Some mums stay home for a week to teach toilet habits, while others fit it around their everyday life. Whatever your potty-training path, take note of these pointers.

1. Dress your toddler

Choose clothing that’s easy to remove, in case she needs to use the potty urgently.

2. Establish a routine

Pick specific times, such as immediately after she gets up, after a meal, before she gets in the car or goes to bed. Or sit her on the potty at regular intervals, for example, every 40 minutes.

3. Help her relax

Reading her a book, singing a song or chatting while she sits on the potty.

4. Don’t force her

If your kewpie wants to get up even after not doing a pee, praise her for trying.

5. Praise her

When she does her first pee or poo on the potty. You can even reward her with a gold sticker.

6. Remember that accidents do happen

Don’t punish her for them and always have a spare change of clothes ready.

7. Make hand-washing part of the toilet routine

Use colourful soaps in funky shapes and have a step stool ready by the basin for her to stand on.

8. Be patient

Keep it light-hearted and relaxed. If your toddler does have an accident, just say, “Oh you’ve done a poo/pee, next time you can try doing it on the potty, okay?”

9. Be resourceful

Use engaging potty-training tools during the process to ease your way, while making it much more fun for your tyke.

10. Motivate your sweetie

Download free Disney Cars, Princesses and Toy Story-design reward charts, door handle hangers and completed-the-job certificates at www.pottytraining.co.uk, or buy potty-reward sticker books at www.pottytrainingconcepts.com.

Photo: INGimages

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