Potty Training Tips
I know that potty training can be a touchy subject in the parenting world so I want to make sure that I begin this post with a disclaimer: I’m not a professional! Just a mom with one boy and one girl worth of experience that may be able to help you in your toddler’s journey to being potty-trained.
In my personal experience, my son Truman took a little longer to become fully potty-trained than my daughter Tatum. I think that there is something to be said for the fact that boys can sometimes take longer and/or experience more regressions and hiccups. And that’s okay! I wish that I had known the importance of simply staying patient throughout the process before I began potty training Truman. Don’t let yourself get hung up on time frames or expecting miracles overnight. Unfortunately, more often than not, it can be a real roller coaster ride with a few dips or regressions along the way.
Make Sure They’re Ready
My number one tip and the advice I’ve received from many other parents that have gone through potty training as well is to wait until they’re ready. Now I know, this can be difficult, especially with family vacations coming up or pre-school that requires a child to be potty trained. But from personal experience, if they aren’t ready, it is highly unlikely that the training you complete will stick. And It can be so frustrating to spend days and weeks and a lot of money on prizes to just have them regress to wearing diapers again. So don’t make the same mistake that I have and just wait until they show signs of readiness. Here are a few to look out for:
- Your child shows an interest in learning to use the potty and wanting to be more independent.
- Your child can understand words about going potty. They might say things like “my diaper is dirty” or “I need to go pee pee.”
- Your child can make the connection between having to go pee or poop and going to use the potty.
- Your child can follow simple instructions and likes to copy your behavior.
- Your child can keep their diaper dry for at least 2 hours.
- Your child can sit on the potty and stay there long enough to pee or poop and get off by themselves.
- Your child can pull up and down their own underwear, training pants, or diapers.
*The above signs of readiness were found via this article.
Keep A Potty In Close Proximity
This tip has definitely prevented a few accidents for us while potty training. I try to make sure that one bathroom, if not all bathrooms, on each floor of our home is equipped with a potty seat or a stand alone kids potty (we love this one). I think it’s important that kids know that when they get the urge to go, they can definitely make to a potty in time and don’t have to run up or downstairs to do so.
I also think that when traveling, it’s a good idea to bring a portable potty (like this one) or have an easy way to be able to whisk them off at a moment’s notice. On long car rides, it might be a good idea to have something in your trunk that your child can use for easy potty breaks. If you have a boy, this problem becomes a little easier because you can have them target practice and don’t need a sit down potty.
When They’re Ready, Plan On A Week of Training
I know that this seems like a ridiculous task. How does anyone have a full week of time to dedicate to potty training? But hear me out. I think that the more time you can spend uninterrupted just focusing on ditching the diapers, the quicker they will catch on. Being able to pay attention to their cues and being in a comfortable place where you can run with them to the bathroom quickly will help cement those habits faster than if potty training was more sporadic.
Reward Their Wins
There are so many different reward systems that you can use to reward your child for going on the potty. So take your pick and go to town! Making sure that they feel a sense of accomplishment every time they go is so important during the potty training process. A few of my favorite systems include:
- Sticker Chart. Let them place a sticker on a chart every time they go on the potty. When they’ve filled up the chart, they earn a bigger prize or a trip to the ice cream shop.
- Candy Jar. Fill a large jar with small candies (my kids love skittles or M&Ms) and let them, with clean hands, eat one every time they go pee on the potty. You can do larger candies for poop, like suckers or mini chocolate candies.
- Make it a game. If there is one thing that your child loves doing that they don’t get to do all the time, like throwing a water balloon off your porch or standing on your shoulders while you spin in circles, make it a game that they can do that for a set amount of time(s) whenever they go potty. For children who aren’t motivated by candy or don’t understand sticker charts, this is a really great option!
Keep A Busy Basket
Sometimes the urge to go potty can come but they spend a few minutes sitting on the potty before anything actually happens. To get them into the habit of sitting and waiting, I love to keep a little basket of board books or an iPad for them to play games on while they wait. I think that sitting on the potty and waiting can be half the battle, especially when it’s boring. So make it a place that is comfortable and fun for them!
The last tip I’d have, which I’m sure is obvious to you now, but just stay patient. It can be a frustrating process to get the hang of potty training your toddler but remember that this too shall pass! Good luck!