Using Lean methods makes potty training easy to understand for my 2 year old.
"I have Potty Power!" shouts my 26 mo old daughter D. as she puts another sticker on her chart.
Potty training can be very difficult for your little one, however, with proper training and understanding of the end goal it can be much easier.
Training videos are a great tool to show how to use new equipment and explain the basics.
Potty Power is an awesome video to help give your kids the understanding of how to use a potty. They even have a goal statement in their catchy song- "No more diapers for ME!"
Get familiar with the new equipment. Touch it and test it.
If you expect your child to walk in on day one and sit down and use the potty you're nuts. Seeing it on a video is one thing but actually using it is another. A toddler needs to feel it, sit on it and test out the potty before using it the first time.
Standardized work will help decrease the learning curve.
Get a set of procedures that you are going to use every time. If your are going to have your child sit on the potty for 10 minutes at a time then set a timer so he/she knows when they are done.
Have a few items around the potty to keep them occupied (many of us still read this way). Finally, make sure that everyone (both parents, nanny, siblings) knows the procedure so that everyone can be consistent.
Have short term goals and make them visual. Reward for completion.
Every time our daughter does number 1 she gets a sticker to put on her potty chart. An additional, number 2 gets her a 2nd sticker. A short term goal keeps momentum going and a visual chart to show progress helps to re-enforce it. In this case it's also a reward for achievement.
Things are going well. It's a new process with new equipment, so accidents will happen from time to time. We learn from these mishaps and use continuous improvement to find new ways to make it easier for her. We also sing our goal statement...."No more diapers for US" Singing works too!
