to. For all we know, he’s processing the information and at any
moment, he’ll discover the right order of things.
You will still be using diapers for naps and bedtime during Block
Two. Again, clearly state why the diaper is going on, and when it will
come off. You should still be praising or at least acknowledging what
your child is learning.
You may find that occasionally, upon prompting your child to use
the potty, you will be met with a clear, firm “No.” This is different
than resistance (which looks more like trying to put a cat in a bucket
of water). What I’m talking about here is a simple “No,” and when
you hear this from your child, you need to respect one of two things:
- She may not have to go. By the end of these first few days, you should have a handle
on her patterns and will pretty much know with at least some warning when she has
to pee. I say this because, again, you want to avoid hounding her. You want to
have at least a rough idea that she may have to go, so you’re met with success.
When a child says clearly that they don’t have to go, respect that. A phrase I
suggest is, “Okay, I trust you to come tell me when you do. I’ll be in the kitchen
when you need me.” Period. Notice I said “when,” not “if,” implying that this is
going to happen—it’s just a matter of time (a subtle shift in language). Don’t
belabor the point, just tell her where you’ll be, which is important because in the
beginning phases of training, she can’t hold it long enough to search for you around
the house. Another tactic is to say, “Well, let’s try. If nothing comes out, we can try
again later.” Don’t abuse this by trying every ten minutes. Every half hour or so
should yield a pee at some point. - Your child is really involved in something at the moment. When you want your child to
do something, say it clearly and give him time to process and respond. Many parents
say, “Come on, it’s time to go. I said come here. Now. Let’s go. Did you hear me?
Come on!” All this in a twenty-second time frame. It takes the average toddler
thirty seconds to hear, process, and respond. You need only say it once (of course,
after thirty seconds, your kid could just be digging his heels in and ignoring you).
We usually don’t like it when our toddlers demand we drop everything that second
to attend to them. We ask them to hold on and practice patience. Practice what
you preach. Give him the opportunity to finish up what he is doing. Most of the