Before I had kid, I am always very uncomfortable giving any advice about toilet training. Reading hundreds of literatures can't beat the experience of training my own kid.
That is why I have been very eager to train my son. I want to apply my theoretical knowledge practically. But I want to do it at the right moment, not too early, not too late. The expert feels that between 18-24 months are generally good time. When my son turns 21 month last year, he started to show some interest in the new potty we bought him. Leading up to it, I have included a few potty books in our bedtime reading. At the back of my mind, this is a good time because we will be traveling overseas in the next few months, it will be great not to carry all those diapers with us.
I decide to try out the "one-day method" just to test the water. Prior to this, he has sat on the potty for few second each time, but has not successfully peed in the potty. At 21 months he wants to do everything by himself, he can do a few signs, including patting his back after he has pooped. He follows instruction when he wants to. Most importantly, he likes to imitate.
For the next few weeks, I started gathering "tools" for my experiment. I read the book a few times, making mental notes. One sunday, just me and him, in our living room where there is only hardwood floor. I showed him how the potty doll pee in the potty. I gave him lots of liquid to drink and salty snacks to get him drink more. I tells him how great he is to sit on the potty. To my surprise, he was able to sit on the potty for a longer time, up to 20-30 mins. But he was still unable to release his sphincter at the right moment. Needless to say, there was plenty of accidents.
Three-and-a-half hour into the training.When I started to feel mentally and physically exhausted, as if I was at my first Birkram yoga class all over again! He magically peed in the potty ! He seems more excited than I was. Our eyes lock, and he gave me the biggest grin, I have some happy tears down my cheeks. He was so proud of his own achievement.
Throughout the next few months, we have plenty of miss and hit. Slowly but surely, he was completely diaper free. I have to say, I have a relatively painless experience toilet training my son. This fall, when my daughter turns 21 month, I will have another chance to work on my skills. Who knows, she may just follow her brother's footsteps and be out of diaper in no time.
There is no one perfect way to toilet train a child; no- one-size-fits-all method. Every child is different. The child ability to recognize his own need to use the potty depends on his cognitive, physiological and emotional developments.
Never rush or push your child. Offer constant praise and encouragement when he succeeds, don't criticize or punish if he fails. Show him that he can set a goal and achieve it through overcoming challenges, like everything else in life.
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