Ever wondered how long does it take to potty train? Potty training a child can be one of the most challenging tasks for parents. Besides how to train toddlers, they are also worried about the time they will take to get perfectly trained. Are you also one of them? If yes, this blog post can be of some help to you.
Well, there is no one answer to how long does potty training take for your child? Some babies learn it in a matter of days. At the same time, others might take some time, like weeks or even months. Many factors affect this learning process. Analyzing them can help determine your child’s total time to get potty trained.
Age
Age is one of the major factors that decide how long your toddler’s potty training will take. Ideally, a child is ready to take this training once he rings on his second birthday. However, anything before two years can be too much for the child.
At the same time, not training the child even after three years can also lengthen the duration of the training. The child is now used to pooping in his diapers only. And getting rid of this habit can take some more time. So, ensure you keep the ideal potty training age in mind.
Accidents
How many potty training accidents are normal? Well, there is no fixed number for it. Accidents are quite common when your child is taking his first potty training. When they happen, make sure you do not overreact.
Scolding or punishing will only make things worse. The toddler may feel embarrassed and may make potty training take longer. Here are some tips for handling such incidents:
- Politely explain what is going wrong with the child
- Encourage your baby to try once again
- Try to keep him engaged while he is on his potty seat
- Show him potty training tutorials
Please understand that the sooner your child gets comfortable with potty training, the shorter the duration will be.
Identifying the Urge
Every child is different, and it takes time to control their bladder. Therefore, the faster the toddler achieves this control, the shorter his potty training duration will be.
Many children fail to identify the urge to use the washroom and thus end up messing with their clothes repeatedly. This problem is more common with autistic children. You can consult an expert to get some tips for potty training autism.
Fear of Toilets
Fear of toilets is not a new thing. Every toddler goes through this phase. The faster a child overcomes this fear, the shorter duration he will take to get potty trained completely. Does your child also experience this fear? Here are some tips to help them combat it:
- Introduce baby potty chairs
- Try to involve fun activities to remove this fear
- Avoid making your toddler sit in adult potty seats
- Keep him busy while he is relieving himself
- Don’t leave the child unattended, as it can lead to accidents
- Give him a feeling of control by asking him to flush himself
Bed Wetting
Does your child wet his pants while he is asleep? If yes, then he might take some time to get toilet trained. Here are some tips to shorten this duration:
- Motivate your child to use the washroom before going to bed.
- Wake the child to use the washroom once or twice at night. He will start identifying his urges over time.
- Manage his drinking and eating habits.
- Avoid giving him liquids after 7 pm.
- Minimize discomforts and disruptions during bedtime.
Depending on Only One Person
Does your toddler depend on only one person for potty training? If yes, you should consider changing his habit as soon as possible. There are chances that he might hesitate using the washroom in the absence of this particular person.
The sooner he gets comfortable using the washroom as per his needs, the faster he will get potty trained. Here are some tips that can help you:
- Ask your child to close the bathroom door slightly if he feels shy in front of others.
- Tell him to prioritize his urges to use the bathroom over anything else.
- You can also toilet-train him in public washrooms to eradicate his hesitation.
Bottomline
So, these are the major factors that help determine the total time your toddler might take to get completely toilet trained. Your aim should be to eradicate all sorts of fears from his mind and motivate him to learn essential toilet etiquette.
Lastly, please stay calm and patient as much as you can. It is a new transition for your young one. So, make sure you stand with and not against him in this process.
