Girls and boys learn to do most things the same way – eating, sleeping, walking, talking – but toilet training is where the differences in their anatomy start to make their learning experiences slightly different.
While it is generally the same process for boys and girls, we’ve put together a few tips specific to girls that can help with your toilet training journey.
5 toilet training tips for girls
1. Teach her how to wipe correctly
The most important and biggest difference between boys and girls is how exactly the wee comes out of them. Teaching your girl to wipe properly is a huge part of toilet training. She should wipe front to back – this is the most hygienic way to wipe. If you go the other way, some poo particles can be wiped into the vagina, which is a common cause for urinary tract infections. Even if she has not done a poo for that potty session, still teach her to wipe front to back, to keep her in the same practise if nothing else.
2. Make sure her clothes are easy to get on and off
Girls’ clothes can often be more fiddly that boys clothes and it is important that she’s able to easily remove her clothes during toilet training. Dresses and skirts are easy – nothing to remove – but you will have to remind her to hold them up so she doesn’t wee or poo on them. Try to avoid all-in-one clothes like jumpers and rompers etc while she’s starting toilet training.
3. In general, girls are ready to toilet train earlier
Don’t be alarmed if she shows signs of readiness before your boys, or before boys she knows. While every child is different and some boys may start before she does – it doesn’t matter in the long run. Just go by when she is ready to toilet train, not comparing to anyone else.
4. Teach by showing
Imitation is the highest form of flattery! Also the best way of learning something. Let her watch you going to the toilet and describe each step you do while you do it. She’ll pick up on the steps she has to follow and how to do it properly in no time.
5. Let her make mistakes
Some forms of imitation won’t work out so well for her though. If you notice her watching her dad or brothers, be ready for her to try and wee standing up. This isn’t a big deal to stop her from doing it – it may even help to teach her why boys stand and girls sit if she does try for herself. It’ll make quite a mess, but she’ll learn that it really doesn’t work the same way for her.
For more info, great free printable charts, and access to the forum to chat about your experiences, check out our Toilet Training Hub.