By Jane Grimshaw
Deciding on the best time to begin potty training your child can be very difficult; every child is different and some will take to the idea quicker than others. There is obviously a great deal of information and practical advice available from books, the internet and friends, but it is likely to be very conflicting too. It may just be that choosing the right potty chair to suit your child will make all the difference between success and failure.
Many years ago we had the porcelain potty and then the basic plastic potty came on the scene. It was a case of trying to keep your child entertained with a toy or picture book to keep them sitting there. The potty market has, thankfully, moved on since then and there are now a variety of products to choose from.
The Basic Potty Chair
These are relatively inexpensive to buy and are made of hard plastic, which can be emptied down the toilet and rinsed out afterwards. They are easy to move from room to room and absorbent mats are available to place underneath – to avoid those spills! However, they do lack any form of reward, or excitement, as they do not play any tunes. You will still have to train your child to sit on the toilet when they are ready.
Fancy Potty Chairs
These come in a variety of designs and prices to suit all tastes and wallets! They make potty training fun and exciting, by playing tunes to reward them, and still allowing your child’s feet to remain on the floor. You can choose a design/character that appeals to your child – you could even go along together to choose it. Some even look like miniature toilets and make real flushing sounds. If your child finds them interesting he/she is more likely to use them. However, some models take longer to clean than basic potties and your child will still have to make the transition onto the toilet eventually.
All-In-One Potty Chair
This type of potty chair is dual purpose, as it acts as a potty chair that sits comfortably on the floor in the early stages of potty training and as your child progresses to the main toilet, it acts as a toilet hole reducer with a built-in step stool. The only real drawback with this type of potty is that it has no tunes for rewarding, or entertaining your child.
 Toilet Hole Reducer
This does exactly as it says and helps to make your child feel secure on the toilet without the risk of falling in. There is no rinsing out to do and the child gets used to the main toilet straightaway. However, they will still need a step stool to rest there feet on and they are not as quick and convenient to use in an emergency.
Peter Potty
This clever contraption is the world’s only flushable toddler urinal. It has a push button flush, can be wall or floor mounted and can be adjusted to the required height. This is ideal for little boys, as it avoids the transition from sitting to standing. The only problem with this is that they will still have to learn to use the toilet for a ‘number two.’
Travel Potties
These are designed for parents to carry conveniently around with them. They fold flat and have disposable bags for the waste. These are perfect for those sudden emergencies whilst out, but you are then left with the problem of where to dispose of the bag safely.
Which potty you choose, will depend very much on your individual circumstances and the needs of your child. Whatever you decide on make sure that you make the process as stress-free and exciting as possible, as this is more likely to achieve results.
Article written by Jane Grimshaw.
All opinions expressed are that of the writer.
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