Girls can be ready to potty train earlier than boys but are often also more sensitive to accidents. Simone Cave offers some top tips from her recent book, Potty Training Girls the easy way.
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Be patient – wait until your daughter is ready and the process will be swift with no tears. The average age for girls to begin potty training is around two and a quarter (two and a half for boys). But some little girls aren’t ready until they are nearly three.
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Look out for signs that she’s ready including: Her bladder muscles are mature – going for a up to three hours without weeing. She’s aware that she’s doing a wee or poo – she’ll tell you that she’s going or that her nappy is wet or soiled. She’s happy to have a go at sitting on a potty. She’s interested in other people going to the toilet.
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Be prepared to abandon potty training after a couple of days if it turns out that your daughter isn’t ready. You can try again in a month or two.
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Remember that it’s not a competition. Your daughter won’t turn around in 20 years time and thank you for the fact that she was out of nappies three months earlier than her best friend. On the other hand, she may well have something to say about the fact that you pushed her into using the potty too soon and she ended up getting stressed and frustrated, still wetting herself at the age of five.
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Be patient. Just because your child is female it doesn’t guarantee she will be mature and sensible and find potty training straightforward. Plenty of little girls are boisterous, slower to mature and struggle to concentrate.
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Bear in mind that boys have more accidents than girls at nursery so the teachers won’t be expecting your daughter to need reminding about the toilet – mention to them if your daughter needs a bit of help.
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Make use of your little girl’s dolls and let her sit her dolly on the potty. It’s a great teaching technique to allow the pupil to teach someone else the skill they are trying to acquire.
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Carry antibacterial wipes for public toilet seats, and hand gel, in case there is no soap. You can also invest in a travel potty for when you’re out and about - let your daughter try it out at home first.
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Girls can be self conscious about wetting or soiling themselves so carry wipes, a nappy bag, spare knickers and tights so that you can clean up quickly to minimise embarrassment.
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Wet leggings are slightly easier to change than tights.
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Make the most of the fact that little girls love pretty stickers – great for rewarding progress.
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Whenever possible, help your daughter wipe herself, especially after a poo, and always wipe from front to back. This will help avoid infection caused by gut bacteria (found in poo) transferring from the anal region to the vulva, causing inflammation and soreness.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Potty-Training-Girls-Simone-Cave/dp/0091929148/ref=zg_bs_270663_3