Potty training has so many benefits for both a toddler AND his/her parents.  For one, mommy and daddy don’t have to stop what they are doing every thirty (30) minutes to go to the washroom with their child, often a child discovers a new sense of self-confidence and esteem when they start going on the “big boy” or “big girl” potty, and it is easier to enrol your child in kindergarten or preschool.

Potty training, however, takes patience, time and energy.  Many parents welcome the idea of not having to purchase or change nappies anymore, but the potty-training process can be quite overwhelming for the parents as well as the child.  The good news is it isn’t impossible, and there are many ways to gently ease your child into “going” on the toilet.

Make Potty Training Fun!

Many experts say a good age to start potty training is 18 – 22 months, but we at Little Human Scholars feel that each child is different and are ready at different times.  That being said, there are many accounts, especially in Malaysia and Petaling Jaya, of children being potty trained from infancy.

As stated before, it can be an overwhelming time in a child’s life when we are trying to get them into a new routine.  Some children won’t have any issues and others may take a little time.

Get them on a potty schedule

In the beginning, it may be good to take them to the bathroom every 15 minutes or so until they have gotten the hang of this whole potty business.  Pay attention to when they actually go, and as the week progresses you can spread out the potty-time occurrences.

Let them run around naked

Some children, including boys, tend to go on their own when they run around the house naked.  After all, their poop and pee have to go somewhere!  While some kiddos may just plop down and go all over the floor, others may take themselves to the bathroom without mommy and daddy’s help – such is the case for one little student at Little Human Scholars!  His mom swore that having naked-time did wonders for her child!

Keep an Open Channel of Communication

Getting your child to tell you when they need to potty should be considered as a huge win.  If your child isn’t a big talker, you can always read the cues or set up some other form of communication depending on their learning style (find out your child’s learning style here).

Accidents happen – it’s not a big deal!

While you are playing up the little wins, play down the accidents.  Don’t make it a big deal if they accidentally go on the floor or in the bed.  The last thing you want is to discourage them from doing what they need to do.

Celebrate the little wins.

When your child does manage to go on the big boy or big girl potty, celebrate!  Make a big deal out of their achievement!  Compliment them on the work they have done and do a happy dance with them!  This positive anchoring will support them in looking forward to the potty as opposed to being scared or intimidated by it.

Limit bedtime drinks

An old rule but a good rule, limit bedtime drinks…unless you really like waking up in the middle of the night to change sheets and clean mattresses!  If bedtime drinks absolutely cannot be limited, try keeping a diaper on during the night just until they can confidently wake up without a wet diaper!

Make it into a game!

Kids love games, at least most of them do.  One cool idea I found while scouring the internet was to create a little table where they can put stickers every time they successfully use the potty!  At the end of the row you can reward them with a fun activity or outing, such as going to the petting zoo or swimming in a pool.

In summary, every child is different and it’s your job to find what works for them.  Some parents find that each of their children require different tactics!  It’s amazing how even toddlers can have different temperaments and preferences!  So give your child some time to get this new habit down – repetition is key here.

About Little Human Scholars School and Daycare Centre in PJ

Little Human Scholars is an all-in-one childcare solution.  It is a preschool, playschool, kindergarten, nursery and full day daycare centre (with extended hours) located in the heart of PJ.

In fact, the location is one of the things which makes Little Human Scholars so sought after – it is conveniently nestled near Jalan Gasing, University hospital, PJ Old town, PJ New town, Jaya One, Jaya33, and the PJ IT Mall.

The best part is LHS has premiere services many other schools in PJ don’t offer such as full-day daycare with extended hours, CCTV access for parents, and a nifty little phone app called Toddlytic which provides parents with automatic updates on their child’s development, behaviour and health checks.

With full-time guards always present at each of their locations, access to CCTV (which is in every room except the office, bathroom and kitchen areas), and very strict pick-up and drop-off rules, Little Human Scholars treats every child who walks into its hallways as one of their own children!

This place has it all:  location, safety, health, IGSCE curriculum and play-based learning.  What more could you ask for?  Did I mention they also have transportation services and offer meal plans for students?  It doesn’t get any better than that.

If you are interested in a tour of one of our centres (that’s right, there’s more than one), all you need to do is fill out the form here or call +6017-7303-025 and an LHS administrative staff will get back with you shortly!

Cheers,

Jana Moreno