A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, "where mother is." Keith L. Brooks
Productive and Positive Potty Training


Your child's showing all the signs of being ready to potty train. That's great! But now, where do you start?

Explain to your toddler that going potty is a normal process of life and everyone does it, even animals. Talk with them about the toilet, a special place where they can potty just like the big kids. Tell him how the potty works and let him try flushing himself. Explain that they will be wearing underwear and not diapers. Find some educational and entertaining videos of their favorite characters learning to go potty. Be sure to involve other family members in the process and emphasize the importance of consistency during this process.

Make a special trip to the store and purchase new underwear with your toddler. Let them have a voice in what you get. The underwear will have much more significance if your toddler helped choose them.

Overalls, pants with lots of buttons, snaps or zips, tight or restrictive clothing and oversized shirts will all be an obstacle to your child during this process. Put these kinds of clothes away for the time being.

Decide whether or not you're going to use pull-ups, training pants or regular underwear and try to stick with this decision so your child has consistency and isn't confused. Think about whether or not you want to use rewards or not. Figure out a strategy on how to handle potty issues when you're away from home.

If your child is in child care, ask your provider for their advice and make sure there aren't any hard and fast rules the center or caregiver has in place that may be an issue. Let them know that you're going to start and enlist their help with the process.

Praise your child for each successful trip to the potty, and comfort them when accidents happen and try to remain patient and calm when they do. Avoid using candy or other treats as reinforcement. Let them know that it will take a while to get the hang of using the potty, and encourage and praise each attempt they make. With consistency, encouragement and praise, they'll soon be completely trained.

Parenting Adolescent

Small projects are the best to start off with in the beginning.



These young children may blur the distinction between reality and fantasy.
Violent, disruptive or defiant behaviors can result. Encourage your child to make positive choices. It is the responsibility of the parent to emphasize positive patterns of communication and ensure the child learns that ignoring communication is not acceptable. Children instinctively want to please their parents and make them proud.

During the first three years of life, the brain goes through its most rapid development ever, the likes of which will never been experienced again.
This teaches your child that you are not only their parent, but your own person with your interests and needs, and also gives them a chance to show you how well they can do without you with them for a while. Sing some favorite silly songs on the way to daycare, or make that drive to and from school a great opportunity to discuss what's happening in your child's life. Be available to your child to provide guidance, support and encouragement. Above all, be a positive role model for your child, as their strongest educator is your example. Responding also gives you an opportunity to work out a solution or a plan of action with your child that perhaps they would not have come up with on their own. In addition, if there are disagreements regarding discipline or other parenting issues, they are best resolved when the child is not present.