Potty training a toddler can be an intimidating task for many parents. It requires patience, consistency, and a lot of positive reinforcement. Fortunately, there are some simple strategies that can make the process easier and help ensure success. In this article, we will discuss the easiest way to potty train a toddler so that you can get your little one out of diapers in no time.
Potty Training Readiness: How do I know if it’s time?
While the age of potty training readiness varies from one child to the next many children will begin to show interest in this project around the age of 3 years old.
There are several signs that a child could be ready to conquer this important milestone.
- First, your child will begin showing interest in what goes on in the bathroom. Children learn best by mimicking others.
- Second, often toddlers will start to hide or seek privacy when they know that they need to have a stool or poop in their diaper.
- Lastly, their elimination habits will become more predictable and may include waking up with a dry diaper after naps or overnight sleep.
In addition to signs of readiness, toddlers should be able to accomplish certain developmental milestones.
In order for potty training to end in success, a child needs to be able to:
- verbalize their need to use the bathroom.
- pull up and down their own pants.
- wash their hands.
Often a large hurdle to overcome for a child is the fear of the flushing sound and/or the fear of stooling in the toilet. Preparing your child ahead of potty training will decrease their fear of certain things.
Choose a block of days
As long as your child is ready to learn, the process can be fairly straightforward to accomplish. Whether you work outside or inside of the home, you should block off about 3 days to focus on potty training. This extended period of time will allow you to have the patience and bandwidth for the potty training process.
A couple of days prior to starting, you need to gather your supplies. Most potty training success comes from positive reinforcement. Gather things that help you to accomplish this. Things such as reward charts, underwear with their favorite character on them or a favorite book can incentivize your child. Additionally, you can plan to have supplies to have a “good-bye to diapers” party or ceremony at the end of your training period. Other supplies include either disposable training pants or big kid underwear.
Finally, you want to decide if you are going to use your regular toilet with an insert or a portable potty chair for your child. If you choose to use the regular toilet, be sure to also grab a small stool while you are gathering your supplies. Kids need to have their legs supported in order to be able to relax enough to use the toilet easily.
When the day comes
On the day that you have chosen to start the process, you can put your child in their training pants, big kid underwear or just let them go bare-bottomed for a period of time. Set up towels on their favorite chair and let your child watch cartoons or their favorite show, bonus points if the show is about going potty. Keep a sippy cup full of their favorite beverage close by so that they can drink enough to need to urinate frequently. About every 20-30 minutes or so escort your child to the bathroom and sit them on the toilet.
You may also choose to set up a potty chair in your living room so that it is close to your child. Give them a few minutes to try to go to the bathroom, help them to wash their hands and then return to their cartoons. Continue the process throughout the day until your child starts to understand what to do.
Make a big deal about their success
Whenever your child urinates or stools in the toilet, make a really big deal about it. Talk to them about how they are a big girl or boy now and how you are very proud of them. In addition, you can keep a sticker chart of each time that they use the toilet successfully and after so many stickers, they can earn a larger prize. Conversely, if your child has an accident, you need to quietly and patiently clean them up and then move on quickly. You can remind them that “big kids use the toilet” or something along those lines, but never punish or reprimand your child for having an accident.
You can repeat this process over the next couple of days and gradually add in short outings so that your child can understand that using the toilet is not just for home. Daytime potty training can be accomplished with this “boot camp” or “3-day potty training” sort of technique or you can just slowly and over a period of a couple of weeks transition from diapers and towards using the toilet. There is no one right way to potty train a child.
What about nighttime potty training
Nighttime training is not really something that you have any control over. Dryness overnight generally occurs when your child’s brain has matured for this area of development. Some children may need training pants overnight for several years. We generally consider this to be a normal behavior until your child is at least 4 years old.
You can set your child up for success for overnight dryness by decreasing their fluid intake a couple of hours prior to bed, making sure that they use the toilet before they lay down for the night and allowing them ready access to the toilet if they need to use it in the middle of the night. Each individual child is different. Most kids achieve daytime dryness long before nighttime dryness, while others may just have an occasional accident.
If at first you don’t succeed, try again
Toddlers are funny creatures. They can appear to be ready for the next big milestone and then change their mind the next moment. Kind of like when they cry when you make them pancakes right after they ask for pancakes. It is okay and it is normal. Toddlers are processing so much information and trying to figure it all out with their limited attention span. If you start the process and your child is just not catching on, you can stop and go back to diapers for a while. Take a break and come back to the process again in a few weeks. Re-assess your child for signs of readiness again after a period of time has passed and you are mentally ready to try again.
Eventually, it all works out
Potty training a toddler can be a daunting task for any parent. However, with patience and consistency, it is possible to successfully potty train your child. Start by making a big deal out of successes and cleaning up accidents quickly and calmly. You can also use sticker charts or rewards to incentivize the process. For nighttime potty training, you may need to wait until your child’s brain has matured enough for this area of development, which usually happens around age 4. If at first you don’t succeed, take a break and try again in a few weeks when both you and your child are ready. With time and effort, you will eventually have success in potty training your toddler!
Let 127 Pediatrics Help You!
If you are on the struggle bus with your toddler and you wish that you had a pediatrician on speed dial, give us a call. For a limited time, we are accepting new babies and their siblings into the practice. Find out what life can be like to have an at-home pediatrician on speed dial. Visit our website or give us a call at 817.476.0675
© 127 Pediatrics; February 2023, updated January 2024
Please note that this article is purely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical advice.
Dr. Andrea Wadley owns and operates 127 Pediatrics, a pediatric and lactation practice in Colleyville, TX. She specializes in pediatrics, breastfeeding medicine and offers house calls only. Additionally, Dr. Wadley is the owner of the 127 Pediatrics Online Breastfeeding Medicine and Education Center. We have many free resources for breastfeeding mothers. Subscribe to our YouTube channel or download a free breastfeeding checklist.
