8 Tips to Handle Potty Training Regression and Get Your Child Back on Track

Just when you thought your child’s potty training days were over and you didn’t have to spend extensively on diapers, your baby starts backsliding! You may feel disheartened and lose your patience too, but it is a very normal phenomenon for kids to experience or go through potty training regression. Well, there are no fixed reasons for the same, and every child may experience a setback because of a different reason. However, what is important is to get your kid back on track, and if you are thinking how to go about it, well, this article discusses that in detail, read this article to know more!

Why Do Children Regress?

Well, no specific or single reason can explain this phenomenon. But the main reason could be the inconsistency and lack of motivation. Sometimes parents may not even realise that in their eagerness and efforts to train their child, they may hurry up with the process but in reality, their kid may not be ready yet, thus leading to regression. Apart from the parent’s approach, sometimes it may be the child’s negligence or change in diet that may trigger the regression.

What Can Trigger Regression?

As discussed above, not a single reason is responsible for the regression. Here are some common reasons that may lead to toilet training regression in kids:

• The child may be suffering from UTI or urinary tract infection.
• There may be a new addition in the family, baby brother or baby sister.
• If the child has faced some unpleasant toilet experience.
• If the child has recently joined a daycare or kindergarten.
• If the child is suffering from any kind of anxiety or stress.
• If there is some abrupt or sudden change in the child’s routine.
• If there is some major change in the child’s life such as change of place or house.
• If the child is being bullied or severely disciplined at school or daycare.

These are some of the reasons that can shake your child emotionally, and thus potty training regression could appear as one of the side-effects of such scenarios.

Tips To Deal with Potty Training Regression

Do not feel disheartened, because there are ways to correct potty-training regression. We bring you some tips that may help you to deal with your kid’s potty-training regression:

1. Be Positive about It

The first and foremost thing for you to understand is that is it absolutely okay for kids to experience this kind of situation. Being positive about the situation will help both you and your kid, however, if any kind of negativity crops up it will only discourage your kid, and this means slow or no progress at all.

2. Be Consistent

Do not worry if you could not achieve it on the first go, there is always a second time. Make sure you are consistent with your efforts, and this means making it a habit and using positive re-enforcement to achieve the same. Also, after you feel your child has been trained, keep sticking to the basics until it becomes a habit for your kid. Never skip or be lenient with your rules.

3. Make Changes in Your Kid’s Diet

One of the main reasons of regression could be constipation, and young children dread to pass a hard stool. They may not want to do potty fearing that it will hurt them. Make sure you include a lot of fibre in your child’s diet. Also, ensure that your kid is drinking enough water and also takes other kinds of liquids too. Refrain from giving more liquids close to bedtime.

4. Watch For Some Medical Issue

Sometimes it may not be you or the child who may be at fault, but it may be some underlying medical issue because of which your kid may be experiencing a setback. It is very common for children to have threadworms, stomach infections, bladder infections or type-1 diabetes and thus experience toilet mishaps. Get your child thoroughly examined to know the exact cause.

5. Do Not React

It is how you react to a situation that may sometimes prove to be helpful to your child or do just the opposite too. If your child exhibits this behaviour, do not make a big fuss out of it. Instead, deal with it calmly. It is quite possible that such mishaps are just a one-time thing and kids bounce back to their progress. However, if you make a big deal out of it, your kid may get adversely affected and may keep repeating the same mistake.

6. Never Punish

Never punish or get angry at your child. It is the worst thing that you can do to your kid. This may scare the child, and sometimes it may cause so much fear that the child may begin resenting going to potty. This may further lead to health complications like constipation and other issues too. Try and understand that it is not in your child’s control and such accidents are common happenings.

7. Reward Your Child

When your child starts showing progress after the episode of regression, you must reward your child. You may shower your kid with some words of appreciation or treat him with his favourite food. Let your child understand that his efforts are appreciated and he is doing a good job.

8. Sympathise with Your Child

Let your child know that you understand their plight and state of mind. Tell them that you are there and you will help them deal with this situation. You can also narrate or share your personal experiences or talk about the similar experiences of the siblings. This will help the child understand that he is not the odd one out and it is normal to experience what he may be going through.

We hope these tips help you in getting your child back on track with his potty training!

Also Read:

How to Prepare Toddler for Potty Training
Potty Training Ideas for Toddler
Potty Training Problems with Young Kids