| Author |
Message |
    
Sheila (Unregistered Guest)
| | Posted on Friday, November 24, 2006 - 07:53 pm: | |
My daughter is going to be 3 in December. She just started potty training about 4 weeks ago but has about 1 accident a day, on average. I know that every child is different, but I was wondering usually how long it takes a girl to figure out the concept? I would have thought that after 4 weeks, there would be no more accidents? Am I doing something wrong? It is also that I have to remind her all the time to go to the potty. I also would have thought that she would understand when she needs to go instead of me reminding her all the time. HELP |
Narmin Parpia
| | Posted on Monday, November 27, 2006 - 11:52 am: | |
Hi Sheila,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Let me assure you, you are not doing anything wrong. Every child is different and catches on at a different speed.
If your daughter is having about one accident a day she is well on her way. She's obviously got the basics down. All that's left is a little refinement.
Kids have a very short attention span. They feel the urge, get distracted with a toy, book, activity, TV show, whatever. Then when they have an accident they think "I need to hold it more next time." Instead, they need to learn to recognize the feeling of fullness and act. They don't realize it's not a matter of holding, but a matter of stopping what they are doing to take care of the need. They need to learn what goes in must come out.
For my little nephew toilet targets did the trick. (Or you can use Piddlers.) He completely understood the process, he just wouldn't take the time away from what he was doing to go potty. The targets turned the potty break into a sport, a game. Believe it or not, it can work for girls too.
Potty training charts and stickers work well too. The idea is to give your daughter a reason to stop what she is doing, a reason to want to stay dry.
Be careful not to get frustrated, or punish her for accidents. It will only add pressure to the situation and can backfire. Focus on the times she does use the potty. Adjust the reward to motivate her to initiate going potty once you are sure she recognizes the feeling of fullness. But be sure her potty set-up is such that she can go by herself. Can she reach the light switch? Can she easily remove her clothing? Can she get on and off the potty seat or chair without help? Encourage her to be as independent as possible. Show her you are proud of her efforts to be a "big girl".
Hang in there. Stay away from diapers and pull-ups, and before you know it she will have fewer and fewer accidents.
Good luck, and please give me an update from time to time.
Narmin |
|
