How to Potty Train
How to Potty Train is an easy-to-use and beautifully illustrated book that is full of common-sense tips to make potty training easier. The book guides parents through each stage of potty training and combines fun sections for kids with advice for parents, so that they can learn together.
Why is it important when you are potty training to change your child’s nappy in the bathroom?
When you are preparing to start potty training, it’s important to change your child’s nappy in the bathroom to remind them that wee and poo belong there. When children are wearing a nappy they can wee and poo anywhere – they need to start to understand that grown-ups only use the bathroom, and that is what they will do too.
Why are accidents a key to learning?
Parents shouldn’t see accidents as a sign of failure. They are a key part of learning as children may not have felt the difference between wet and dry in their nappy. In fact, young children can only feel that they need the toilet when their bladder is about ¾ full, and so accidents are likely to be large and there will be less time to react. Children get better at predicting and holding on as their bladder and their brains connect and mature.
Why is it important to aim any accident anger at the product of it rather than the child?
It’s unlikely that the child will have had an accident on purpose, so getting cross will not help. But accidents can be frustrating, so a good tip is to aim that frustration at the naughty wee or poo and get the child to join in. It will help to reassert what is expected next time and that they are not to blame.
Please tell us about the night time reading section at the back of the book.
Once children have mastered day time potty training, they are ready to tackle night time potty training and there are simple steps to take to make this more successful, including limiting drinks in the early evening and making sure the potty is by the bed or easily accessible and well lit as some children are frightened to get up go to the toilet at night. The Night-Time section includes a lovely potty training ‘bedtime story’ to read together to help to explain what is expected, as well as lots of tips.
Why is potty training one of the most stressful stages of parenting?
In our research, parents told us that they found potty training one of the most stressful stages of parenting. This is because, as the child is learning, it can be messy and tiring (with extra changing and washing) and can be particularly stressful when you are out and about.
Why is it important to get the child involved with this book?
For potty training to be successful it’s important that the child understands what is expected and the ‘read together’ stories are a fun way of making sure they know what they are trying to do.
Please tell us about the ‘How my body works’ section of the book.
This section explains why what goes in must come out - how food and water go into our bodies and then once the body has used the best bits, the rest travels down and comes out as poo or wee. It also gives ideas for foods to help keep the bladder and bowel healthy and so keep potty training on track.
What was the process of collating all the information for the book like?
Collating information for the book was like rediscovering everything we had learnt over the last five years - it made us realise just how many parents and experts we had spoken to and how the solution was actually always the same.
What is next for you?
For us it's growing our brand and even more books perhaps - we also have ambitions abroad.