These suggestions will help you find easy ways to help your child be successful at toilet training.

• The power of peers and siblings. One of the best ways to increase your child's interest in using the toilet is to enlist the encouragement and the example of others.
  
  
  • Determine what surroundings work best for your child. Environment can have a big impact on a child's willingness to toilet train. Some children respond well around peers who are also learning to use the toilet. They don't want to be left out of the group activity that seems to be attracting so much attention. Other children need the one-on-one supervision of an adult. Your tone should always be encouraging and patient.
    
    
  • Find a good role model. Family members, child-care providers, playmates and even cartoon characters can be used to encourage and praise your child's attempts. Older siblings are especially good guides, planting seeds of encouragement and talking about how this special event works. Often, toddlers are encouraged by their big brother or sister and may take greater care to emulate and please them.
    
    
  • Discourage name-calling and teasing. Name-calling or teasing can make toilet training an even harder task than it is already. Be sure to correct any put-down statements right away; teach siblings or peers what to do instead and have them show you how they will act the next time. Every time you notice a sibling or peer encouraging your child's toilet training skill, praise and reward him or her.
    
    
  • Make toilet training a positive family event. Often children see toilet training as that yucky thing their parents are making them do. To help them see it in a better light, use fun activities to introduce and encourage toilet training such as songs, games and books to help your child learn the toilet training rules. You might even want to try special underpants with superheroes or ruffles.

Although it is not necessary to turn toilet training into a big event, you should make every effort to show your preschooler that toilet training can be a positive experience.

Upcoming article:

• Set-up sensible routines. Is your child training you, or are you training your child?

Did you know? Recent studies show the size of children's vocabularies depends on how much their mothers talk to them.