3 Ways to Potty Train Your Toddler
If you’re a parent, then you know how challenging it can be to potty train your toddler. Luckily, there are several methods you can use to make the process easier for both you and your child. In this post, I’ll share three effective ways to potty train your toddler, so you can say goodbye to diapers and hello to big-kid underwear. Whether you’re just starting the potty training process or you’ve hit a roadblock, these tips will help you get your little one on the path to success. So, let’s dive in and explore the three best ways to potty train your toddler!
If you aren’t quite sure if your child is ready to potty train, check out this blog post about 5 Things You Need to Know if Your Toddler is Ready to Potty Train.
1. No Diapers? No Problem!
For this method, you simply have to remove your toddler’s diaper, and let them roam free — diaper free!
Start off by preparing “potty stations” in your home; the idea is for your toddler to have very easy access to the potty, so they do not have to travel far to relieve themselves; you are removing potentially overwhelming roadblocks of “removing underwear” and “walking to the potty.”
Most importantly, if your child is running around with no diapers, being at close proximity with a potty AT ALL TIMES will highly prevent potty accidents.
Next, have a conversation about your child that they are learning how to use the potty like mommy and daddy. I also suggest reading this post listing potty training books!
Show your toddler where the potty stations will be throughout your home. When your child does use the potty, praise them! Congratulate them for going to the potty and make them feel so good about it, that they’ll do it again and again.
If your child is having difficulty going in the potty, I have two suggestions: add more potty stations and add a rewards system. The reward system can simply be a sticker chart where you toddler can earn a small treat/prize after going potty. If you’d like a more elaborate explanation of reward systems, sticker charts, and how to wean them off, read this post.
2. On a Schedule
This second method is exactly what it’s called — put your toddler on a potty schedule. To minimize potty accidents, I recommend putting your toddler in pullups.
At the beginning of your potty training, demonstrate the “basics” of going potty: how to pull down their pullups/underwear, sitting down, then sitting at the potty for at least 10 seconds, and finally pulling up their underwear/pullups.
It’s essential to have them sit in the potty for 10 seconds to give them time to pay attention to their body and figure out if they need to go potty.
Once your child has some understanding of the “basics” of going potty, set a schedule. In the beginning, I strongly suggest going potty every hour. The first and last thing your child must do everyday is to go potty. Having a consistent schedule will teach your child when to anticipate the next potty break.
Your child does not have to go potty every single time, but we are teaching them the process of going potty by repetition. If you’d like a more elaborate explanation of this method, check out this article on scheduled potty training.
3. Transition Based Potty Training
Transition based potty training is a fancy way of saying “going to the potty after you finish doing something.”
Per usual, show your child the “basics” of going potty – pulling down their underwear/pullups, sitting on the potty for at least 10 seconds, and finally, pulling up their underwear/pullups.
Next, figure out the activities your child does throughout the day and send them to the potty right after. Just woke up? Go potty. Finished eating breakfast? Go potty. Done playing? Go potty. Just finished reading? Go potty. Done with lunch? Go potty. Just woke up from your nap? Go potty.
Your toddler does not have to go potty each time they try, but by increasing the number of times they “try,” they are learning to go potty by repetition.
Potty training is a huge milestone in a child’s life, and it’s important to choose the correct method in potty training to be successful. Be consistent with your method and reinforce every positive step your child takes. I hope you found this article helpful in choosing the best potty training method to use with your little one.
