To make the process of toilet training look simple and normal for your child, you have to first facilitate and ensure that he feels (a) safe and (b) comfortable. This is where the two tips for successful toilet training comes in very handy.
Unless and until your child feels safe and comfortable, he wouldn’t be able to relax his muscles, especially his pelvic floor muscles, which is what enables the biological process of excretion. To go a step further, unless he feels safe and comfortable, it is impossible to even initiate him into toilet training!
To ensure that your child feels both safe and comfortable on the toilet seat, you need to:
1. Reduce The Size of The Toilet Seat
Adult toilet seats, as you know, are simply too big for your little one. Unless he puts his hands by their side and pushes himself up, he wouldn’t be able to stay above toilet bowl.
If you observe him closely when he is seated on the adult toilet set with his hands by the side, you will notice that he is automatically clenching his thighs and tightening his pelvic floor muscles. This makes it really difficult for him to pee or poo, and may over a period of time; may lead to fissures or even chronic constipation.
The best way to reduce the overall size of the toilet seat and make your little one feel safe and comfortable, is to use a family style toilet seat. It can be easily be replaced with the existing one you currently have, and comes with a child toilet seat that sits within the seat. All you need to do is pull the child seat when your little one needs to use it.
Portable Toilet Seat Reducer Rings Vs Child Toilet Seat
A portable toilet seat reducer ring can be functionally unstable, as can bend and tilt. This may often cause kids to experience a pinch on their bottom, therefore making them uncomfortable. Most of all, it makes them feel unsafe, as it keeps shifting and wobbling.
A family style toilet seat on the other hand is quite sturdy. It doesn’t shift around when they are getting onto the toilet seat or even when they are sitting on it. That’s why kids feel safe with the family style toilet seat. Best of all, it enables them to really relax their pelvic muscles enough to complete their task comfortably.
Last but never the least, it’s really easy to clean the child toilet seat, because you anyway end up cleaning it when you’re cleaning the toilet seat in general.
Before getting into the 2nd tip, you have to remember that the second of the 2 tips for successful toilet training doesn’t work if the first one is not implemented.
2. Provide Foot Support
To start with, providing foot support is going to make it easier for your child to get on-and-off the toilet independently. But more importantly, it is going to make sure that your child’s knees are higher than the level of his hips, which makes his task technically and functionally easy.
If a child’s knees are lower than the hips, it will make them sit in such a way that their rectum tends to be twisted or curved, as there’s a muscle that is wrapping around it to keep the digested materials in.
To dispose the digested materials off, the seated position of your child should be such that his knees are at a slightly higher level than their hips. This makes it easier for him to lean a little forward and rest his elbows on his legs, which in turn will relax the muscles around the rectum and dispose it off without any strain.
Best Step Stool for Kids
Wooden step stools with two steps, especially the ones that come with a handle, are the best step stool for kids rather than the one’s made out of plastic.
Generally, the wooden step stool for kids are far heavier than the plastic ones, therefore making them less likely to wobble or tip over when your child is walking up the step to get onto the toilet seat.
Since they don’t wobble, your child feels a lot safer and confident, especially while turning after reaching the toilet seat and just before sitting on it.
The handle in the wooden step stool is functionally useful in two more ways. One, it helps your child to lean forward and hold on to them for extra stability. Two, it can also help in making it easier for you to get him cleaned.
Conclusion
Because of the seemingly simple nature of the 2 important tips for successful toilet training, many if not most parents do not take up the commitment to follow and execute both the tips.
Not making use of the tips may delay their child learning to use the toilet by months – sometimes even by a year if not more!
But if you are someone who does take up the commitment to use the tips, it not only makes your child ready to take care of himself as regards the natural everyday task, that too sooner than most kids; it also enables you to save a lot of time from your busy daily schedule.
Also Read : 8 Effective Ways to Potty Train Your Child Quickly
Disclaimer: The content in this page and across this website are for informational and educational purposes only. In case of any concerns about your child’s growth and development, please contact your professional child healthcare provider.
