Potty training your toddler can be hard but brace yourself and stay confident. It will work and they will get it, I promise. Whether you’re potty training a boy or a girl, these tips can help you. It’s all about looking for cues and staying on a schedule.
With my toddler I was so determined to potty train him before his sister was born. The thought of having two under two, in diapers was terrifying. I started introducing him to the potty at 18 months old. He wasn’t able to speak full sentences yet but he was able to get his point across when he had to. So I knew we could make it work and we did! You can too!
Here are some tips that worked for us…
Start with Communicating What Potty Means during diaper changes. Speak to your little one about what they’ve done in their diaper and mention how it belongs in the potty. Read them books about the act of going potty. Two of our favorites are A Potty For Me and Everyone Poops
Let Them Come with You to the Bathroom and explain what’s happening. They will start to understand that the bathroom is a place for going potty. Yes, Peepee and poopoo.
Put all the Noise Aside and do it if you feel you and your child are ready. People may doubt you and your ability to make it work but put it to the side and just do it. Everyone doubted me including my pediatrician. I heard it all, “He’s too young”, “He can’t speak full sentences yet”, “He’s going to revert when he sees the newborn in diapers”. You name it, I heard it from everyone. But I didn’t care. I knew in my gut that my son and I were ready to do this!
Look for Signs and Catch them in the Act. My son would always go to a private spot in the house to go in his diaper. Maximize this time by saying “OH, potty time!!” So they start associating what they’re doing in their diaper with the potty. Even if they already went in their diaper, it’s ok. Bring them to the potty anyway and let them sit there for a minute so they make the association.
Be one Step Ahead of Them. If you know after breakfast they usually go #2, bring him to the potty immediately after breakfast. Do this every morning until it happens!
Be Their Coach. Coach them thru the process. Run the water in the bathroom to help them get the urge to pee. Crouch down to their level and say “you can do it!” They understand you and vibe off you. If you believe in them, they will do it. Try your best not to make it a stressful process and try not to get frustrated when accidents happen. They will sense it and only delay them further. If they have an accident tell them its ok, well do it better next time. Stay confident.
Make Them Comfortable. Buy a toddler seat for the big potty so they don’t feel like they’re going to fall in. Bring their favorite books into the bathroom to keep them entertained while waiting.
Have a Potty in Your Common Areas. Make them comfortable with it. In case you can’t make it in time to your main bathroom it’s good to have a toddler potty in your common area they can run to.
Set a Timer. Once they are comfortable and can go in the potty, set a timer to avoid accidents. We started with every half hour and then worked our way up from there. One of my biggest challenges was taking my son away from what he was playing with. I assured him that we are going potty and then brought him right back to what he was doing. Be sure to return them to their toys or whatever they were doing so they understand potty is only temporary and then they go back to what they were doing.
Keep an Emergency Kit Handy because Accidents Will Happen. Probably more often then you’d like but be ready. I would leave a stash of extra undies, wipe up rag and sanitizing wipes on our main level. When the accident happened, my son would tell me, “Mama, uh Oh!” This was good because he was understanding that it’s not ok to do it in your pants.
Give Rewards! For when all the other tips worked, and they are finally doing it, reward them! Whatever it is that gets a reaction from your little one, use it to your advantage. We used it all, stickers, cookies, m&m’s, even the mini ice cream cones from my Toddler Trader Joes shopping list. They will start to associate ok doing Peepee on the potty makes mommy happy and in return I get a cookie, so let’s do this!
