We started potty training last Tuesday. Well, I shouldn’t say started. We had attempted the whole adventure two times before this. This last week was a reintroduction. Wouldn’t you know it my (almost) 3 year old daughter just took to it this time. No questions asked. No drama or temper. She loved it!! She was so proud each and every time she visited the loo.
In the last week, she’s only had 2 accidents. I’m in awe. This potty training business is easier than I had anticipated.
I’m certainly no expert, but here are some tips I’ve learned from my experiences:
1. Be Patient. No child has ever gone away to college and not been potty trained. Don’t force the issue just because everyone you know around you with a child the same age as yours is potty trained. Your child WILL train when THEY are ready. Pressuring them is only going to cause setbacks.
2. DON’T Set Schedules. Whatever you do don’t schedule when your child has to pee. Let them discover it for themselves. On the first day of potty training we visited the potty every hour or so. We slowly moved away from this as each day passed. It’s important that your child learns to listen to their body to discover and understand when it’s time to go potty.
3. Accidents WILL happen. Your child will have accidents. Period.
4. Stock up on cleaners. See above.
5. DON’T Stress. Stress won’t help anyone. Potty training sure can be a frustrating time for Mom and Dad, but it’s an equally as (if not a more) trying time for your child. Be there for them. Reassure them. You’ll get through this together.
6. Follow THEIR cues. Don’t follow your cues. Follow your little ones. This goes hand in hand with #1. Your child will tell you when they are ready. They will show the signs. Don’t push them, pressure them, force them. It will honestly get you nowhere. It may even instill fear. The last thing you want. Just go with it. It takes time, patience and a child who is ready.
Are you a parent who has experienced potty training a child? What are some tips you’d share with parents who are about to start potty training?
8 Responses to Bye Bye Diapers! Hello Potty Training!
Great tips Nicole! Best advice is not to try and schedule it – kids know when they are ready and show us the signs. My son was 2 and decided in the bath that he needed to go potty right now. He grabbed a book sat on the potty and did his business. Was the easiest toilet training ever
Great tips for us parents about to embark on this journey – thank you!
Its also fun to have a great potty starter. We had a potty that looks like a dino and lily loves dinosaurs… so she was a fast learner… then we made it disappear and she got a cool dora toilet seat to go on the seat. So it was a lot of FUN for her, and she wanted to learn to go in big potty. Sure there were lots of accidents… like her pooping in the ball pit at home :S
we are in the middle of potty training our almost 4 yr old daughter, she had some set backs due to several back surgeries, and since she was told by her dr that it was time to use the big girl potty she has been doing great, said that it was a control issue for her. now if she would just poop on the potty we would be all set lol
Wendi – Good luck! I’m glad to hear it’s going well for you and your daughter. From what I hear, pooping on the potty is a common issue. My daughter is insistent on holding it until she no longer can. She used to be regular (like almost daily)… now that we’re potty training I’m lucky if it’s every 4 days. They’ll come around I’m sure of it!
Nikki – I had to chuckle about the poop in the ball pit incident. As long as it wasn’t mistaken for a ball, it’s all good. Ha, ha.
You know what I love about potty training, that as parents we can look back on all the accidents and trying moments and chuckle at them.
@Nicole King… sadly … I DID. I was cleaning all the balls in the ball pit wiping them down and noticed a smaller dark ball- thinking choking hazzard- to find… ya.. she made “movement” in ballpit.
Great advice. Thank you for sharing. We started potty training a couple of months ago. It was good to start, but now she only wants to go before bed. Trying to get her to tell us when she needs to go, but when I ask she says no. We are not pressuring her. Like you said when she is ready, she will tell us.