Building on Success

Build on each small success in potty training your child. Be specific in your praise when they recognize the feelings they have to go, tell you they have to go, run really fast to the potty, wipe themselves, wash hands afterwards, and of course when they actually get the pee-pee or poop into the potty. Even if they don’t do it all right, find something to praise. In addition, study in advance the kind of praise s/he likes best and then give plenty of it! If he enjoys crowing about success, perhaps you could phone Grandma and tell her how great it’s going! If she likes it when you get really excited, come up with a silly Potty Song & Dance to do each time she’s triumphant. (Think of the old football end zone dances and you’ll get the idea.) Making up the song and dance could be a great bonding activity for you guys to do in between sit sessions. (If you come up with a good one, videotape it & submit it into a contest, sponsored by PullUps at http://m80im.com/newsroom/2009/02/23/potty-dance-sweepstakes/) If he prefers more subdued reactions, you could write down each success and show the list to the rest of the family. The point is to build up their confidence, reinforce their good behavior, and spur them on to the larger goal of bodily control.

The point is to know your child, what motivates him/her and to build on each successful step in the process. Good Luck!

~Sara & Dr. Pete

Tags: advice, boy, children, contest, endzone, feelings, football, girl, parenting, Potty Training, praise, PullUps, toddler, toilet, video, wash hands