By Jay Tucker

Potty training can be one of the most stressful times in a parent’s life. We want so badly for our little ones to experience success with everything they do that sometimes we put too much pressure on them. Potty training is a process that doesn’t have to be remembered with tears and fear.

If you are going through the trials and tribulations of training your own child to use the toilet remember one thing; they will get the hang of it! My wife and I can speak from experience. Our potty training experience with our son was a frustrating one. But, thankfully, we came out on the dry side eventually. Here are some things we learned:

1. Punishment does not work- We were convinced that our son simply wasn’t trying. We tried all of the advice that we could handle from friends, family, the internet, and doctors. When we tried those things and failed, we resorted to taking things away from him. What we learned is that he simply wasn’t ready to use the toilet!

2. Children are often afraid of new things- We found out that our son was afraid of the sound the toilet made when it flushed! He was convinced that sitting on that contraption would result in horrible things. When we addressed his fears and showed him that the potty wouldn’t hurt him, he began to have success.

3. Size isn’t everything- Our son is head and shoulders taller than everyone else in his class. We discovered that sometimes the adults in his life expected more from him developmentally because of this. Just because your four year old is the size of a 6 year old doesn’t mean that everything else has caught up.

4. Children get stressed out too- You know how it feels to be stressed out. Some people work better under great stress, but most do not. Children need to know that they have your support! Save the stress for later in life when they are equipped to handle it. Putting stress on your little one during the potty training process will NOT result in positive results.

Our journey with our son inspired me to write a potty training book called, “Ferdinand Uses the Potty.” The story is about a young frog named Ferdinand who wakes up one morning in a wet bed. He has no idea what caused it, but fortunately, he has a supportive friend who has been there before to offer him encouragement and advice. “Ferdinand Uses the Potty,” is written in rhyme so that children and adults will enjoy one of life’s earliest lessons. The book is illustrated by award winning artist, D.E. West.

“Ferdinand Uses the Potty” is available through www.amazon.com and through the publisher Loving Healing Press. www.lhpress.com

 About The Author

Jay Tucker is the author of the new book, Ferdinand Uses the Potty, published by Loving Healing Press. Jay has contributed several articles to Parent Reviewers and is the author of the book The Whole Youth Worker; Advice on Professional, Personal, and Physical Wellness from the Trenches. You can learn more about Ferdinand the Frog and get more toilet training advice at www.ferdiethefrog.com

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