A few common potty training mistakes to avoid.  Dont:

Go compare

Us proud mums can be quite competitive over every aspect of our toddler’s development and the age at which potty training is achieved is no exception. Resist the temptation to compare your child’s development with that of other children. Don’t let friends and relatives add extra pressure with claims of having their children out of nappies at an early age.

Expect miracles

Toileting accidents may happen for up to six months after you think potty training’s finished. Be matter of fact about them and don’t worry what other people are thinking. React neutrally not negatively, clean them up and move on. Many parents who find they are struggling with potty training find that they started with expectations that were too high and have somehow passed on their disappointment to their child by making a big deal about accidents.

Start too early

Most children are dry by the age of three but if your child is not showing many signs of readiness, don’t get anxious. All children are different and are ready to learn at different stages and at different rates. Your toddler could pick up on your anxiety and associate it with the potty or the toilet in general.

Rush it

Potty training is something you need to take at your child’s pace, not yours so if you have a deadline in mind, change it. If you want to get your child potty trained before a big change, such as the birth of a sibling or a holiday, make sure there’s enough time before. If there isn’t, leave it until afterwards.

Wrinkle your nose

If our child proudly shows you a poo he’s done in his potty, don’t be negative about the smell. There’s no harm teaching your toddler about toilet hygiene or that poo and wee are not to be touched, but don’t go overboard and make them embarrassed or ashamed.

Fail to prepare

In the early months after starting training you’ll need to plan trips and outings quite carefully. Pack your bag with wipes, changes of clothes and plastic bags to carry soiled pants in. Think about staying within easy reach of a toilet or taking a travel potty with you. Some toddlers don’t like to sit on strange toilets so a travel potty might be a good option if this is the case.

Be negative

Potty training works best with positive reinforcement. The trick is to big up potty successes and play down potty accidents. Use a reward chart to track the times when your child does a wee or poo in the potty or toilet. Don’t give them big black marks for accidents.

A mum’s view

Janine, mum of Jessica says:
“Don’t forget how boring it can be stuck on the loo, especially if things aren’t moving avery quickly. Jessica couldn’t stay put for more than a couple of minutes used to get up before she’d done anything. I started a little pile of books next to her potty that she would only read on the potty. This helped her pass the time.”

The expert view

Dr Tanya Byron, Clinical Psychologist and Child Mental health specialist says:
“Training your child to use the toilet is like teaching her a healthy sleep pattern or good table manners. Be clear about what you want in a relaxed way, use incentives and praise to motivate her and ignore mistakes. The more negative your response the harder you will find potty training.”