best to get down to the bottom of the regression and start fresh again if you have to with the basics. It may do some good to just ask them whats wrong or why the won't go potty. Making them comfortable and getting them involved back with going to the toilet in a more relaxed and unpressured way can help.
Potty training a boy is a bit more difficult than potty training a girl. The reason is because the boy has to learn to potty sitting down and standing up. So training your little boy to do both can become quite a task. Not only is the process itself more trickier but boys seem to want to play a lot and may not want to focus on the aspects of potty training.
The important thing about potty training a boy is having to decide whether to start training them sitting down for both peeing and pooping or have them start learning to stand to pee and sit for pooping. Most will recommend that they start out sitting for both. This way they can pee and poop at the same time since they would most likely pee anyway if they are doing a number two.
As they get more into potty training and understand some of the concepts, parents seem to start teaching them how to stand up peeing and sitting down to poop which can be difficult at first. A good male role model can help with this. Children like to learn visually and imitate what they see so it is a good idea to let your baby boy watch the father or another male relative use the toilet.
Here are a few more tips for potty training a boy.
- Add things in the toilet so they can practice their aim and enjoy potty training. For example, adding cheerios to the water and letting him aim at them.
- Check toilet seats to make sure they don't fall down while your boy is potty training.
- Reward him with high 5 or something small to let them know they did good.
- Make sure that he is able to point downwards in the toilet. You may have to get a stool if they are not tall enough and is training using the big toilet.
- Be patient with him.
