Potty training fears are common, words like “Mummy, it’s too scary,” is something many parents hear all the time. As real as these fears are to our kids, to us they can seem trivial. They can though, delay toilet training success and produce frustrated parents and terrified young children. Today we’ll share four of the most common potty training fears with you in the hope that being forewarned is forearmed.
There are four common fears which potty training children worry about. They are:
- Fear of poos – poos are scary things. They not only feel funny and smell yucky, but they are also seen by many toddlers as a part of their body. The feel of poo falling into the toilet is considerably different from one arriving in their nappy. It’s much harder to teach your child to poo in the potty than do wees, so patience is crucial here!
- Fear of the toilet seat – if you hadn’t noticed, the toilet seat is scary. It’s cold, up high and has a huge hole in it. This hole is perfect for little bottoms to fall through. A child-sized seat, a seat cover, and a step stool can help alleviate these fears. Holding your child’s hands while they sit on the seat can stop the worry about falling in too.
- Fear of the flushing noise – an unexpected flush is far scarier than one you know is coming. Stick post-it notes over sensor flush toilets when you are out and about. The noise can be concerning, so even not flushing when your child is in the room can reduce this fear.
- Fear of public toilets – just because they are different from the toilet at home, public toilets are often feared by toddlers. Then there’s the fact they are cold and have bad acoustics. If you need to, bring a potty with you when you go out, as many refuse to use a public toilet at all.
If your child is afraid to use the toilet, don’t stress about it. Reading books and talking about these fears is one way to reduce their discomfort. We have a great potty training eBook available for purchase which many parents have called their Holy Grail! Or discover some of our potty training storybooks.
As always, we’re here to help, so please feel free to contact us at any time.
