In a gathering we attended a couple of weeks ago, an acquaintance asked me if Kristoff is still wearing a diaper. When I told her yes, she looked a little bit surprised saying that her daughter had stopped using diaper even at night a few months after she turned one.
I felt a little pressured and guilty at first because Kristoff is already 1 year and 5 months old and yet, I haven't tried potty training him. I had to remind myself that each child is different and I must allow his normal pace of development and not to put pressure on him.
But still, it led me to search for help in potty training my toddler. Just this week, I notice significant changes in his overall development. I could account it to our vacation in La Castellana where he collected a lot of cognitive stimulation.
Here are the things I've noticed in him recently:
1. Whenever he feels like defecating, he would say "uh-uh" and touch his diaper area.
2. He knows how to obey simple orders like "don't touch", "press a button".
3. He engages in our conversation, only that his words are incomprehensible. He talks in long sentences though and when he repeats them twice, they are still the same pattern of sounds. This made us believe that he must be talking in sentences only that he can't utter words, only sounds.
Need not to say, these changes are also essential in engaging my son to potty training.
Need not to say, these changes are also essential in engaging my son to potty training.
Anyhow, I searched BabyCenter and found this checklist on a toddler's readiness in potty training.
Hmmm... let me assess my son's readiness.
Is coordinated enough to walk, and even run, steadily.
***Yes.
Urinates a fair amount at one time.
***Yes.
Has regular, well-formed bowel movements at relatively predictable times.
***He does have well-formed stools, yet his bowel schedule is still unpredictable.
Has "dry" periods of at least two hours or during naps, which shows that his bladder muscles are developed enough to hold urine.
***Yes.Sometimes at daytime, I don't make him wear his diaper especially when we're only staying at home. He can sleep for 2 hours without urinating.
Behavioral signs
Can sit down quietly in one position for two to five minutes.
***Yes! Especially when he's attentive to watching Lion King!
Can pull his pants up and down.
***Not yet.
Dislikes the feeling of wearing a wet or dirty diaper.
***Yes, he complains a lot when he has poop in his diaper or if the diaper is almost fully soaked.
Shows interest in others' bathroom habits (wants to watch you go to the bathroom or wear underwear).
***He loves going to the bathroom, maybe because he finds it really cool. And another reason may be he's observing what people do in the bathroom.
Gives a physical or verbal sign when he's having a bowel movement such as grunting, squatting, or telling you.
*** When he's going to poop, he says "uh-uh" and touches his diaper area. Yes!
Demonstrates a desire for independence.
***Not so much.
Takes pride in his accomplishments.
***I wish I can just paint his face every time his face lights up when he does something good and we give him our affirmation. So, yes!
Isn't resistant to learning to use the toilet.
***I think he isn't.
Is in a generally cooperative stage, not a negative or contrary one.
***Guess he's in the negative stage..or say 50/50. Sometimes, he's really cooperative and obedient.
Cognitive signs
Understands the physical signals that mean he has to go and can tell you before it happens or even hold it until he has time to get to the potty.
***Not yet.
Can follow simple instructions, such as "go get the toy."
***Yes.
Understands the value of putting things where they belong.
***Not so much!
Has words for urine and stool.
***Yep! For urine, it's "eeh" and for stool, it's "uh-uh".
Oh, and I guess we still have to wait for a little more time to finally get him into his official
potty training.
