Encourage Self-Initiation

I often hear from newly potty training parents saying, "He still doesn't tell me when he needs to go!" or "Unless I tell her to go potty, she will just go in her pants!" Does this sound familiar? ⁣ ⁣One of the key principles of potty training is for your child to learn how to listen to their body and take themselves to the toilet when nature calls - we call this self-initiation. But why does this seem so challenging for some kiddos to grasp? Maybe instead, we should be asking...what could we potentially change about the way we are potty training to better encourage this? ⁣ ⁣Here are a few tips to help: • Offer bottomless time • Stop prompting (Unless they just woke up or it’s bedtime) • Watch for their body cues and potty routine • Use a potty watch* (*Wait to use the potty watch until you have a clear understanding of your kiddo’s potty schedule so the timer isn't going off too often) Prepare yourself for a few accidents along the way, it’s normal! Some children catch on rather quickly to this and others take more time. Each child is different and that’s what makes this entire process so unique! ⁣ ⁣Check out my stories today for additional tips and info on how to overcome this common potty training hurdle! And soon, those little words, "I have to go potty!" will be music to your ears!