By Colleen Langenfeld
Are you potty training and need something to ramp up the motivation in your toddler?
Then consider potty training targets. Simply put, you drop flushable material into your toilet and let your toddler aim and shoot. These can be as easy as bits of toilet paper or fancy purchased targets.
By examining the advantages and disadvantages of using this training resource, you can decide whether or not using the targets would help your toddler or preschooler move along in the potty training process.
* The pros of using potty targets.
– Fun, fun, fun.
Many parents think that only boys enjoy using potty targets, but that’s not true. Little girls find this game fun and many training targets are designed to be used by both boys and girls.
The high fun factor is what makes this resource work so well. Most children find the idea of “shooting” their pee at something irresistible, which is why I often recommend saving targets for when you need to move a resistant child along.
– Developing good habits.
When you are trying to help your toddler understand the connection between his bodily urges and using the potty chair, training targets can help.
Give lots of water for a day and offer to use potty targets whenever your child fills the urge to void.
Your child must identify that urge, hold it, get to the potty chair, release (and aim). All good for practicing healthy toilet habits – without you nagging.
– Use creatively for longterm effectiveness.
You can use bits of toilet paper and round cereal bits (remember, must be flushable) to initiate training.
Then you can purchase fancier potty targets for special occasions. Some purchased targets actually look like targets, some expand in the water and some are bright and colorful.
Save these special targets for those moments when you know you’re going to encounter frustrating resistance. For example, pottying in a public restroom or at a friend’s home. Maybe when your child is tired and doesn’t want to cooperate. Or as a special treat for a well behaved toddler.
* When do potty training targets not help? The cons.
– You can’t flush everything.
A parent definitely wants to have a conversation about potty targets and explain that they are okay to put in the toilet. Many a parent have used these little resources only to have their toddler stuff all kinds of things down the toilet to pee on.
– Overuse will sink the idea.
While kids love potty targets, the newness cannot last forever. The wise parent will use these selectively – and thus effectively – cycling them with other potty training resources for maximum punch.
– Things can get messy.
Remember, you are asking an untrained toddler to aim and shoot his pee. This is a little being who has no care whatsoever about where that pee ends up.
Things can and will get messy, especially if you have two children trying this together.
If you get mad at your child for making a mess while practicing with potty targets, you will lose any of the good you might have gained.
Bottom line? Potty training targets are a super fun way to motivate toddlers and preschoolers to do their potty business. Targets can also help beginners learn basic potty habits.
But you’ll need to use them with thoughtfulness and a strong dose of humor to maximize their effectiveness.
About the Author: Colleen Langenfeld has potty trained four kids and helps other moms get more out of their mothering at http://www.paintedgold.com . Toilet train faster using her potty reward charts and creative ideas plus uncover more about
potty training targets
by visiting her website today.
Source:
isnare.com
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