Potty training can sometimes be a stressful time for both parent and child, but this needn’t be the case. The moment we become parents we enter a world where we are having unrealistic milestone targets shoved down our throats by other parents and I hate to say it, but sometimes professionals too. Our children are individuals, just as us adults are and no text book is going to be able to tell you when your child is or should be ready to be potty trained. The only person who is able to tell you that, is your child. Just because Joe Blogg’s child was apparently potty trained from birth it should not have any impact on your own child, too many parents use comparison, potty training is not a competition of who has the ‘best’ or most advanced child, this only brings about pressure on both you and your child which is never a good thing. Be proud that you don’t pressure your child but allow them to advance at their own pace.
According to experts, children can be fearful of using the potty/toilet because they view stools/urine as being a part of their body which we are asking them to flush away. So think of it like this, since birth you have had the comfort of a nappy close to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and for around 2/3 years! Suddenly, someone takes that away from you and tells you to do something which you have never done before and replaces that warm cosy nappy with an unappealing cold bit of plastic, not only that, they are asking you to flush part of your body down the toilet….if someone told me to flush my leg down the toilet i’d be pretty frightened too!
If your child is due to start nursery and they require them to be fully trained, challenge this as this is being dismissed by most nurseries now due to the pressures which parents and children are being put under.
So, unless your child is 4/5 years old or is displaying other developmental delays (in which case a professional opinion is recommended, if only for peace of mind)….relax, pressuring them will only cause delay, they will get there when they’re ready.