10 Tips for Potty Training Your Toddler
A couple of months ago I decided we were going to do something very brave.
We were going to potty train Cameron.
He was twenty months old. Eight months younger than Seth when he got things figured out. But I thought maybe, just maybe Cameron was ready. He would go in and watch brother and daddy go potty and then stand by the potty himself and stick his little belly out as far as he could. He informed me when he had a diaper that he wanted changed. He was interested in sitting on the potty I just never got him to actually go.
But the thought of no diapers for a while was very, very persuasive. And so one weekend I announced to Ben that the next Monday Cameron was going to begin potty training. In the back of my mind I was sure this wasn’t going to work. But hope was whispering in my ear, and I thought if I could just get him to the potty once before he went, he would go potty then make connections in his brain and we would be on our way to a diaper free house.
It worked!! Sorta. 🙂 Cameron is potty trained now and he did rather quickly, but this is not one of those “potty train your child in three days posts” that are all over Pinterest. Potty training can take time, though sometimes it doesn’t, so I’ve put together a list of tips for potty training your toddler to encourage you in this adventure.
{This site uses affiliate links. For the full disclosure, click here.}
Here are My Ten Tips for Potty Training Your Toddler
1. Watch for signs that your toddler is ready for potty training.
For Cameron these were: telling me when he wanted his diaper changed, observing with interest other people going potty, practicing going potty and asking to sit on the potty.
Other signs can include:
- dry periods- naptime or overnight with no wet diapers
- your toddler has to work to go pooey and then asks you to change them
- toddler has words or signs for going potty and can tell you
- toddler takes pride in their work and accomplishments
- toddler wants to wear underwear.
2. Schedule three to five days that you can be home all day.
It might seem like a long time, but it is so hard to take a little out while you are trying to potty train. You have to wait for them to go and then hope that you can do your errands and get back in time for them to sit on the “froggy”. You wonder whether you should pack two extra sets of clothes or five. Just take the plunge and make sure you have at least three days in a row home. And momma, if you really need to get out, schedule a date night and make a baby sitter potty train for a little bit. 🙂
3. Have snacks/treats for those first exciting potty successes.
Cameron is a boy after my own heart, so I used Costco’s dairy free chocolate chips as his treat. He didn’t get a handful or anything, I think we started with five the first couple of days. If he pooped on the potty he got more than when he peed.
4. Have some chocolate for yourself
Momma, it can be stressful those first few days of potty training. Not only do you have to be on toddler watch all you might also have to deal with your emotions as you realize your baby is growing up.
If your toddler doesn't potty train the first time you try, you haven't failed them, nor have they failed you. They simply weren't ready. Check out 10 tips for potty training your toddler! #toddlers #momlife #momhacks Click To Tweet5. Start reducing the potty treat after three to five days.
Once you can get that toddler on the potty, it has clicked in their minds what they need to do, and they know to go on the potty, start reducing the treat. We slowly decreased the chocolate chip amount one at a time until Cameron only expected them when he pooped and then after a few days we eliminated those as well. Now, two months later, I do bribe Cameron with chocolate chips if I need him to go right away such as before we leave for a longer car ride {or nursing if it is before bedtime} otherwise we are a treat free after potty household.
6. Have a cute little potty that interests your toddler.
Your potty doesn’t need to be super fancy, but for my boys their interest grew when they seen their “special” potty. We found a little potty at Meijer, I think it was $15, and during those early days and weeks of potty training it goes everywhere (Bible Study, grandparents, etc.) with us. I think it helped my boys to have something familiar, the potty, when out and about and there weren’t frustrations when the toilet was different.
7. Get some awesome underwear.
Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, Ninja Turtles and Cars, there are undies out there for everyone. We have quite the selection and both boys definitely have their favorites.
Awesome underwear can spark your toddler’s interest and help keep things going when nothing else can.
8. Awesome underwear are great, but so is letting your toddler be a nudist.
I think Cameron ran around naked for most of the first two weeks of potty training unless we were out in public. Even at Grandma’s and Nana’s I would strip off his underwear and pants as soon as we got there. It is so much easier for the toddler to learn to recognize the potty signs when everything is out there than when it is covered in something that feels, to them, like a thin diaper.
9. Be ready to clean up accidents.
Make sure you have extra of whatever cleaner you like to use available to clean up those accidents. Most of the times I just used rags and vinegar, but there were times I needed something a little stronger. Honestly after the first couple of days we really didn’t have too many accidents.
10. Know that it is okay if the potty training thing doesn’t work the first time.
It didn’t for Seth. We gave it a shot for a couple weeks and then decided to wait a couple more months. The next time it worked great! If your toddler doesn’t potty train the first time you try you haven’t failed them, nor have they failed you. They simply weren’t ready.
