Is It Time To Consider Potty Training Underwear?
Are you tired of diapers? Ready to start going to events without worrying about that telltale diaper bag? Well, you may have been ready months ago, but as always the question in potty training is: is your child? Remember, this is a collaborative effort. Introducing potty training underwear at the right time can be a key step to completing the journey from diapers to adult underwear.
Step By Step
Keeping a cool head when it comes to beginning potty training is essential. Underwear may be in your child's near future, but instituting adult underwear too early will result in nothing but tears for them and lots and lots of laundry for you. Instead, be informed about the variety of options available to you and your child and be able to use them effectively. These days, there is no reason that potty training needs to be too stressful.
Keep Them Involved
Remember, ultimately, the decision to use underwear in potty training needs to be your child's. This is, after all, is an issue that ultimately affects their life just as much as yours. Don't take it too personally if your child decides he isn't ready for potty training underwear quite yet. Most of the time, the motivation to be a big kid will be enough to get them excited about becoming diaper free, but it's better for all parties if the idea of underwear has as little anxiety attached to it as possible!
Your Options
Kids in some countries simply wear pants with an opening to go whenever and whenever they need, then simply start wearing adult underwear from there. If you live in the U.S., you're probably aware, however, of the variety of potty training underwear available. There are pull-ups, made for kids making first steps away from diapers. These wick moisture away from the child's skin and feature a large elastic waistband that's easy to grasp when the time comes.
The disadvantage of pull-ups is of course that sometimes they can function too much like diapers, nipping up moisture before the child feels it. As training progresses, the wetness felt as a consequence of accidents can be a powerful tool in steering kids towards more responsibility in their habits. One possibility is to use them in nighttime training while the child develops involuntary bladder control, with adult-style underwear during the day.
There is also potty training underwear available with sewn-in layers of plastic. These are designed to integrate the design of adult underwear with some of the protective qualities of diapers and pull-ups. The layer of plastic protects clothing and surfaces while the cloth retains moisture and indicates to the child that an accident has occurred. These often come in character designs to add to the child's sense of involvement. Do your research and consult your child to see where his or her needs are right now in potty training underwear.
