Your child is going to need you more than an older child would. You
will prompt on those easy catches I’ve referred to several times. You
must keep in mind that you will be responsible for your child peeing
more than the parent of a two-year-old would be. Your child will get it
and will eventually initiate, but they will need more help.
On That Note, While Potty Training, Teach Your Child to Get You for Help
Charlene, a mom I just recently worked with, figured out her
nineteen-month-old would say “up.” Charlene thought she wanted to
get up in her arms. She was half right. Her daughter wanted up to be
carried to the potty. It only took Charlene two times of being peed on
before she figured it out.
A Little Potty Chair Is Essential
BabyBjörn makes a great one. Companies that specialize in EC gear
have very small potties available. These should be easy for your child
either to sit on or to back themselves onto. It’s pretty vital to have a
little chair available. I often get some version of this: “We don’t
really like the little potty chair. We prefer he learn right on the big
toilet, since that’s where he’ll be going.” That’s okay, I guess, but my
question is, “Don’t you want him to be able to go on his own?”
Until your child can physically maneuver onto the big toilet
safely, he’s going to need your help. I think it’s well worth the twenty
dollars to get the little potty. Soon enough, he’ll move to the big