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My child, still not clean for the start of the school year

The start of the school year is approaching and your child is still not clean. How to introduce him to potty training without stressing him? Marielle Da Costa, nursery nurse in PMI, gives you some advice …

A mafai, acquisitions must be done gradually. This is why Marielle Da Costa advises parents, if they can, to do it upstream. “I see a lot of mothers who let everything go until they are 3 years old, and then it’s the anxiety”. However, do not panic ! By putting in place some rituals, you will be able to facilitate the acquisition of the cleanliness of your little one.

Cleanliness: talk to your child, without rushing him

If, a few weeks before the start of the school year, your child is still sulking the potty, keep in mind that there is no point in rushing him. It is essential to discuss with him calmly. “The more relaxed the parents are, the more efficient the little ones will be. If adults are anxious, the child might feel it, which could block it further. It is especially necessary to trust him », Explains Marielle Da Costa. “Tell him he’s grown up now, and he has to go to the potty or the toilet.” It can also happen that children have small stomach aches, small intestinal problems. In this case, it is essential to reassure him, to play down the situation in front of his child who could be worried, ”says the specialist.

Also think about take off the diaper during the day, during waking hours. “Parents should take their child to the bathroom before and after a nap. “It is by taking this reflex that the little ones become aware of what is happening in their body”, underlines Marielle Da Costa. “We start gradually, take the diaper off when awake, then during the nap and finally during the night. »Your child must also to feel comfortable. If he doesn’t like the potty, prefer a toilet reducer that he might feel more stable on. “If they are feeling well, the toddler will even enjoy having a bowel movement or urinating. “

Can my child be clean in a few days?

To help your toddler to become clean, but also to give him confidence, do not hesitate to faamalosiau ia te ia (without doing too much anyway). “Apart from children who suffer from a physiological problem, the acquisition of cleanliness can be done quickly. The little ones are already mature at the neurological level, their brain is educated, it is enough just to get down to rituals. And then, even unconsciously, the child is concerned about cleanliness. It is therefore also up to adults to work on themselves by giving their child more autonomy and telling themselves that they are no longer a baby. It is also good toadopt a consistent attitude and above all, do not go back by putting on the diaper during the day, for example, ”explains Marielle Da Costa.

The acquisition of cleanliness through play

When potty training, some children will tend to hold back. In this case, “it may be interesting to play water games, by turning the tap on and off, or by filling and overturning containers in the bath, for example. This allows the little ones to understand that they can do the same with their bodies. With summer, parents with a garden can also take the opportunity to show their child how the garden hose works, so that they become aware of the self-control they can have over their body.

Cleanliness Acquisition: Accepting Failures

In the first few days of potty training, children can sometimes get in the pants. A regression can also manifest itself as the start of the school year or even during the first days of school. And for good reason, some children can quite simply ia faamamafa by this new environment, others are separated from their parents for the first time. But small accidents also happen when children are too engrossed in their games. In any case, it is essential not to “ not get upset, to accept failure. It is important to show the little ones thatwe have the right to weaknesses, while telling them that the next time they will have to think about going to the bathroom. Finally, we must explain to them that, like adults, they cannot relieve themselves anywhere, ”concludes the specialist.