It's Potty Time!!!

I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would begin teaching my toddlers potty training, but since our age for our classroom is now 15 months to 2 and a half years  old. I get to embrace it with them. Now most of our toddlers have begun to show some of these signs between 18 and 24 months, although some may be ready earlier or later than that. And boys often start later and take longer to learn to use the potty than girls.

Instead of using age as a readiness indicator, look for other signs that your toddler may be ready to start heading for the potty, such as the ability to:

• follow simple instructions: (who wants to go potty? they either reply "yes" or "no") If they say "no" I don't push it I'll just ask again next time.
• understand words about the toileting process: (pull your pants down, for the boys: push your pee pee down, we work on wiping, flushing, and pulling up our pants.
• control the muscles responsible for elimination
• verbally express a need to go: This is a hit or miss topic, I'm usually asking them if they need to go potty but sometimes they do tell me.
• keep a diaper dry for 2 hours or more: This is a huge milestone, this means we can begin the process of potty training especially if they are showing an interest.
• get to the potty, sit on it, and then get off the potty: For our beginner potty tots, this is very exciting process for them we praise them and tell them they are such big kids. This is a step in the next direction.
• take off diapers, pulling down pull ups or underwear:  I've shown most of the potty tots how to take their diapers off, if they are having trouble I ask them can you tell me help please, and they do!
• show an interest in using the potty or wearing underpants: We ready many book about the potty. If your toddler has been consistently dry I will ask you to bring changes of underwear in to continue the potty training process. 

Here's is a potty chart I have created, I'm not quite done with it we will begin with the new charts next week I'll have them in a binder with our stickers and we will take it to the bathroom with us! And trust me when I say I have about every sticker they could imagine!