Potty training a child can be a lot of hassle. The following are ten tips to help you in your quest to potty train a girl.
1. Start when they are ready. Just because your neighbor’s little girl potty trained at 2 doesn’t mean your girl is ready. If she doesn’t yet understand her body and the sensations that indicate she needs to go to the bathroom, then you will want to wait on potty training. Otherwise it will be a very frustrating experience all around.
2. Start a routine. If you want to quickly potty train your girl, start a routine with her where you take her in to the bathroom as soon as she wakes up, after breakfast, a couple hours later, after lunch, a couple hours later, after dinner, and right before bed. Let her sit on the toilet until she goes. If you get her in a routine her body will adjust and she will anticipate it.
3. Watch and learn. Let her watch you use the toilet and learn how to do it like a big girl. Most little girls want to be just like their mom, so let them watch and learn for faster, more effective potty training. This is especially useful for things like wiping and flushing.
4. Have the right stuff to make it easier. A ring for the potty, a potty chair, underpants or pull-ups all make potty training an easier process for your little girl. If she is afraid of falling into the toilet, your attempt to potty train will be short lived. So, spend some money and time to do it right.
5. Provide motivation. Rewards are usually a good way to encourage potty training. You can get potty training treats, or potty charts with stickers and prizes, etc. Give them a little motivation and they will do a much better job potty training.
6. Make it familiar and comfortable, not so scary. Read books about potty training, watch movies about it, and the like so that they know this is a natural part of growing up, and not something to fear.
7. Naked weekends. Try having naked weekends where they spend the weekend in just underwear, this means less obstacles for when they go in the bathroom to potty, and it also means they are more aware of when they potty because a diaper is not absorbing it.
8. Make it fun. Music, treats, potty chart, reward system etc. are all great ways to make potty training exciting for your little girl. Let her choose a song she will listen to while she potties, and pick out a book to browse while she is waiting to go.
9. Celebrate success. When they potty on the toilet, even if it is just a little tiny bit, you need to act like it is a huge deal. Clap your hands, congratulate them, tell daddy (or mommy), and celebrate it.
10. Get rid of diapers, buy fun underwear. Let them know they are growing up and prove it by taking them shopping for their very own underwear.
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