Potty Training Tips for Families with Nannies

When you’re the primary childcare provider for a child, you simply start potty training when you feel it’s the right time. However, when you share the day in and day out caregiving responsibilities, potty training has to be a team effort.

Before starting to potty train, the adults who will be responsible for toilet training should have an in-depth conversation about it. During this conversation parents and nannies should discuss if the child is showing signs of readiness, when potty training will be started and what approach to potty training should be taken. Most importantly, parents and nannies must commit to the toilet training process for it to be effective. If everyone commits to the process, yet only the nanny falls through during the week, frustration for everyone will ensue.

While children are typically ready to potty train between the ages of two and three, there are other indicators that that are far more reliable than her age. Children who show signs of potty training readiness seem interested in using the potty or at least in wearing underwear. They also tend to complain about being in dirty or wet diapers and indicate when they need to use the toilet or have just soiled their diaper.

When determining when to start potty training, you’ll want to be sure there are no major changes in the routine or environment coming up, like a move, a vacation or the birth of a new sibling. When you start potty training life should be stable and the child’s routine should be consistent. It’s always a good idea to only introduce one major change to a child at a time.

Before starting to potty train, you’ll want to be sure to have a positive attitude along with the right supplies. You’ll need patience and a sense of humor to survive the process. Accidents will happen. You’ll also need a stool, a potty chair or potty seat and underwear.

You can start the potty training process by having the child sit on the potty a several times per day and rushing to the potty if you notice she has to go. It’s also okay to offer incentives, like one M&M for sitting on the potty and two for using it. If you don’t like the idea of using candy, a sticker reward chart can work just as well.

When the child does use the potty successfully, you’ll need to be ready to do your best potty dance and sing you best potty song. You can’t offer too much encouragement or praise.

If potty training becomes frustrating and the source of a power struggle, take a break and try again in a few weeks. Children should never be shamed for not using the potty.

While it can be frustrating to go through the potty training process with no progress, try to give your child, your nanny and yourself a break. When children are ready and willing to use the potty, the process is a whole lot less stressful for everyone.

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