Everyone has their own pace, and it is important to respect it. To be clean, a child must know how to control his sphincters: the small muscles around the bladder and the anus that control their opening. About a year after his first steps, he begins to dominate them. One of the visible proofs is “the test of the staircase”: if he is able to go up and down the stairs by putting one step in front of the other, it is because he has mastered his sphincters. Now is a good time to start putting it on the pot. Doing it earlier would then be more of a conditioning than a real learning process.
How to help him?
– Suggest that he go to the potty at a fixed time in order to give him habits and benchmarks. Before a nap, after a meal, before going to bed … It is also important to always place the pot in the same place.
– Did you take her diapers off during the day? Above all, do not stop this dynamic. Avoid giving it to him the next day because it suits you. Your child would not understand your logic.
– To prevent him from discovering the jar the day he has to use it, do not hesitate to familiarize him with this new object a few weeks before. In general, cleanliness begins with checking urine during the day, with stool often appearing six to nine months later. Nighttime cleanliness sometimes requires a lot more time.
– Also tackle the diapers: start by removing them during the day and observe his reaction. If he pees in his underwear, he will feel the unpleasant sensation of being wet, his urge to go on the potty will then come naturally. Summer is a good season: in the countryside, by the sea, your baby can walk around with his buttocks open or in panties, you won’t be afraid to get the carpet dirty! And you yourself will be more available on vacation.
– Remember that at the beginning, your child goes to the bathroom to please you: so don’t forget to congratulate him and highlight his progress! But do not overdo it anyway: going to the bathroom is a normal act, it is not an achievement!
– If it’s not clean on the first day of school, don’t make a big deal out of it. Many schools allow a child to wear diapers for a nap. In two months, he has plenty of time to learn!
