Potty Training 101: Helpful Tips

My little guy is 3 years old and he pretty much potty trained himself this year. HE decided he was ready, not me. I think that is KEY in potty training 101. Let your child take the lead and you as a parent or caregiver, be there when he is ready! Makes things SO much easier.

Of course, not all little ones want to take the lead and that is where you need to step in and give them a little push! I had to give my oldest a little push, but when I did, he followed suit and soon he was all potty trained (even at night) at age 4.

My daughter was a different story! She potty trained herself by age 2! Even at nighttime! I guess girls really do mature quicker than boys? 😉 My toddler is all potty trained for daytime, but I am still a bit hesitant to let him sleep without a diaper at night, only because he wakes up and starts crying because he knows he went potty. We will get there! We are halfway there and that is what counts.

Pampers Easy Ups makes potty training more bearable for the parent and easier for the child in training! They have really fun and cute designs like Thomas & Friends and Dora the Explorer! Too cute and it helps that the kids recognize these characters because I have found it makes them want to wear ‘big kid‘ pants! Potty training 101 for sure!

The Pampers Easy Ups are more like underwear and designed for growing toddlers. The graphics on these easy ups fade a bit when they get wet, to help your little one learn when to go potty and when to change their easy ups. They are also super stretchy on the sides, so they can be pulled up and down easily when using the potty. These are available in sizes 2T/3T-4T/5T.

Potty Training 101: Helpful Tips

My Potty Training 101 Tips!

*Let your child take the lead and you follow. That way your child will not feel pressured into having to potty train NOW. It works much better that way, trust me! 

*However, if your child has not shown any signs of wanting to go on the potty and they are getting a bit older, it is okay to give him/her a LITTLE nudge. Don’t make it a big deal, just talk with them and be gentle! You want this to be a positive experience for both of you!

*Shop for a potty training toilet WITH your little one who is going to be potty trained. That way, he/she can be involved in the process of selecting his/her very own potty chair! This can be exciting for your little one and help make them more excited to start the potty training process.

*If you decide to potty train your child on the ‘big‘ toilet, make sure there is a little stool in the bathroom so your child can get on and off the toilet by themselves. I have found that by letting my little ones do most everything on their own, the more they WANT to try potty training because they feel like a big kid!

  *Get them used to training pants or Pampers Easy Ups! These are easy to pull up and down for little kids and also make them feel like big kids because they are wearing big kid pants (or so they think!).

Pull-ups help to support the transition from diapers to underwear for toddlers and make it easier on everyone. They have a more underwear-like appearance and feel to them while keeping messes off clothes. These are great for during the day, traveling, or at night. Makes potty training much more enjoyable for everyone!

Some Helpful Potty Training Tips by L. Jana, MD:

*Promote potty learning. Learning how to use the potty takes plenty of time and patience. It’s more than just training; it is a learning opportunity for toddlers and parents alike that should be enjoyable. After all, mastering this concept of “potty learning” with your little one is a big accomplishment and milestone.

*Team Spirit. It is important to keep in mind that “teamwork makes the dream work,”, especially in the case of potty training. You are not only your child’s biggest fan, but you are also their potty training coach. Remember to stay calm in the face of potty accidents and encourage your little one to not worry and try again!

*Celebrate every win. As with any learning experience, young children can learn a lot from both their potty successes and their setbacks. While potty accidents are an inevitable (and admittedly inconvenient) aspect of potty learning, they shouldn’t dominate your day-to-day discussions. Instead, simply help your child learn to cope with and clean up any messes, and focus your attention on celebrating your child’s efforts and successes with plenty of hugs and words of encouragement.

*Watch for signs of readiness. Just about all children give subtle (and some not-so-subtle) signs that they are ready for potty training. These signs of readiness typically include using their words to express themselves, toddling their own way to the bathroom, pulling down their own pants, saying they want to use the “big potty,” and being aware of the sensation of peeing or pooping, characteristically noticeable when young children suddenly stop what they’re doing as they feel themselves start to go. It is also helpful and increases the likelihood of potty training interest when children start to be bothered by their messy diapers, as that can serve as a good motivation for using the potty instead!

*Start making connections. There’s a lot that you can do to help your child be well prepared to successfully use the potty long before he or she actually starts doing it. Making up a fun song or reading engaging children’s books about potty training, such as You and Me Against the Pee! (which I co-authored) can go a long way towards making the idea of potty training a more welcome and eagerly anticipated activity.

 

You can take this familiarity a step further by letting your toddler accompany you into the bathroom when you need to go so that he both becomes familiar with the routine and comfortable with the idea of using the toilet, rather than being afraid of or intimidated by it!

Lots of potty training tips to remember! But so helpful too. I recommend bookmarking this page or printing it out so that you can remember these wonderful potty training 101: helpful tips!