Let me tell you, I look forward to the day when the only butt I’m wiping is my own!
Out of my five kids, three are potty trained, and we are just about to begin the transition out of diapers with my fourth, who just turned two. I am very thankful that all of my kids have decided to potty train right after their second birthdays.
Don’t get me wrong, I love celebrating this milestone and I also love not having to buy diapers for two kids at a time. But it’s a process…and a hectic process at that.
When to Start
My kids’ biggest hurdle has always been getting over their fear of the toilet. At around eighteen months is when I bring out the kids potty. My kids love this potty with a handle that makes flushing noises.
For those first few months, their potty is used for everything else but actually using it as a potty.
When my son was two, our dog had recently had puppies. He would put the puppies in the toilet bowl to keep them from getting away. Don’t worry, it was brand new and hadn’t been used yet.
Right now, my two year old keeps dragging the potty around the house to use it as a stepping stool. Our unannounced guests often come in to find the potty strategically placed by light switches or the TV stand to reach the remote. When they do actually start using the potty though is when I enforce the rule that the potty has to stay in the bathroom.
But during this time of potty exploration, I really start hyping up the potty. We talk about it, practice using it (even if they do absolutely no business on it, I still praise them for trying), and start practicing saying the word “potty.” This whole process of learning about the potty is what I refer to as Phase One of potty training.
The most important thing I have learned with potty training is that you can’t move on to phase two until they are ready. Kids like to call the shots. You know they are ready when your child starts becoming excited about big kid underwear and saying yes to going potty, instead of fighting you or getting upset about it.
Phase Two
I usually start this phase by taking my child to go pick out their own big kid underwear. When you get home, let them try on a pair (over their diaper until you can run them through the wash) and get really excited about it! Over the top excited about it. Chances are, when they see you getting excited about it, they will be excited about it too.
Now, I start getting them familiarized with the feeling of going potty. Right after they wake up, I put them on the potty and we read books. For the first few days, this will seem like forever. Sometimes they won’t even go. Just keep trying!
My reward system is small candy, like M&Ms. They get one for trying, three for peeing, and five for pooping. Don’t forget to celebrate with them when they do go. My older kids like this part because it includes high fives, fist bumps, clapping, and cheering (and also candy for them).
If they start battling you every morning, take a break for a couple of days and try again.
Phase Three
This is where we start getting out of diapers. Depending on your child, it may take anywhere from a few days to couple of weeks to get here. I start this phase when my kids are waking up and consistently using the potty with very little time of sitting and waiting for it to happen.
This is what I consider lockdown. I strategically plan this for when we will be at home for about a week.
Then, we go straight into big kid underwear during the day. I also set hourly reminders on my phone. If they have three accidents in a row with no interest in telling me they have to go potty, we take a break and try another day. The key to successful potty training is trying not to get frustrated. Because trust me, it will get frustrating sometimes.
Don’t forget to celebrate each time they go potty, and celebrate often! I have noticed in the past, when I get too used to them going potty and quit cheering with them, they go backwards with their progress.
Remember to have fun with it! We come up with silly songs and dances to keep it exciting. My kids always look at me to see my expression when trying new things. If they see you’re excited, they will be excited too!
Phase Four
I start this phase when they are having very few accidents during the day and are waking up with dry diapers. Then, we start using big kid underwear overnight. This is surprisingly the easiest phase. We rarely have overnight accidents. But just in case, I always use some kind of mattress cover underneath and have extra changes of sheets.
From start to finish, potty training has taken us anywhere from three days to a couple of weeks. Just remember, every kid is different.
“I Love Potty Training”- Said No Mom Ever
Potty training is hard! But if you put forth the effort and enthusiasm correctly the first time, you hopefully won’t have to do it again.
In the past, I have found that my kids match my enthusiasm level. So don’t get discouraged. You’re both doing a great job!
Are you struggling with potty training? Leave me a comment and I’ll be sure to respond to try and help you out!
