How to Tackle Potty Training in a Day

I’ve written many potty training blogs over the years (check out this video), all accurate and all very balanced.  Today though, I want to give you the advice I would give my best friend, and that is to do yourself a favor and go for potty training in a day! Alright, maybe a weekend, but seriously, there is no need for potty training to take any longer than that, and it doesn’t have to be the big hoop-lah that it’s made out to be.  Follow these steps for potty training, and you too can have a pee free floor!

Potty Training in a Day

Step One

Abandon any sense of competition with others from your mommy groups, whether in person or on Facebook.  Also relinquish any sense that potty training early some how makes you that much more of an accomplished parent or indicator of your child’s genius.

Step Two

Wait till your toddler is at least 3 years old.  Why? Because compared with 2 year old toddlers, by 3 years old your child has a really good grasp on language and comprehension (maybe even a few less tantrums) and the discussion about using the potty can literally be as easy as:

“Sweetie, we need to start using the toilet during the day. So this weekend we are going to do something very exciting!  We are going to take off your diaper and go to the bathroom and try (make sure you take them to try approx. every 30mins).  Also, if you feel the urge to go, we’ll go to the bathroom and try too.  We are going to get the coolest most fabulous underwear, we are going to sing and dance every time you go and by the end of the weekend no more diapers.”

Step Three

Remember 99% of all kids are pretty much potty trained by age 4 so it really is going to happen this year. If for some reason it isn’t then it is a good time to consult your doctor.  If they have accidents, and they will, it is very important that you handle them with the utmost positivity. It can be very embarrassing and hurtful if you shout at them for this, so just easy breezy say never mind and go to the bathroom anyway and try and get some more out, simply explaining next time we’ll make it. It’s critical to be kind, even when you think they are using poop against you!

Step Four

Avoid potties if you can! If you wait until your child is 3 then they will almost certainly be able to sit on the toilet, at least with you supporting them or a smaller seat addition.  This means you can flush and that is a beautiful thing! In my opinion, make your life easier and avoid potties, avoid the cleaning that goes with them, and avoid needing to transfer to the toilet down the line.

Step Five

Don’t go back!  Once you have decided to take off the diaper, commit to it.

Step Six

Don’t even think about nighttime potty training.  Keep that diaper on them or pull up until they are dry as a bone every morning when they wake for a week.  Then Voila! Night potty trained.  Do be helpful though and have them use the bathroom before bedtime, and don’t send them to bed with a gallon of water or milk!

Step Seven

Accept all fun tips if your kids like them!  From aiming at cheerios to drawing around their feet on book filled shoeboxes or little steps so they know where to stand.  Do whatever makes them happy and comfortable. Have fun in the bathroom!

Warning:  there are a few good reasons, but only a few, for potty training earlier:

• Cost
• Your Daycare of Pre-School insists on it (Darn them)
• Allergy to Diapers

So go forth with confidence and share your #PottyTrainingInADay stories!

Tags: how to potty train, potty training, potty training tips, toddlers