You May Also Like:
To The Mom Worried About Her Child’s Future
Why Christian Moms Should Rejoice in Their Imperfections
I think I need to visit your blog more often! I am a nanny to a two-year old (and my last nannying position was for a two-year-old, too), and the “surviving toddlerhood” name is very appealing to me! I potty-trained the last little girl I nannied, and I am going to be starting with the next one soon. It can be so stressful! I’m going to try some of your tips.
I hope these tips will help you out Jenna! Potty training definitely happens at different stages for everyone, hoping your little charge is ready as does well. 🙂
I have to admit surviving the toddlerhood stage is getting easier now that my youngest is almost two and the oldest is four, but we’re hoping that God will bless us with another little soon and we will be back in survival mode. 🙂
Potty training was a very stressful process for our family. These are excellent tips. I wish I’d read them before starting with our daughter, specifically tip #10!
I like to remind myself that every cgild is different, what worked for my youngest at twenty months may not work for another child until thirty months. God made us all different. 🙂
I wish I would have had these a few years ago, I had a horrible time with potty training! Great tips!
Thanks Sherri. I’m sorry you had a rough time, I’m thankful to be able to say that we had two pretty good experiences.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. Mine were 2 and 2 1/2.
Good ages for potty training. 🙂 Every child is different and what worked for us, may not work for you.
I love the tip to have some chocolate on hand for yourself. 🙂
Chocolate can be a momma’s best friend some days… 🙂
Since I’m about to be partaking in this journey this is SUPER helpful! Thank you so much!!
I’m glad you have found these tips helpful Jessica!! I wish you and your little luck! Don’t forget the chocolate. 🙂
I am hoping and praying that my daughter will be ready for this soon. She is showing some signs, but not just yet. I’m hoping come summer we can spend a week at home and just let her run around wild. We have her signed up for preschool this fall and she has to be potty trained. I’m slightly freaking out.
I was originally planning to wait until summer with Cameron as well, it is so much easier to let them run naked outside and figure things out, but our trial run turned into the real thing. We still have accidents, and there was definitely a regression after holiday travel, but I would rather wash undiea now than diapers. 🙂
Good luck!! I’m sure Evie will do great!
Great tips! And yes, mama needs chocolate too!
I love this! We will be entering into this realm soon enough. Pinning for later. My daughter is 13 months old and loves sitting on the potty. We started it when she would almost poop during bath, we plopped her onto the toilet instead. She always pees before bathtime now too. She does wake up dry from naps sometimes….do you think 13 mos is too early?
Does she tell you when she wants a diaper change?
You could always try itbfor a couple of weeks and then see what happpens, if she can already go sometimes I don’t think it would be super hard to get her to go other times. You could always try adding in a couple other specific times and see what happens before trying potty training completely. Maybe before and after naptime and first thing in the morning? Let me know what you do and how it goes!! 🙂
You’d think by the 5th time I’d have this down pat. My last little guy is adamant about his diaper. He knows everything and will tell me when he went, but underwear and treats aren’t enough to grasp his conviction to try. He’s almost 4 and is all too happy to be in diapers. I think I’m going to get rid of the diapers on his 4th birthday and he’ll have to get it:)
I LOVED all your tips! So realistic! Ahh!!! I’m a little terrified but I think we’ll start on Monday!! 😊
Did you end up starting the potty training? How is it going? We tried again for the third time with the youngest and it finally stuck. He just started staying dry at night too, so we are on our third night of no nighttime diapers!!
Staying home for a few days definitely sounds like a good idea. I’m thinking about attempting potty training next summer, but we’ll see if my toddler is showing signs of readiness by then. I want to give him some time to adjust to the new baby first.
Yeah, the new baby could definitely cause a setback with potty training. Summer is the best time to train little boys!! 🙂
I just went through these with my baby. Potty training even after six other children is always so “fun”.
These are great tips! My child is 20 months old and and has been showing mild interest for a while, even saying “potty” when they need to go! Maybe I should just take the plunge and try full-on potty training. I’m a little worried about regression though because Baby #2 is due in about a month.
Did you ever end up trying the potty training?
I’ve been half-heartedly doing it. I’m a little fearful if we jump in fully that he will regress when the new baby comes in days/weeks, that’s already a lot of change, you know? But, he might like all of the individual attention that comes with it too. Right now we just go regularly before nap and bath. Maybe I’ll slowly add more attempts and see what happens!
Oh potty training, it’s definitely my least favorite part of being a parent and it’s so great when it’s over! have been enjoying having a five and three year old who are completely potty trained and now I have to get ready to do it all over again with the next one 😉