Tips on potty training

In A-H preschool, children are required to be independent in toileting.

Independence in toileting means:

• Child can communicate their need to go to the bathroom.
• Child can pull their own pants and underwear both down and up.
• Child can seat themselves on the toilet.
• Child can wipe their own bottom.
• Child can wash their own hands.
• Child is able to briefly wait to get to the bathroom.
• Child does not wear pull ups/diapers to school.

Teachers are available to supervise and help as needed.

Tips for at school:

• Dress children in clothes they can easily pull up or down on their own. Avoid belts and difficult buckles or snaps.
• Keep an extra set of clothes in your child’s backpack.

Tips for at home:

• Be consistent.
• Toileting is a process. Children go through stages of awareness, practicing, being mostly trained, and completely trained. Our expectation for preschool is that your child is in the completely trained stage. See the attached tips on how to help during each stage.
• Children need to be comfortable wearing underwear at home as well as out-and-about.
• Encourage the use of a toilet instead of a potty chair. You can use a child-sized toilet seat, and you may also want to add a step stool so the child can climb onto and off if needed.
• Allow enough time for your child to independently complete all steps of the process (undressing, going, wiping, dressing, hand washing).
• It is best to use proper terms to describe body parts, urine and bowel movements.
• Occasional accidents are normal. Stay calm, clean it up together, and move on.
• Do not force, punish, criticize or give frequent reminders.
• If toileting has become a power struggle and your child is showing resistance, it may be helpful to take a break for a few weeks and try again.
• Visual schedules are used at preschool and may be helpful at home. We have attached one from school.

If you would like support in helping your child become completely potty trained, please feel free to submit your questions to homevisits@ahschools.us.