A child who rejects any form of potty training can cause a lot of frustration to parents. Here are five tips on how to potty train a child who simply refuses to do the deed.
1. Get rid of diapers
The first thing to do when a parent decides to potty-train a child is to get rid of diapers. Doing this may create a lot of accidents at first, which may require a lot of patience and cleaning.
Some children need to get a sense of what an accident feels like with the feelings of cold and wetness, according to Livestrong. Once this happens, kids would be more likely to use the potty when they are about to feel an accident coming.
2. Do not punish
For some children, punishment would make them even more stubborn and resistant, according to Modern Mom. Criticizing and getting mad a child for not using the potty properly can be emotionally damaging to a kid later on.
3. Make it comfortable and convenient
A reason why a child may reject potty training is because he or she is not comfortable in the bathroom environment. Adult size toilets can be quite intimidating for a small child that is only starting to use one for the first time.
Consider purchasing a child-sized toilet to make potty time more comfortable. Aside from a potty training seat, a small step stool can also help make a child more comfortable.
4. Make time for potty sessions
Potty training takes a lot of work as some parents even take their child to the potty every 30 minutes. As a child tries to learn the signals that he or she needs to use the toilet, he may be more likely to ask help going to the toilet later on.
5. Give rewards
Set up a reward system for every time a child successfully goes to the toilet. A kid who soils on himself on the way to the potty should still be rewarded as well for trying.
The reward can be as simple as a trophy sticker or a yummy piece of cookie. Rewards can also come in the form of verbal praise or hugs.
