Preparing the Environment

Preparing both the child and the environment for “potty training” gives clarity to the new expectation.

• Start reading books that introduce the child to the topic of “potty mastery.”
• Have the child accompany the adult on a trip to the shopping mall to purchase underpants.
• Pack up daytime diapers so they are no longer visible or available to the child.
• Put underpants in a convenient, easily accessible, child-friendly place.
• Transform or remove the changing table so it is no longer associated with diapering.
• Have a small “potty chair” available n the bathroom along with a potty ring for the regular size toilet. Keep a step stool by the big toilet for the child’s feet, (it is easier for a child to bear down when having a bowel movement with feet firmly planted.)  Allow the child to experiment with these various options to determine what is most comfortable.

Children can more clearly understand what is expected of them when adult language is congruent with what children see and experience.