Parent Tips: Potty Training Tips and Tricks

Teaching your child to use the potty is  the next huge step in growing up. Your child talks and walks and plays and eats all by himself now. He will also be dressing with much less help, and very often tells you specifically what he needs or doesn’t need. But now it’s time to teach him to communicate when he has to “go”, and that doesn’t seem to come as easily!

Tips and Tricks for Potty training

Avoid potty training before or in the midst important events. Preparing to travel on vacation? Or move? Or leaving the kids with granny and grandpa? Then no matter how ready your children are, wait at least a week or even two before you begin or revisit potty training. The success you’ll have as a result is definitely worth the wait.

Start slowly:
Put a step in the bathroom so your child can reach the toilet. Many find that a  potty chair helps a lot.  (Some kids become frightened by flushing).  Let your child contribute help in choosing it. He will be a lot of  more motivated to use a chair that he likes. Just remember: the key is to make the set up comfortable so that there are positive feelings toward potty training.

Pre-potty train:

Let your child  bring a  favorite stuffed animal or doll to the bathroom. Practice going potty initially with the doll so that your child won’t be too nervous.  Make sure the toy can’t fit down the toilet though.  It helps to see the same sex parent us the bathroom as well.  What, didn’t they tell you dignity and privacy flies out the window with parenthood?

Incorporate books, DVDs, rewards, and calendars into your potty coaching. A number of favorites mentioned by many parents are  the DVD “Sesame Street Elmo’s Potty Time DVD,” and also the book by Karen Katz, A Potty for Me!: A Lift-the-Flap Handbook. And children  love, “Everybody Goes Poo.”

Always make use of positive reinforcement for every step in potty training from teaching them to pull down off their pants and attempting to really going potty, flushing to washing hands. Songs are a great way of making potty training fun!

Other positive reinforcements are getting to share successes–telling daddy about them once he comes home from work, phoning the grandparents. Don’t only stress that just you are pleased with them about this. (However they must feel proud too.)  And NEVER punish accidents.  Really, NEVER.

During potty training:

Reward your child!

Whichever reward system works for your family is great.  Some parents like potty charts and calendars, or rewards like  M&M’s, stickers, or even presents  toward the end of  each week of successful potty-ing.

Place books within the lavatory.

Very often youngsters do not want to “go potty” as a result of the fact that they aren’t having enough fun or feel pressure . The key is to make potty training feel relaxed, simply another part of a regular day.

To this end make your child feel as if it’s time to go on an adventure to the potty, rather than “tasking” them with it! . That means giving them the choice of whether or not to go to the potty today, especially if they really aren’t up to it.

Try to make it worthwhile! For instance,  with boys you may try putting a small amount  of Cheerios or Fruit Loops in the potty for “target practice.” It helps their aim and that will save you cleaning.  (Also, it  makes going potty sort of a big deal. Boys will see it as way more fun.)

Parents keep this in mind:

Potty training will take time. The major factor to keep in mind  is to encourage, not discourage. Give your child ample opportunities to make a success (and as many mistakes as they need to)

Recommended products for potty training:

A Sturdy potty – if you have more than one child learning at one time, its best to buy a potty for each of them. Potty chairs are tough to share and will prevent accidents and tantrums.

Disposable seat covers for traveling. These provide your kid with comfort and sanitation.

The debate rages on over disposable underclothing. Some claim they delay potty training success. Others say they cannot live without them.  We have found that a mix is best.  Disposable pull up style diapers when you are out and about- shopping for example.  But at home and child care cloth underwear helps the process because there is discomfort when wet.  Diapers are so well engineered these days that there is no discomfort at all when there is an accident.  Cloth helps the child remember it’s better to take a minute to use the toilet than to keep playing!

Thomas Learning Centers provides NECPA accredited preschool and childcare at the most affordable rates in the Denver Metro Area.  Check us out at http://www.thomaslearningcenters.com , click on the offers below, drop in for a visit to get to know more about us. We’d love to meet you!

Call  877-938-1442 for general info

Lakewood 303-237-0917 or Westminster 303-427-8831

From Tantrums to Truce: Managing Temper Tantrums

Babies can be a delight one minute and  little devils the next.  Your sweet little baby may be playing quietly on the floor with some blocks and the next minute he or she is screaming, crying and rolling around or kicking their feet. If you have not experienced this yet, this is a toddler temper tantrum chances are you will see at least one during your child’s early years. Toddler temper tantrums happen now and then but there are ways parents can deal with them and help their child through this stage of development.

What are Toddler Temper Tantrums?

A tantrum is a young child’s attempt to express their feelings of anger and frustration at the world around them. Infants and toddlers do not yet have the necessary language skills to vocalize their feelings and so they act out with a meltdown at a moment’s notice. Parents are often embarrassed and shocked when this happens in public, but every parent has experienced this and it is a normal part of childhood.

What Can Trigger a Meltdown

Young children experience frustration when a change occurs that disturbs the normal routine of things such as someone coming to visit or having to leave the playground suddenly. They get easily frustrated when they cannot get the puzzle piece to fit or their playmate to share a toy. They may also have a tantrum when their wishes are not met.  The cereal aisle at the grocery store is a prime place for that type of tantrum to occur.

