Potty Training a toddler

Hi friends,

It should be true that girls learn this faster than the boys. I had lots and lots of problems with my son too and at last he is okay now. In general, doctor said to me that we have to train the kids sometimes in such a way that it is told casually but firmly and at the same time not giving too much of stress to the point. My son was too shy to tell that he wanted to pee or poop outside especially and even at home at times. I had really a very very tough time. He made accidents in the school feeling shy to tell that he wanted to poop even. This really frustrated me and all my advises were of no use. So I finally gave up my advising and taught him how to clean all by himself. Now he is five years old and he is confident of cleaning all by himself with a paper towel. I have also told him "If anybody comes into the bath room, just close your eyes so that you wont see anybody(???!!!)". Now he is very happy and I am relieved.

raji

While we are on this subject,I have a question.It is very silly and quite delicate at the same time that I am really not confident to ask...but it is in my mind for a long time and I really want to get it out.

We (Indians) use water to clean ourselves after using the toilet whereas here,they use paper towels.I find the idea of using paper towels very filthy and I am sure many Indians feel the same.Nowadays,when training my son to clean himself,I am training him to clean with a paper towel because I believe in 'do in Rome as Romans do'.Even then,after that,I do end up washing him because I still feel he is not clean enough.

I tell him that if he poops in school,he has to use a papertowel since there is no water available!! But at home,water is there so you have to wash!!Ofcourse,before leaving for school in the morning,he generally finishes all his toilet rounds and so till date he has never gone poo in school. But I know that as he ages,he might shift to the paper towel fully(if we are going to continue in the U.S) because that is what he sees in school.That is one thing which I am concerned about.

What do the other moms here do?

Yes, you are right sunitha. I also do washing my son with water. But just to make him confident and shed his shyness, I was forced to teach him. If he says that he pooped in school, I will clean him with water at home for sure. He should have that practice according to me as we are planning to return back to India after some time. We do not have any paper towels there (!!??!!) ... Let us seefor more replies from other moms...

What we NRI moms go through . Sunitha , your post had me laughing. Anyway, on a serious note: I go with water all the way . Both my kids have their bowel movements at regular times, So all done before going to school. The older one can clean himself up well with H2O, and i am teaching the younger one now! They are too finicky to use the toilets in school to go potty. So don't have that worry for now.

But yes i too feel that Water is better than paper( after all we do preserve trees dont we by using water? )

Vandhana

Hi Sunitha, my son who is 5 yrs old who goes to kinder garten uses paper towels as usual but at the end uses one or two wipes to clean it..i always
carry some wipes in the ziploc bag if we go out for trips...they comes very
handy to wipe hands while we are driving if they messes up after eating canday
or something also..

Dear Sunitha,
wow, you are a super mom. I too used to get up in the night to take my son to the toilet and thus he was trained by the time he was 3- he never wet his bed after that age. Yes, we mothers have to be very patient always. But with the availability of diapers, women here are becoming lazy.
Oh, I have been having this doubt about using water in the other countries. Doubt cleared. We Indians consider clean only after water wash, Keralites-too much water.
It must be also different while taking bath- I hear that one has to stand inside the bath tub and take a bath or shower. No bucket and mug. There was an article about the plastic mug in the Week 2 years before. How we cannot do with out the mug, wherever in the world we are.
When we went to Chandigarh last year, the hotel toilet was not to be made wet. So we had a shower inside the bathtub.

hi,
all the views shared in this thread really made me feel tht there r other ilites who do hav similar thinking.using of papper towel really makes me feel yucks.....
i do hav an 18 mth old daughter whom i hav put on potty training.at first she was not comfortable with the idea nor did i hav much patience.but gradually i hav noticed her signs bfore pee n poo n make her go 2 the potty seat.but the time interval is generally 20 -25 min as i hav noticed.
even though she doesnt speak sentences she manages 2 tell with baby talk.
but still i know there is a long way 2 go................
raji.

Hi Priya,
The earlier the training is started, the better. Even now it is not too late for your kid. But do start with true earnest. The older they get the more difficult it becomes to train them.I do not want to write about the training part since quite a lot of ilites have given their suggestions. Wish you all the best and success in your endeavour !(and hope I have not created an anxiety in you).
Rgds,
Malathi

Originally Posted by Priya Amarnath

Hai everyone

I am Priya living in CO, USA. I am a mom of a baby boy who will turn two next month, I am planning to start training him potty.

I need help from mothers who have trained their kids. Please feel free to share your ideas with me

Regards
priya

hi priya,this is uma from CA,US.i just happened 2 see ur worry thru ur question...
i have a 3 year old boy.my son never used 2 do potty in the toilet when we were in mumbai,India.i tried a lot 2 convince him 2 sit on the commode,but all in vain..then i purchased a potty for him,but that 2 was a waste.i was so tensed because i had 2 move 2 US in a few days time.i let him go with his wish not 2 sit on the commode.
i know that the above lines would be a great disappointment 4 u,but m happy 2 tel u that the day i reached here in US,my son started sitting on the commode still holding my hand n scared.then day by day his mind got set n hes happy now 2 sit on the commode n he likes 2 flush by himself.

by sharing my story with u,my only advice is that we should never force children 2 do anything as per our wish,,we should give them their own time 2 know 4 them selves n accept the fact.i promise u that if u tell him that he can flush the tank by himself,he'll be happy.
dont worry,be happy is what i can say.

be patient n soon u can see the changes in ur son's behaviour in a few days time.

its just my feelings that i thought of sharing with u.dont feel bad.it really works.ALL THE BEST.

TAKE CARE
hope 2 hear good news abt ur son's achievement in potty training.

Ofcourse India has caught up with the west in most of the things except the good ones! Here too there are paper towels available in departmental stores.But I wonder how many Indians have started using them except, may be the elites in our society. So you need not worry about the availibility of paper towels here!
Rgds,
Malathi

Originally Posted by rajisri1

Yes, you are right sunitha. I also do washing my son with water. But just to make him confident and shed his shyness, I was forced to teach him. If he says that he pooped in school, I will clean him with water at home for sure. He should have that practice according to me as we are planning to return back to India after some time. We do not have any paper towels there (!!??!!) ... Let us seefor more replies from other moms...