- You might be surprised to learn
that plastic potties can actually make it much harder
to train your little one.
In fact, I'm going to go as far as saying
that I recommend you avoid using them all together.
One idea behind the potty chair
is that they actually make it easier
for toddlers to use than a standard toilet seat,
because the height makes it easier to get on and off.
But the problem is,
they are generally lightweight and plastic,
so they easily tip to the side
when your toddler is getting on and off them.
And this can deter your little one
from using them in the first place.
The small size of the potty's also thought
to make it less intimidating for children
than a traditional toilet.
However, if your toddler has only ever seen you
use a standard toilet
and the experience has always been positive,
there is no reason for them to be fearful.
If they've never observed anything that would lead
to a negative association with an adult toilet,
then it is highly unlikely
that they're going to be intimidated by it or fear it.
In fact, their desire to mimic us and be just like us
is likely to make them want to learn how to use a toilet
to be just like us as well.
If they are nervous or fearful,
one of the most common reasons
is because they're afraid they'll fall in,
because the standard toilet seat is too big
and their feet can't touch the ground.
But there's a very simple way to overcome this,
a family style toilet seat
will provide a more appropriate size seat for them to use,
couple that with a footrest
and you'll provide a comfortable, easy to use solution
for your toddler that also alleviates those fears.
Now, these are just two of some of the items I recommend
when toilet training,
and if you want to get my complete list
of all the essential items I recommend using
when toilet training,
make sure you click the link in the description box below
to get the free toilet training essentials guide.
Another selling point of the potty
is that it can be moved around the house if needed.
Now, although some people might think this is a great thing,
the process of becoming toilet trained
means that the child needs to learn
all the steps to toileting.
This means they need to recognize the signs
that they need to go,
they need to actually get to the bathroom in time,
they need to remove their clothing,
go to the toilet itself,
then wipe their bottom, pull up their clothing,
flush the toilet, and then finally wash their hands.
When you move the potty into another room,
potentially the lounge room where there's a TV
that they can sit and watch while they're on the toilet,
your child doesn't get to do all these steps.
They are not learning that you actually need
to go to the bathroom to do a poo or a wee,
or how to actually wash their hands,
or become familiar with the sounds of the flashing toilet,
which some children find very scary,
as well as the different smells in the bathroom.
Now, all these things can actually be scary
for children initially,
so it is important that if you are using the potty,
you do it in the bathroom
and not take it into another space.
Starting with the potty and then moving to a toilet
can also create other problems.
For example, your toddler is going to have
to use a standard toilet seat when they go to the park,
to the shops, or visit family and friends' houses.
And if they're only used to using a potty,
they are going to be more likely to be resistant
to using that standard toilet seat
when they're out and about.
Also for some children moving from using a potty
to using a toilet can be a big process
and essentially be like starting toilet training
all over again.
Toilet seat reducers,
which are items that sit on top of a traditional toilet seat
and reduce it to a child-friendly size,
are also another item that I would avoid buying
in the first place,
and that's because toilet seat reducers
can actually pinch your child's bottom,
which leads to the child becoming fearful of the toilet
and refusing completely to sit on the toilet.
They also move around when a child first sits on them
and they can tilt to the side or wiggle,
and this can lead to the child refusing to sit on the toilet
because it's unstable and they don't see it as safe.
Also for your child to successfully use
the toilet seat reducer,
it needs to be on the toilet all the time,
and if you've only got one toilet in the household,
then it can be annoying having to put
that toilet seat reducer that on and off the toilet.
Your child is going to need to use a child size toilet seat
for years and years to come.
So a family style toilet seat is a lot easier solution
and it's going to make cleaning a lot easier too.
And the last item I recommend ditching are pull ups,
which are also known as nappy or diaper training pants.
So pull ups are sold as a great middle step
between a nappy and underwear.
The main selling point is that when your child use pull ups,
they are learning how to pull them up and down
which is going to make it easier
for them to transition to underwear
as they learn how to do this skill independently.
But pull ups are as absorbent as nappies,
so they are going to absorb any accidents.
And for your child to successfully toilet train,
they need to be able to tell the difference
between wet, dry, and dirty.
And unfortunately, nappies and pull ups
are simply too good at absorbing away the wees
which make it near impossible for your child
to feel wet or feel uncomfortable.
Now, if you do want to know the items
that will make the toilet training process easier and faster
make sure you check out this video
where I'll show you exactly what they are.
Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next week
where I'll share more parenting tips and trick.