Signs Your Toddler is Ready for Potty Training

As much as we want one as parents, and as much as I would love to give you one, there is no specific age that you are to start potty training your toddler. Every child is different and each child will be ready for the leap from diapers to the potty in there own time. This leads you to my first helpful tip with Potty training...... DON'T RUSH IT! The more you push your child to use the potty before they are ready the longer it will take. The good thing is you no longer need to feel helpless. No more worrying " When is the right time?" or "My friends child is triained, why hasn't mine shown any interest". Be patient! Your toddler will give you small signs that say I'M READY when They ARE ready. Here are some of the top signs your child is ready for potty training.

Hiding/Bragging about bodily functions

I knew when it was time for my son to be trained from this sign. Every time he had to take a poopy in his diaper he would either hide behind the couch or go in another room. Other toddlers may announce to everyone that they are going to go poopy, either way it is a very common sign your little one is ready for training. It shows you they are aware of their bodily functions and are ready to take the next step.

Your changing fewer and fewer diapers

A toddler who is waking up with dry diapers, or that is able to stay dry for an hour or more is prepared to start training. This shows they are learning to control their bladder. Remember however, they are tiny little people and may forget about this until it is to late. Reminders are always good. A simple " do you need to go pee pee" every once in a while is a big help. Also limit water before bedtime. This will help to keep everything dry until morning.

Predictable poo poo?

It is a lot easier to potty train if you have a head start on the times your toddler has bowl movements. For example, does your toddler go potty in the morning, after eating, after nap time? When you can guess the times your toddler has to poo poo in order to remind them to try and go potty, it is a good time to start training.

They can undress themselves

Now by this I mean your toddler understands how to take down their pants or hike up their dress when nature calls. It is much easier to train if your toddler feels like a "big kid" by being able to do it themselves and show their independance!

They Think poopy is icky!

If your toddler is at a point where he/she is removing their diapers after going poo poo, because they can't stand sitting in a dirty diaper. Even if they state that they think poo poo is icky or gross this is a good time to start training. When your toddler understands that poo is something we all think is gross, and is better flushed down the toilet they will be more inclined to tell you when they have to go.

They want to see you go potty

When your little one is asking you to go potty to learn how Mommy/Daddy does it, or they ask a bunch of questions about the potty, this shows they have a curiosity and this would be a great time to help them explore it!

Remember every child is different, and every child will learn to use the bathroom when THEY are ready. Be patient, know there will be accidents, and remember it will all be over soon!

If your child has shown the signs above and you believe it would be a good timeto start training, but are clueless as of what to do next, take a look and my next blog post

Click the link below to visit one of my favorite online stores. With many choices of potty training seats, childrens books, and much more!

How to Prepare for Potty Training

So you've read all the signs and it seems your toddler is ready to start potty training, but where do you start? How to do you make the transition from diapers to the toilet smooth sailing? Unfortunately this doesn't happen overnight, but with a little patience and understanding, I will help you through the storm by giving you some tips on How to Prepare your Toddler for Potty Training.



#1- Getting the potty
First things first, if you’re going to train your toddler to use the potty they are going to need to feel comfortable with using it. This means you need to opt for a toilet seat that goes on top of yours that fits their little behind, or you need to get them their own potty chairBy explaining to them that this is THEIR OWN POTTY they will feel more inclined to use it!



#2 Personalize and make it fun!
After you have purchased your potty chair or seat, sit down with your toddler and let them personalize it (if you decided to go with the potty seat, have them personalize their stool). By letting them decorate their seat they will feel more ownership to the item which in turn will make them want to use it. This task can be done by simply letting your toddler place stickers on the chair. I let my son draw all over it with markers. Whatever way you decide, it is important to make this a fun experience. This will make your child react to the potty and potty training in a positive way!





#3 Underwear is fun and exciting!
Now I'm not telling you to throw out all your diapers quite yet. Until you are confident in your child's understanding of potty training I would hold on to them for night time use. In the beginning phase of training I would advise using pull-up training pants. Show your toddler how these are different then diapers and let them know how happy you are that they are ready to use them. Show them how easily they pull up and down so they can do the pulling down themselves when it is time to do it. I do however believe it is a good idea to take your child to the store to pick out his/her own pair of underwear even before they are ready to use it. By doing this it will make your child WANT to wear them. This will help your child to realize "If I use the potty I get to wear underwear". They will want to wear them by making them think underwear is fun and exciting! Make giving them the underwear an accomplishment! Help them understand the training process while also rewarding their efforts. When to reward your child is up to you. When they start asking to go to the bathroom, after they go by themselves for the first time, or a certain number of days without accidents. Either way they will understand they have reached a milestone when they get to wear that pair of underwear for the first time!



#4 - Read, Read, Read
Potty training is not an easy task. Keep in mind that it may take several weeks before your child even shows interest in being potty trained. There will also be setbacks. On day your child may go all day without an accident and the next he/she may not go in the toilet at all. To keep your sanity it is a very good idea to read, read, read. Go into parenting forums and read fun stories other parents have on the training their child. Read blogs dedicated to potty training (as you are right now! Good job! ) and find books on potty training. One of my favorites is
Potty Training Made Easy: A Guide for Parents. It is also a good idea to read potty training books to your child. There are many books out there for children that have wonderful illustrations, and even fun pop up pages to make your child feel more comfortable with the idea of the potty, like Even Firefighters Go to the Potty; A Potty Training Lift-the-Flap Story , or top selling childrens potty training book
Elmo's Potty Time. I cannot tell you how great this trick works with your child!


