Psychological Effects of Potty Training

Some psychologists have said that potty training too early using strict techniques is harmful to the psychological development of a child and will cause them problems later in life. Using healthy techniques in a timely and consistent manner, potty training will do just the opposite. Potty training can be used to build the bond between parent and child, and to build a confidence in the child that will serve them well later in life. The key to successful potty training is to gauge the child's readiness, then to keep the experience positive.

Timing

• Older children are more likely to have preset opinions about potty training.

  Many studies have shown that in general the age of the potty trainee is irrelevant to psychological impact. There are a few exceptions to this data. One study has shown that waiting until after 32 months to begin potty training can have negative psychological effects such as putting the children at risk for incontinence problems such as night and daytime accidents. Also, it does take longer for a younger child to learn potty training than an older child. The benefits of teaching them early is preventing an unhealthy fear of the potty.

Readiness and Learning

• Healthy potty training should begin when the individual child is ready. Give the child plenty of opportunities to begin using the potty so they have a long time to work on this. Some children will have accidents for up to a year. Learning to control the bladder is a complicated issue for the child, so avoid criticism or punishment which can do psychological harm. The child is learning to recognize a full bladder, to tighten the sphincter muscle and to still have enough time to get to the potty and get their clothes off before an accident.

Placement

• Make the bathroom a child's place using bath toys.

  The potty should be placed in the bathroom from the beginning so the child is accustomed to the bathroom. A child's psychological development is heavy on repetition and established boundries. Take the child to use the bathroom frequently for washing hands, brushing teeth and bath time so the child knows the bathroom is theirs too. Make sure to keep a stool next to the potty so the child is comfortable getting on the potty by themselves.

Encouragement

• Help the child pass the potty time so he does not get bored.

  Punishment is not a recommended way of potty training. If the child has an accident, acknowledge the accident kindly and help the child to get clean. Focus on positive reinforcement. Punishing a child for any kind of an accident could lead to fear, distrust and even secretive behavior. Teach the child to sit on the potty for only five minutes at a time. If the child becomes frustrated while sitting on the potty, encourage them by reading a book to them or entertaining them in other ways.

Fear and Stress

• Fear of falling is a factor to consider while potty training. Provide a rail or a potty ring for the child to hold onto to decrease this fear. Psychological stressors will make potty training more difficult. Try not to start potty training if you are currently dealing with an area of problem behavior in the child. If the child is excessively opposed to the potty even with encouragement or rewards, do not forcibly sit him on the potty. Wait a few weeks and try again.