The No-cry Potty Training Solution (23 page)

Bathroom Safety

167

Mother-Speak

“We were visiting my mother-in-law and Jessie went off to the bathroom. I was busy helping to prepare dinner but suddenly realized that he’d been gone quite a long time. I found him in the bathroom, happily sorting all of Grandma’s pills in colorful little piles. We had no idea if he’d put any of them into his mouth, so we had to spend a tense and frightening night at the hospital while his vital signs were monitored. It turns out that he didn’t take any of the pills, but it was still one of the scariest days of my life.”

—Karen, mother of three-year-old Jessie

9 The toilet bowl is like an open bucket of water—

it is a drowning hazard. If you have younger children in the house, or young children who visit, keep the bathroom door closed with a childproof knob, or install a toilet seat latch. (These can be opened by an older child or an adult but not a toddler or a baby.)

9 Accompany your child whenever he uses bath-

rooms away from home, including in public rest-

rooms and family homes—counting grandparents’

homes, too. Many people have poisonous prod-

ucts, medications without childproof caps, electrical hazards, and any number of other safety hazards you may be unaware of.

9 Pay attention to any hazards brought into your home by guests, who may put medications or other 168

The No-Cry Potty Training Solution

dangerous items on the counters or in the wastebasket.

9 Install smoke detectors and change batteries

regularly.

9 Install a childproof night-light that is cool to the touch.

9 Vacuum or sweep the bathroom floor frequently.

9 Learn first aid and CPR. Classes are available through agencies such as the Red Cross, the

American Heart Association, the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, fire departments, and hospitals. Keep emergency phone numbers written down on or

near your telephones.

9 If your child spends time at day care or with a child care provider, a babysitter, a grandparent, or anyone else, insist that safety guidelines are followed in that environment also.

9 Your entire home—not just your bathroom—

should be safe for your child. Consider hiring a specialized company to help you childproof your home.

