Many potty training methods recommend going straight from diaper to toilet. Even if your child knows how to do his big ones on the potty he might be afraid of the toilet. Teaching the child how to sit on the toilet demands some patience and good tricks. Don’t panic if your child says no to the toilet. Sooner or later she will want to do it just like everyone else!
Sitting on a Toilet
For a small child it can be quite scary to sit on a toilet. It is high up and it is harder to keep the balance than on a potty. To make the seat more comfortable for a child you can get simple inserts that makes the seat of the toilet suitable to your child’s size. There are plush ones that give your child a soft cushion to sit on. These inserts are easy to clean but if you are potty training a boy you need to be prepared for number one to end up opposite the toilet as he learns how to sit on it.
Fear of letting go
It is quite common that kids fear letting the number 2 go into the toilet. This is a natural process that you can help them through by numerous tricks. One thing you can try is to put plastic wrap across the toilet. This is a prank that some people like to pull on public toilets since the plastic wrap is hard to see. You want to have the wrap over the toilet but a bit looser so that it still can catch the mess. When your child sees the plastic she might feel easier about letting go since it won’t fall far down into the toilet.
Learning how to sit
In many cases children feel awkward about sitting down for number 2. This is especially so with boys. If you child needs to learn how to sit on a toilet you should practice it when there is no pressure to actually go. Read a book on the toilet and try to show your child that it is a safe and comfortable place to sit. Girls have the advantage of sitting down for number 1 and boys can actually benefit from starting this way since it makes the number 2 on the toilet easier.
Another nice thing to try when you want your child to learn how to sit on a toilet is to get the potty training seats with latters. This type of insert for the toilet gives the child a place to put the feet and also handles to hold on to. It is a great tool for potty training and your child might use it for comfort as long as the toilet feels like a tall chair.