Toilet Learning or Toilet Training?

Parents decide on toilet training and start with military precision. You put time aside, a week or so, and expect success. You decide by a certain age your toddler, should be trained. Often your toddler has a completely different idea about toilet training!

Sometimes a 'bottom up' approach (no pun intended) can be less stressful and more successful! This may sound a bit controversial, but maybe we should let the toddler decide and tell us when they are ready. I think it may be more successful in lots of cases.

I came across this concept of Toilet Learning when I was exposed to the very wise teachings of Dr Louise Porter, an Australian Psychologist at the Holdsworth Centre, Woollhara NSW.

Here are my tips

Starting the learning process in the childs' 3rd summer (less clothes and their body is usually 'ready'),
Toddler/child is ready to start the training/learning process once they can tell you that they need to go to the toilet.
If they only tell you after they have already been that's an unready child.
Try and wait till they're ready. You'll have more chance of success.
It is important to explain to the child what you are trying to achieve.
Move from nappies to pants. This creates more awareness of accidents.
If using the toilet, then you may need a portable/lightweight step so they can move onto the toilet by themselves. Or, you may need a toilet insert so they don't fall into the bowl!
Teach your child the words needed for toilet training, such as 'wet', 'dry', 'wee, poo', 'it’s coming'. Choose words you are comfortable with.

When the child 'performs' avoid using value judgements such as 'good' and 'bad'. Try and say things like,"Well done for using the potty/toilet".
If they have little accidents try and ignore the accident. Change your child and start again. Scolding has a habit of causing regressions.
When the child is ready it should only take about a week to see success.
Try and let your child see mum or dad on the toilet to model behaviours.
Daytime wees in the potty / toilet tend to have success earlier than poos. Night time dryness can take a bit longer to achieve.
If they're having a lot of accidents or you get a sudden regression, it can be a sign of a urine infection so always check with your doctor or GP.
If the number twos / poos are an issue it may be best to speak to your health professional (Health Visitor, Child & Family Health Nurse, GP or Paediatrician) for help and advice. I have seen a few children with holding onto their bowel movements (ecopresis). It quite quickly gets out of control. It needs sensitive and appropriate management. http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/encopresis.html

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Tags: encopresis fil_Toddler - Behaviour Food & Sleep parenting strategies potty problems potty training terrible two's toddler toddler behaviour toddler development toilet learning toilet training

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I just wanted to write and say thank you. We started your program almost three weeks ago, and it has dramatically changed our babies sleep for the better. Toby (10 months) went from waking 6+ times each night. We fumbled during each wake, as we offered dummies, bottles, whatever we thought would stop the crying for a moment. The only thing that we achieved, was waking him up even more and frustrating the **** out of him!

The first night of magic presence took 40 minutes, and now he is down within minutes once he is placed in the cot. We have had a few sleep throughs as well.

Your advice and videos are so clear and succinct. We found them so easy to follow. To compare, we looked back on a sleep consultant plan that we paid $300+ for with our firstborn and were stunned at how complicated and convoluted the plan was. No wonder it didn't work!!

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Christina

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never wanted to sleep train, I didn’t think I could personally tolerate listening to my baby cry endlessly. It surprised me how quickly my 7mo picked this up. Night one we removed the dummy and overnight feed cold turkey. We’re on night 11 and bub has been sleeping through almost every night since night 2 (we’re still battling early wakings every now and then). Day naps have also improved remarkably! I’ve also got one of the mums in my mother’s group onto this who is having huge success with her 8mo boy who she fed to sleep previously!

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Here are my tips

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