At Go Potty® we give tips and tricks for potty training. But sometimes it can be helpful to get personalised tips and tricks to help your child to get potty trained. Our potty training consultants have backgrounds in psychology, nursing and/or coaching. They can help you 1:1 with all your questions regarding potty training. Today we introduce you to potty training consultant Marielle! In this blog Marielle shares her own experience regarding potty training and will share her ultimate tip to help your child to get potty trained.
Who Are You And What Do You Do At Go Potty®?
I’m Mariëlle Vos, I’m a children’s psychologist and a children’s coach. I studied Educational/Pedagogical Sciences at the University of Amsterdam and before that, I did higher professional education pedagogy. In total, that’s 7 years of pedagogical studies. I have my own practice: Vos Opvoeding, where I provide parenting support to parents who have questions about everything regarding raising their children. I also guide children and young adults who encounter any type of problems, such as mental health issues. I’m a consultant at Go Potty® as well, where I support parents with their problems regarding potty training their child.
How Did You Become A Potty Training Consultant At Go Potty®?
Elianne Leeffers, the founder of Go Potty®, e-mailed me because she needed some local entrepreneurs in The Hague for a sustainability subsidy project for the city of The Hague. We met and we talked about what Elianne does for Go Potty®, and what I do in my own practice. From there, a collaboration was made between me and Go Potty®!
What Does A Regular Working Day Look Like For You?
On a normal working day I usually have about 4 or 5 one-hour appointments for a coaching consultation with either parents, a child or a young adult. And then I also supervise children with disabilities for 1 or 2 days a week. For example: autistic children, children with Down syndrome or children with Duchenne. And I also arrange a lot of things that need to happen, such as going swimming with children with disabilities, or administration stuff for my practice.
How Do You Experience Working As A Consultant At Go Potty®?
I find it very nice! I always enjoy learning new things, and potty training is a fun topic, because sooner or later it occurs in every family. It’s as rewarding as window cleaning: you immediately enjoy your work if it’s successful! The sustainable suspect of Go Potty® really appeals to me. I also enjoy the contact with Elianne and the other people working at Go Potty®.
Do You Have Any Children Of Your Own And How Did Potty Training Go With Them?
I have a son and he is 3,5 years old. His potty training went very easy. I hadn’t really thought about when I would do potty training with my son, and then I spoke with Elianne and she suggested that I could do it. At that time he was 2,5 years old, and that’s old enough to be potty trained. Thereafter, I let him walk naked in the summer and it was a quick process! Then we went to the Efteling and I let him wear a diaper, just for comfort. The whole diaper was soaked so I took off the diaper. So it was very symbolic to take the last diaper off at the Efteling. After that, he almost had no accidents anymore and he even came to me in the middle of the night to ask if he could go to the bathroom. Sometimes I feel a bit guilty that parents come to me for help and I haven’t had any trouble with potty training myself, but I have enough experience with children with disabilities so I really can empathize with parents who have potty training issues.
What Type Of Problems/Questions Do Parents Usually Come To You About?
The questions I’ve been getting so far is that parents have started the potty training process and their child doesn’t quite seem to like it yet. And questions like: ‘have we got the timing right?’ Or: ‘maybe we should wait a little longer?’ Or the other way around; ‘Well, things are going great here at home, but at daycare they just don’t want to do it and they just keep putting on that diaper, what do you think?’ And there was one question which I found exciting: ‘How do you do this potty training?’ Some parents are insecure when it comes to potty training. Maybe their child finds something too difficult or does not dare to try. Then I suggest that we break the process into little steps for example.
What’s Your Ultimate Advice For Parents?
Look closely at your child and let your insecurities go. Children are like corn kernels that you want to make popcorn from. One pops first and the other pops 3 minutes later. They are just as good and just as tasty and just as good as popcorn that popped 3 minutes ago.
Download the app to get in contact with Mariëlle here for Apple and here for Android!
