Just the words alone – Potty Training – send chills down the spines of many parents. If you’ve never been through the process, it seems almost impossible to believe it can happen. Can my toddler really stop using a diaper and make it to the potty? Well the answer is YES! And it’s actually not as bad as you think.
As a mom of four boys…that’s right, FOUR boys…I have now been through this process FOUR different times, so I have lots of tips and tricks when it comes to all the hurdles, pitfalls and successes that come along with this amazing process. I say amazing, because once it starts to “click” for the child, it is always incredible to witness. As I said, I’ve been through potty training boys four times (having just trained my 3 year old) and each time is just as astonishing as the first! So lets dive in!
A reminder that I am not a doctor or professional potty trainer, I am a mom who has successfully potty trained her four boys (maybe that does make me a professional, actually) and these are the strategies that worked for me.
What is the correct age to start potty training?
There is no perfect potty training age. Each child is different and it’s more about waiting for them to show signs of readiness. On average, around 3 years old has been a good time to start for us. With my oldest son, when he turned 2.5 we thought he should start potty training. Looking back, I can see how wrong we were. He would cry every time I put him on the potty and I would try to bribe him with treats to no avail. I now know that I should’ve waited for him to show interest before pushing him to start going on the potty.
So what are some of the signs a child is ready to potty train?
- They pretend to go potty on toys that resemble a potty.
- They want to watch older siblings use the potty.
- They want to sit on the potty.
If you see them doing one or more of the above activities, chances are they are ready to start potty training!
Potty Training Tips – Where to Start
So your child is ready to potty train. Now what? Well first you are going to need some gear. You will need the following: (affiliate links)
- Potty training underpants – we love these ones from Gerber as they are more absorbent than regular underpants and can catch the accidents a bit better.
- Potty training seat – This is a seat that sits on top of the toilet that makes the opening much smaller so they don’t fall in. This is not required, but I have always found it helps the first few weeks until they really have it down and are comfortable sitting on the regular toilet seat.
- Potty chair – OPTIONAL – We had one of these and only one of my sons actually used it. They all liked to pretend to sit on it but most of the time it was just pretend and they ultimately preferred to go in the potty. That being said, it was probably worth it to have just to get them used to the idea of going potty. It’s also no fun to clean out after they go potty in it. I much prefer them to go directly into the toilet for easier clean up.
- Pull-up diapers – These are key and will become your new best friends as you transition from regular diapers. They are also ideal for car trips or when out in public. Any brand will work as they are just there for emergencies so I’ve never fully analyzed absorbency or any of those details. I’ve used all kinds and found them all generally acceptable.
Now that you have all your gear, you are ready to start potty training.
Start by picking a day when you will mostly be at home and are not overly busy. I have found it best to just remove the diaper and either let them run around with no bottoms on, or put on the potty training underpants. The underpants are great, because they can be helpful in catching any pee or poo (and many accidents will happen the first day). Once the diaper has been removed, try getting them to drink as much water as you can. Every so often offer them some more water. This will get things moving. Then set an alarm or make a mental note to take the child to the potty every 10-15 minutes and have them try to go.
Most likely, they will not go on the potty and will have an accident in their underpants (or on the floor, if no underpants), but the accident will feel uncomfortable for them and having those accidents will start giving them the idea that they need to make it to the potty. Continue giving them water and asking them to go every 10-15 minutes. If at any point the child becomes frustrated, stop the training and put the diaper back on. Wait a few hours then try again. If frustration ensues, stop and try another day.
Depending on the readiness of the child, you may see success the first day. If the child is able to make it to the potty the YAHOO! Do a celebration! Dance, sing and praise them over and over! It’s a HUGE accomplishment…even if it happened by accident because they drank so much water!
The key in this process is to follow their lead. If they are having fun, keep going and if not, then stop for the day and try again the next day.
Potty Training Regression
Potty training is not a one-day process. It actually can take weeks, months and in some cases years (for overnight training). For all of my sons, I thought they had it down. They were consistently using the potty and then all of a sudden, they lost interest and didn’t want to do it anymore. The first time it happened I was devastated as I thought we had lost all progress, but looking back I now know it was part of the process. When my sons, first got the hang of potty training, it was exciting and fun for them. Then they realized it was more work than going in diapers, and it lost the fun aspect so they stopped doing it. For me, this only lasted a few days to a week. I ended up just putting them back in diapers and waiting it out. After about a week, we would try again from the beginning and this time it went much faster and stuck. If you find your child having success and then suddenly wanting nothing to do with potty training, it’s TOTALLY NORMAL and part of the process. Give them time and try again.
Potty Training At Night
Potty training at night is a totally separate process (and much easier, actually). The truth about overnight training is that it’s a developmental process and not one that requires training. Once their bodies allow them to wake up at night, they will do so and want to go to the potty. Until then, there is nothing you can do about it. I’ve had one of my kids be overnight trained by 2.5 and another at 4.5. Some kids are still not overnight trained until 7, 8 or even 9. We tried to night train my oldest son (new parent mistake) and were just left with lots of wet sheets and laundry. Now I just keep them in pull-ups or overnight diapers until the diapers are totally dry for about a month. Once that happens they are overnight trained! EASY PEASY!
Potty Training Tips for Boys
Because I’m a mom of four boys, I had to include a section on tips for potty training boys.
- Remember to point their penis down when they are sitting on the potty or pee will go everywhere. Even if they are sitting down to poo, you must point it down. ( I only grew up with sisters and learned this the hard way.)
- Remind them to always watch what they are doing when they are standing up to pee or again, pee will go everywhere.
- When they are pulling their pants down to go pee, have them face away from the potty or else their heads go right into the potty. (My son hit his chin on the grossest part of the toilet rim. )
- Look for cues from them, especially for poo time. If you start to smell them passing gas, it usually means poo is coming soon. Get them to the potty asap! Where there’s smoke, there’s fire!
- Keep a book handy while they are on the potty to get them to sit there longer. We’ve really enjoyed these potty training books: No More Diapers for Ducky or or Boys Potty Time
Potty Training Resources
Like I said, I’m just a mom, but if you are looking for more medically sound advice, here are some great links:
Potty Training for Children with Special Needs
Sometimes developmental issues can make potty training more difficult, or take longer to learn. It is important to remember to be patient and consider the unique needs of children with autism, down’s syndrome, or other issues. Each child is unique, and some may simply take much longer to learn to use the potty. Others may have continued issues with potty training which can extend into later childhood and beyond. Luckily, there are many resources to help with getting incontinence supplies for children with special needs, including using insurance benefits to cover the cost.
Learning Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Now that your child is on the road to being potty trained, check out some of our favorite toddler activities to keep them interested, learning and engaged:
- Paper Towel Roll People Toddler Activity * ages 2 – 5
- Monster Footprint Hop * ages 2+
- Rainbow Sensory Bag * ages 2+