Is it Just the Terrible Twos?

Toddler temper tantrums are most common between the ages of two and three but babies as young as 18 months can have them too. They often begin around this age and can last up until the child is four years old.

How to Lessen Toddler Temper Tantrums

Depending on your child’s age, your response in these situations may differ. If your baby is in that stage where you can distract him or her, this is sometimes the easiest way to end a tantrum quickly. If he or she grabs something off the shelf in the grocery store or takes a playmates toy, simply offer something else. Trading one thing for another is often effective because you are not necessarily taking something away.

Other factors often cause tantrums. A necessary tool for parents is to try and determine what is causing their child to be upset. Is the cause fatigue? frustration? anger? Parents often have many things to do in a day and we tend to forget that little ones don’t have the endurance that we do. It is best to bring several snacks and activities for them if you will be away from home for several hours. Being hungry, tired or bored is often a trigger for tantrums as well.

 To Minimize Toddler Temper Tantrums:

• Plan for outings and bring food, toys, books or etc to keep your child engaged.
• If you need to leave a friend’s house or the park suddenly, tell your child you will be leaving in five minutes and help them to start cleaning up.
• Offer substitutions for things you don’t want them to have or play with
• Help  them vocalize their feelings using words
• Acknowledge their feelings without giving in to them.  It’s fine to say “I know you want that toy, but not today”
• Use logical consequences.  If food or other objects are thrown, depending on the age of the child help her or have her clean up the mess.
• Remember, all parents have had this experience whether they admit it or not.  Don’t feel bad about gently but firmly standing your ground.

Toddler temper tantrums are inevitable but a necessary part of growing up. Having patience and understanding that your child needs to express their feelings and over time will learn to do so in a more appropriate manner. As their language skills improve they will be better able to tell you when they are tired, hungry or want mommy or daddy’s attention.

Thomas Learning Centers provides NECPA accredited preschool and childcare at the most affordable rates in the Denver Metro Area.  Check us out at http://www.thomaslearningcenters.com , click on the offers below, drop in for a visit to get to know more about us. We’d love to meet you!

Call  877-938-1442 for general info

Lakewood 303-237-0917 or Westminster 303-427-8831

Kids Grow by Ages and Stages- But at Their Own Speed

When it comes to our children we only want the best for them.  As parents or caretakers this can mean that we often compare what our child is doing to a child that is the same age. It also means that we can obsess over the things our children aren’t doing. This can cause stress and anxiety,  all children grow at different rates and pass those magic milestones at different times.

Here are some very basic guidelines at some of the more general questions asked by concerned parents or caretakers.

Child development – How to know if your child is developing as they should be can be tricky.  For example some children get there first teeth as soon as three months and some may not till they are nearly 1 year old.  Put down the books and ask your pediatrician if you are concerned that your child’s development is not where you feel it should be.

Ages an Stages –  Ages and Stages means just as it sounds.  It doesn’t mean that as soon as your child turns three they should be able to go potty, it is general stages they will go through as they pass through age brackets. There are lots of general guides out there as to what stages your baby, toddler or child should be going through between certain ages. One tool that I have seen used a lot by childcare centers is the ages and stages questionnaire.  These can give you a basic guidelines so you know what to ask your child’s educational carer or doctor.

The questions of when should my baby, when should my preschooler? This can relate to many things from when should my baby crawl, turn over or when should my preschooler stop sucking their thumb.  Once again there is no magic answer to these questions.  Each child is different. Here are a few examples of things that will completely depend on the individual child.

• Tummy Time – Some babies love tummy time and will roll over quite quickly, other babies do not care for it one bit.  This can sometimes relate to a baby having tummy troubles as it can actually hurt their tummy and sometimes it is just that they have no interest.

• Crawling –  Watch a group of babies and you will see so many variations of movement in play.  From the knee drag to the commando roll.  Each baby will move differently and just because they are not doing what is to be considered a normal crawl doesn’t mean there is something wrong.  Some babies actually skip the crawling and take off walking.

• Thumb Sucking – When it comes to other things like thumb sucking I have known preschoolers that will give it up all by themselves and others that have needed assistance.

• Potty training –  Some children will take to potty training like it is nothing and others will do anything to avoid sitting on that potty.  Watching your own child’s cues is the best way to get a feel for when they are ready to start potty training.  Starting too early may cause a delay in the entire process.

As a parent or caretaker only you know what is happening in your childs life.  You will know if something doesn’t feel right or if you need to give your little one some extra time to hit those ages and stages markers.  Trust your instincts and always reach out to a professional if you feel something is truly wrong.

When it comes to your child remember they are already a small individual, there will never be a one size fits all answer.

Thomas Learning Centers provides NECPA accredited preschool and childcare at the most affordable rates in the Denver Metro Area.  Check us out at http://www.thomaslearningcenters.com , click on the offers below, drop in for a visit to get to know more about us. We’d love to meet you!

Call  877-938-1442 for general info

Lakewood 303-237-0917 or Westminster 303-427-8831