Index

Accidents

pre-potty training and, 47–48

avoiding, 9, 154–55

suggested reading, 81

excessive, 109–12

usefulness of, 80

normal progress and, 94–95

Bowel movements

Adult toilet seat, 52, 55

constipation, 9, 112–17, 147,

Advice, unwanted, 143–45

158

Age, child’s

diet and, 9, 24, 114

independence at four
, 3, 24

family words for
, 43

readiness and, 1, 2, 143–45

fecal soiling, 158

American Urological Association,

frequency of, 2, 23

154

holding, 112–17

Attitude, parent’
s, 51, 52, 61

playing with poop, 145–46

predictability of, 28

Bad language, 139–40

signals for
, 68

Bathroom humor
, 139–40

wiping after
, 74–76, 156–57

Bathroom safety

Boys

checklist, 165–68

bed-wetting and, 98

importance of, 163–65

penis handling, 155–56

Bathrooms

refining aim, 140–42

child-friendly
, 65–66

tips on, 86–88

fascination with, 150–51

Buttocks, words for
, 43

in public places, 89, 127–32

Bedtime, 67, 151–52

Car travel, 7, 66–67, 126–27

Bed-wetting

Celebrations and rewards

helpful tips on, 101–3

stickers, 91

medical help for
, 8, 103–4

treasure box, 91–92

nighttime diapers and, 67

usefulness of, 90, 149–50

quick guide, 8

Child-friendly bathroom, 65–66

reasons for
, 22–23, 99

Child-led decisions, 18–19

shame, punishment, and, 97–99

Child’
s learning style, 50

solution for
, 100

Chitchat and singing, 83–84, 116,

when to go diaperless, 100

137

worries over
, 104

Choices, offering, 77–78

Bladder infections, 103, 142–43

Clothing, 62–63

Bladder size and bed-wetting, 8, 99

Cole, Joanna, 81

Bladder-stretching exercises,

Comparison of potty chairs and

154–55

potty seats, 54–56

Book reading during potty time, 82

Constipation

Books for children

exercise and, 24, 114

custom potty book, 80–82

fecal soiling and, 158

on poop, 117

picky eaters and, 147

169

170

Index

solutions for
, 9, 114

Expectations, parent’
s, 11, 14, 67

as toilet training roadblock,

Expenses, toilet training, 21

112–17

Cost of potty training, 21

Facts, potty training, 1–3, 21–24

Fathers and daughters, 127–29

Day care, 10, 138–39

Father-Speak

Decisions

on one-day training, 18

all-or
-nothing, 20–21

on twins, 133

child-led, 18–19

Fecal soiling, 158

offering choices, 77–78

First aid, 168

Demonstrations

First Experiences: It’s Potty Time
, 81

privacy and, 79

Flatulence, words for
, 43

value of, 44–45

Flushing

Diapers.
See also
Training pants

automatic, 130

changing, 31

fear of, 123–25

disposables, 65

readiness and, 30

nighttime, 67, 100

Freestanding potty chair
, 54

Diet and constipation, 9, 114

Directions, following, 46–47

Games, 78–79

Disabilities, children with, 134–38

Gerberding, Dr
. Julie, 93

Disposable pull-up pants, 57–58,

Germs

65

hand washing and, 92

Disruptions, household, 32–33

on toilet seats, 11

Doctor
, when to call, 120–21,

Girls

142–43

fathers and daughters, 127–29

Doctor
-Speak, 97

training time and, 87

Dolls, potty
, 18, 21, 58, 85–86

Gomi, T
aro, 117

Drowning hazards, 167

Goo
dman, Susan E., 117

Dry runs, 73–74

Grandfather
-Speak, 62

Ground-fault circuit interrupters

Electrical outlets, 165, 166

(GFCI), 166

Elimination communication (EC),

16–17, 144

Hand washing, 7, 92–94

Embarrassing bathroom questions,

Hartung, Susan Kathleen, 117

156

Humor
, bathroom, 139–40

Encopresis (fecal soiling), 158

Enuresis

Ideas, potty training

helpful tips on, 101–3

boys and, 7, 86–88

medical help for
, 8, 103–4

choices, 77–78

quick guide, 8

demonstrations, 44–45, 79

reasons for
, 22–23, 99

dolls, 18, 21, 58, 85–86

shame and, 97–99

games, 78–79

solution for
, 100

hand washing, 7, 92–94

when to go diaperless, 100

introduction to the potty
, 71–74

worries over
, 104

patience, 51, 52, 61, 96

Everyone Poops
, 117

poster
, 84–85

Exercise and constipation, 24, 114

practice and success, 89

Index

171

praise, 95–96

reasons for bed-wetting, 22–23,

prizes, 90–92

99

reading materials, 80–82

shame and, 97–99

routines, 76–77

when to go diaperless, 100

storytelling and singing, 83–84,

worries over
, 104

137

Nudity
, 63–65

wiping lessons, 74–76, 156–57

Identifying the act, 39–40

One-day training, 17–18

Imitation of others

Outdoor porta-potties, 131–32

demonstrations, 44–45, 79

readiness and, 29–30

Pants, removing, 62–63

Independence

Pants, training, 21, 57–58, 65

promoting, 6, 47

Parent

readiness and, 31–32

attitude of, 51, 52, 61

Introducing the potty

as decision maker
, 18–19

dry runs, 73–74

expectations of, 11, 14, 67

ideas for
, 71–73

patience of, 51, 52, 61, 96

just sitting there, 73

role of, 25, 27

It’s Potty Time
, 125

as teacher
, 23

Patience, 51, 52, 61, 96

Jokes, toilet-related, 139–40

Penis

Juice, 114

boy’
s handling of, 7, 155–56

family words for
, 43

Magic T
wo, 51–52, 61

refining aim, 140–42

Markes, Julie, 117

Photos, custom book of, 80–82

Mayer
, Amanda, 117

Plumbing fixture showroom, 125

Medications in bathroom, 165,

Poisons in bathroom, 163, 166,

166, 167

167

Mother-Speak

Portable toilets, 131–32

on bathroom hazards, 167

Poster, potty
, 84–85

on patience, 96

Potty chairs

on potty dance, 77

comparison of, 54–56

on potty songs, 137

shopping for
, 21, 52–53

Musical potties, 58

splash guards for
, 53, 56

My Big Boy Potty
, 81

two homes and, 125–26

My Big Girl Potty
, 81

when to buy
, 45–46

where to put, 59–60

Naps, 67

Potty doll, 18, 21, 58, 85–86

National Kidney Foundation, 8,

Potty humor
, 139–40

103, 104

Potty learning versus potty

New bathrooms, 150–51

training, 19–20

Night-lights, 168

Potty poster
, 84–85

Nighttime dryness

Potty Prize T
reasure Box, 91–92

bed-wetting quick guide, 8

Potty seats

helpful tips on, 101–3

comparison of, 54–56

medical help and, 8, 103–4

portable, 57

nighttime diapers and, 67

Potty Time!
, 81

172

Index

Potty training

readiness and, 6

cost of, 21

training pants, 21, 57–58, 65

day care and, 10, 138–39

Potty words

facts, 1–3, 21–24

bad language, 139–40

gradualness of, 13–14

descriptive, 5, 42

mastery of, 26

family words, 43

nighttime dryness and, 20,

teaching, 42, 44

22–23

Practice and success, 89

parent’
s expectations and, 11, 14

Praise, 7, 95–96

potty learning versus, 19–20

Pre-potty training

quick guide to, xiii, 1–11

buying potty chair
, 45–46

readiness quiz, 3–5, 27–38

following directions, 46–47

time required for
, 2, 7, 20

identifying the act, 39–40

Potty training ideas

keeping it natural, 40–42

boys and, 7, 86–88

moving on from, 48

choices, 77–78