#5 Poo Poo Goes in the potty
Help your child understand poo poo and pee pee go in the potty. You can start by making the connection of bathroom to poo poo. When your child has a dirty diaper, if possible, change them in the room their potty chair is in. Another great way of letting them know where the poo poo goes is by actually putting their poo in the potty for them. I know, I know, super gross, but it works. When your little one makes their next poo in their diaper, instead of throwing in the waste basket, drop the poo in the potty and tell them "see poo poo goes in here". They will eventually catch on. If your toddler isn't afraid of the flushing sound of your toilet, let them flush. They will enjoy this task, which in turn will make them want to poo in the potty so they can flush again.... and again.



#6 Thoes that cannot do TEACH
whether your little one is having a hard time getting the concept of using the potty, or if their interest is dwindling, a potty training doll (a doll that can urinate, and sometimes even defecate) is a wonderful tool! By using the doll as a visual aid your child will become more confident in how to use the potty. A big help is your child will usually want to teach the doll themselves! They will make the doll sit on the potty and pee. This, in turn, gets them more motivated to use the potty themselves.



#7 Time is precious
If I have one tip for you it is to make sure when you start seriously training your child that you dress them in clothing that is easy to get off! If you are dressing your child in something that takes longer than a few seconds to pull off you will have many accidents! Take it from me. You have a few precious minutes after your child lets you know they need to go until they actually go. If you spend too much time on undressing they WILL have an accident even if you are right next to the toilet. They are still learning how to control their bodily functions. You have to be PATIENT and quick!


Good Luck!! For more tips on potty training and where to start please read my next post

How to Start Potty training your Toddler

You have all the supplies, you've read all the books, you’ve prepped your toddler for training, but what’s next? How do you get your child to not only understand what they are supposed to be doing, but to actually do it? Here are a few helpful tips on How to start Potty Training your Toddler.









Time For pull-ups
If you read the last posting, you went to the store and picked out a pair of underwear and some pull-up's to start training your toddler. It is best to start with the pull-up's when your toddler is in the beginning stages of training. The pull up's are easy to pull down like underwear, yet still have the absorbency of a diaper. This makes it easier to clean up when your little one has an accident. Words from the wise, when your toddler does have an accident, do not try pulling the training pants down and off the feet. The pull-up's are made to tear easily on the sides for simple removal, which in turn, saves you from an big, gross mess.



Naked Baby
Letting your Toddler run wild without a diaper on is a great way for them to learn how to use the potty. This allows your child to become more aware of when they need to go. Yes, this may lead to a wet floor in some instances, but more often than not your child will realize there is nothing there to catch what he/she needs to release and will run to the potty. Remember to keep their potty seat close by when doing this trick. They will go wherever they need to go when nature calls. Having their potty chair close by will make it easier for them to make it all the way without an accident. Timing is everything.



Keep an eye on them
Does your toddler fidget, or starts grabbing a certain area more than normal when they have to go? You know your toddler very well. If they are showing signs that they may need to go potty then gently remind them that they may need to go. Most children get so caught up in playing that they will wait until it is too late to go to the bathroom because they don't want to stop what they are doing. By keeping an eye out, and helpfully nudging them to decide if they need to go potty will lessen the amount of accidents.



WOHOO! YAY! GREAT JOB!
Don't forget to celebrate when your toddler has done the deed! If you get excited about your little one going in the potty then they will be excited to go in the potty. It is as simple as that. Remember not to scold or punish your child if they happen to have an accident. This will set back the process. You need to have patience through this experience. Even if they have an accident, but still let you know about it, you need to praise them. By doing this you will help them in realizing their bodily functions. As they learn more about their body and the signals their body gives them when nature calls less accidents will happen.



Practice makes perfect
A great trick for training when your child has an accident, is to calmly remove their wet diaper, and then set them on their potty seat. By putting two and two together for your child this will help them understand that when they need to go, they need to go to the potty. Remember not to rush your child. They will get it in time. Don't give up. Your child needs you to keep reminding them that they need to use the potty and they will eventually realize they don't want to go in their diaper anymore.



What’s my incentive?
Creating a incentive for your child is a wonderful tool when potty training. Letting them track their success on a chart with stickers, having a dance party in the living room every time they make it to the potty seat, or any creative idea you can think of that know your child will enjoy and look forward to will motivate them to use the potty and stick with it!


Stay calm, stay patient, and everything will fall into place. Understand there will be accidents, there will be setbacks, and it will take time, but also keep in mind this isn't an endless battle! Your toddler WILL reach the point where they no longer need diapers!

Affraid Of The Potty?

Is your child afraid to sit on the potty? Or do they sit down for a few seconds and jump off before even starting? I have been speaking with a few of my fellow moms and have heard some great ideas on how to get them on the potty, and how to make them finish what they started!



GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT

My friend's daughter was terrified of the toilet. My poor friend tried tirelessly to get her daughter onto that potty and to no avail. My friend then had the brilliant idea of letting her daughter do something while on the potty that she wasn't usually allowed to do..... Blow bubbles in the house!

My friend told her daughter that every time she sat on the potty she could sit and blow bubbles! Needless to say, her daughter spent a lot of time on the toilet seat after that! Find something your child enjoys that would be a incentive to sitting on the potty. Also, as my earlier post points out, if you personalize their potty seat they are more likley to become comfortable with the seat itself!



MAKE THEM WANT TO SIT
The biggest problem I had potty training my son was making him actually do the deed when he sat down on the toilet. He would sit up there for a few seconds and then exclaim "done!" even though he didn't even start. After racking my brain I realized that if I gave him an activity to do while he sat down on the toilet, that he may sit a little longer. I now let him read ( not really read, but look at pictures I mean he is only 2), play with his harmonica, and color. He no longer sits on the potty without actually going potty!



If you are having problems with potty training and need help, please post a comment below!