“Let it all hang out, baby!” Free-spirited toddlers may not care what they’re wearing; you’re lucky if you can get them to put on clothes at all. So introducing Pull-Ups® shouldn’t be too hard, especially if you incorporate it into playtime. Have a “Potty Party” with toys and stuffed animals, and give your free-spirited toddler one some Pull-Ups to dress their fuzzy friends. "Do we put these on our heads? Nooo. Do we put them on our elbows? Noo. Let’s put them on our bottoms." Explain how Pull-Ups are different from diapers, and should make going to the bathroom even easier.
There will be times when your Free-Spirited Child isn’t interested in playing with the potty or choosing any Pull-Ups. They just want to get back to playing. That’s okay. You can try again later.
Emphasize the independence and freedom of wearing Pull-Ups to your free-spirited toddler: “I know you like to do things in your own time, so when you’re ready, these new Pull-Ups will help you to pull down your own pants when you need to go potty, and pull them up again when you’re finished. This way, you can go when you want to go. You won’t need to have me interrupt your playtime with a diaper change.”
Your free-spirited child isn’t likely to be tuned in to sensory changes such as wet or dirty diapers; they simply gets too engrossed in whatever else they are doing. So laid-back kids may need some assistance in feeling when they may have eliminated. Pull-Ups® training pants have a front graphic that fades when wet to held your child build awareness. This process of awareness is key in helping your free-spirited toddler to progress in becoming more aware of their bodily functions. You can talk about other things that look different when dry vs wet to help your little free spirit understand the idea.
Pulling pants up and down is an important skill that builds independence — for potty training and beyond. Make sure your child has pants with an elastic waistband, and give opportunities throughout each day to practice this skill. Give your child a choice when you’re introducing Pull-Ups. Let them be part of the process in choosing their type of Pull-Ups, and the character on their Pull-Ups. Work together to find a special place in the bathroom for the Pull-Ups, and let them know that they’ll be there when they feel ready. There are bound to be times when your free-spirited child just won’t be interested in playing with the potty or choosing any Pull-Ups. They just want to get back to their playing. That’s okay. You can try again later. “Your Pull-Ups will be right here. Maybe you’ll be ready to try one on after I change you next time.”
These times, you can say, “I know you want to get back to playing, so let’s put on your Pull-Ups quickly. Remember to feel for it to get cool, and let me know if you feel it, so we can change you and get you nice and dry.”
Potty training is a big moment — it’s when your little one becomes a Big Kid. So it’s important to reinforce this change, and there are a couple easy ways to do so. First, be consistent. When you take your kid out of diapers, keep him out of diapers. Pull–Ups are more than a training pant. They’re also a symbol to your little one that it’s time to potty like a Big Kid. Going back and forth from diapers to pants only confuses them. Next, make the first time they pull on a pair of Pull-Ups a symbol — a promise that you’re in it together and will work and learn together on your potty training journey.
