Module 1 · Lesson 3

Resource · Infographic

Family Toilet Time: A Ritual Checklist

Print it, stick it on the back of the bathroom door, and let the routine do the persuading. Six steps to a daily toilet time that nobody dreads.

1

Pick two anchor points a day

Before meals and before you head out are natural pause points. Anchor toilet time to something that already happens and you'll never have to remember it.

2

Sitting is the goal — nothing else

Say it out loud: 'We're just having a sit.' No performance required. A child who isn't being asked to produce anything will sit for far longer.

3

Keep it short and unhurried

Two to five minutes. Set a sand timer so the clock is the boss, not you. When the timer's done, everybody's finished — cheerfully.

4

Reward the sit

A sticker for sitting. Every time. The reward is for turning up, and turning up is what builds the habit.

5

Bring out the toilet toy box

A small basket of books and toys that live in the bathroom and only appear at toilet time. Novelty does the persuading for you.

6

Let them see how it's done

Siblings, parents, carers — if everyone's relaxed about it, toileting stops being mysterious and becomes something the family simply does.

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