Toilet Training Girls

by Emily
(NZ)

Encouragement, praise and a relaxed attitude is definitely a good approach.

I put a potty in our bathroom when my daughter was about 1 so she was very familiar with it when the time came to try and use it. I tried to always change her nappy in the bathroom so she could connect the two together.

When my second child was born we obviously spent a lot of time at home and it became the perfect time to really toilet train. And it was spring so I knew coming into summer would be so much easier. She could have lots of time with nappies off. She was thrilled to be getting so much positive attention whenever she went to the toilet and thought it was all great fun. There was no pressure which I think is the big key. She actually trained herself.

A lot of girls are very independent so she actually really liked going to the toilet on her own with the door open and then I would follow in to help. She definitely liked to initiate it and I wouldn't really reccommend physically lifting a child onto the toliet unless they have verbalised the need to go.
By the time toilet training really started she wanted to use the toilet as had already had so much time playing with the potty so we then progressed to a seat and a step.

She very quickly stopped wearing nappies at night and we only ever had two wet beds. You just have to make sure your child goes to the toilet straight before bed and if they have a bottle or drink make sure it is well before they go to bed.

I never realised that a lot of toddlers stay wearing nappies at night for a long time even though they wear underpants throughout the day. I wonder if a lot of it is because of habit. As soon as we had a week of dry nappies we stopped using them and I did do it very soon after she began wearing underpants during the day so it seemed like it was all connected.

Don't use pull ups, they just confuse the child. Are they underpants or nappies? Why is okay to wet a nappy but not underpants? Best advice is to start slowly; nappies off at home but not when you go out and then do small outings without nappies on. Just take lots of spare underpants and a change of clothes. And if they do have an accident remember that is all it is - an accident.