Potty Training Policies - 8/1/19
Congratulations on making it this far! As parents and provider, we need to work together to make this transition a success. Ultimately though, it is the child who has control and if they are not cooperative, it will not work. They need to be showing signs of readiness. (see below) They must be ready themselves for this to work. Below are some things that I find very helpful during this stage.
I do want to make it clear that I will not potty train a child at daycare that is not being trained at home 100% of the time. This is a team effort. It is not up to me to train your child. If it is not being done at home, then it is not going to work for me. Please remember, this is my home and I have several children in my care that share my time. I suggest that you start working on potty training on a Friday evening and continue throughout the weekend. Please remember that I am caring for a minimum of six to ten children. I do not have time to put a child on the potty every fifteen minutes or half hour. That is training the adult, not the child.
Also, please remember that while a child may be potty trained at home, they may not be at daycare. Children are busy with their friends, they don’t want someone to take their toys, they don’t want to miss out on anything.
Signs of readiness:
~ Child is able to verbally communicate not only to parents but to me as well that their
diaper is wet or soiled.
~ Child willingly uses toilet prior to taking bath.
~ Child willingly uses potty after waking in the morning before heading to daycare
(even if diaper is wet)
Tips:
Note: if parent is insistent that child wear underwear, there must be a Pull Up under the underwear to catch any urine or feces.
For Daycare:
Please remember that this is my home as well as daycare and I must keep it clean and sanitary. A child having multiple accidents is not trained.
Congratulations on making it this far! As parents and provider, we need to work together to make this transition a success. Ultimately though, it is the child who has control and if they are not cooperative, it will not work. They need to be showing signs of readiness. (see below) They must be ready themselves for this to work. Below are some things that I find very helpful during this stage.
I do want to make it clear that I will not potty train a child at daycare that is not being trained at home 100% of the time. This is a team effort. It is not up to me to train your child. If it is not being done at home, then it is not going to work for me. Please remember, this is my home and I have several children in my care that share my time. I suggest that you start working on potty training on a Friday evening and continue throughout the weekend. Please remember that I am caring for a minimum of six to ten children. I do not have time to put a child on the potty every fifteen minutes or half hour. That is training the adult, not the child.
Also, please remember that while a child may be potty trained at home, they may not be at daycare. Children are busy with their friends, they don’t want someone to take their toys, they don’t want to miss out on anything.
Signs of readiness:
~ Child is able to verbally communicate not only to parents but to me as well that their
diaper is wet or soiled.
~ Child willingly uses toilet prior to taking bath.
~ Child willingly uses potty after waking in the morning before heading to daycare
(even if diaper is wet)
Tips:
- Read books about the topic to your child. There are several books on the topic geared for children. I have numerous book/ videos on potty time and also Elmo doll for teaching to go potty.
- Potty Charts – Many times, I have done a chart for each child and we will put a star sticker on it every time they go potty or happy face if they go poop. As the children see all of their stars and happy faces, they get excited.
- Use a doll that can “go potty” and show your child how the doll is growing up by using the potty.
- Clothing should be easy for the child to pull down and pull up themselves. (no buttons, no belts, tight pants, no overalls, no snaps) Sweats or pants with elastic waistband work great!! Dresses are okay too as long as they are not big and fluffy because they could and most likely will get wet as child may not get it out of the way entirely. When wearing dresses though, please be sure to have child wear a pair of shorts with them to keep their undies private.
Note: if parent is insistent that child wear underwear, there must be a Pull Up under the underwear to catch any urine or feces.
For Daycare:
Please remember that this is my home as well as daycare and I must keep it clean and sanitary. A child having multiple accidents is not trained.
- Pull-Ups must be worn at all times during potty training at daycare. Save the pretty panties or fun underwear as an incentive when staying dry. If a child will not use the potty or even attempt to, then I require them to be in diapers until I feel they are ready to use the potty at daycare. Especially for the BMs!! I will let you know when it is okay to bring a child in Pull-Ups or underwear. Child should be telling me he/she has to go, rather than me telling them to go. Child must be accident free for two full weeks at daycare before attending in underwear. If a child has an accident, the next accident free day is the first day that counts. Also, the child must have a bowel movement on the potty/toilet at daycare as well.
- In the beginning, we need to tell the child it is time to go potty. If we ask them if they want to go, of course, the answer will be no.
- Please be sure child uses potty at home just before coming to daycare. Arrival time is a busy time for me therefore; the possibility of accidents to occur is high. I do not have time at drop off to be taking a child to the restroom or cleaning up accidents.
- I do not use a potty chair for potty training. We use the toilet with a seat that sits on top as the children seem to be more receptive to it than a potty chair. (for me anyway) I do have all children sit. I start them all sitting until the boys are tall enough and can be trusted to stand without creating a mess. I will not use a potty chair as they are very unsanitary always with numerous kids one will tip over or try dump.
- Dress child in clothing that is easy for him/her to do by themselves, if a child cant remove pants pull u with out very minimum assistance they are not ready to potty train. This will help their self-esteem as they learn to use the potty. (sweats work great! – no snaps or buttons, bib overalls, or tight pants child can pull up and down by themselves etc.)
- LIMIT BEVERAGES in the morning. Many children drink so many fluids in the morning that their diaper or pull-up is saturated within an hour of arriving at daycare.
- If a child is not truly ready or willing to use the potty at daycare, then diapers must be supplied once again.
- Per licensing regulations, I will not wash or rinse any soiled underwear/clothing, I will dump what it loose though. Soiled/wet clothing will be in a plastic bag in child’s cubby to be taken home and dealt with there. Please remember to bring replacements the next day, including socks.
- Please be sure to supply me with couple extra set of clothing in addition to what I already have here for back up. Always remember to bring a replacement outfit for the soiled or wet clothing that went home.