Establish a Potty Training Reward System
Call it a reward system or positive reinforcement (heck, call it flat-out bribery if you want)—but giving kids a positive reward for using the potty is a surefire way to make them want to use the potty more often (and that's the goal here!)
Here are my tips on how to best establish a reward system:
- Decide what your kid likes best. Think about what types of positive reinforcement your kid responds to and create a system around that. Need some ideas? We have a whole list of fun potty training reward ideas. The key here is to make sure you choose a reward system that YOU can actually keep up with.
- Explain the reward system. Show your little potty trainee what he'll get every time he goes potty.
- Let him go for the gold. If it's a good enough reward, your toddler might want to earn one immediately, so sit him on the potty and encourage him to go. If he goes, great. Instant gratification. If not, say, "No worries! We can try again later!"
- Be consistent. Always have your reward handy when your kid is successful on the potty. (Nothing worse than delayed gratification!) And as hard as it might be to say no to that cute face, don't hand out rewards for NOT going (even if he tries!) or your toddler won't have any incentive to go the next time!
Bottoms up!
Time to share: What's your reward system? Tell us in the comments below.
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Answered by
Teri Crane, the Potty Pro
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