8 Tips on Preparing Your Toddler for Potty Training

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post letting you know the best tips for potty training your toddler. Let’s face it. When potty training, we sometimes need all the help we can get!

If you have started noticing that you’re changing fewer diapers, or your child is staying dry throughout nap time, these are major signs that indicate it’s time to begin potty training. To do this successfully, time, patience, and an understanding that each toddler will reach this important milestone at their own pace is key. While each child is different, here are a few general tips on how to best prepare your toddler for potty training.

Know When Your Child is Ready

Your child needs to be developmentally ready and prepared to learn how to use the potty. As the parent, only you will know when your child is ready to make the change. Doing so will make the process much faster and easier. Each child is different, so while one may be ready for potty training at 18 months, another may not be until 36 months. There are other factors to take into account, such as if your child has autism.

You can visit resources like Autism Parenting Magazine where you information about autism and potty training. Autism Parenting Magazine can also teach you therapies to help develop your child’s potential, as well as how to prepare for potty training.

Understand that the Process Will Take Time

If this is your first child, you need to understand that in order to successfully potty train your child, having excellent patience skills is a must. The process doesn’t happen overnight, so if you’re expecting to see quick results, think again! To overcome any setbacks and accidents, you and your child will need to work together. While you may have heard of some parents who have been successful in potty training their child over one singular weekend, it’s normal for the process to take up to 6 months.

Get the Right Equipment

If you’re new to potty training, a training potty is classed as the least intimidating option to use. There are lots of cute potties that you can purchase on the internet which may include some of your kid’s favorite cartoon characters. Having a potty design that your child is familiar with can help them feel more comfortable and relaxed. It’s advised to get a potty that has a removable seat that can be placed on the toilet once your kid is ready.

Choose the Right Time

The time you choose to potty train your child can have a huge influence on overall success. If your child has recently gone through a change, such as moving to a new home, the arrival of a sibling, or beginning at a new daycare, all these scenarios can be stressful for your child, making potty training an unnecessary addition. It’s best to pick a period where you can spend a large amount of time with your child, helping them to feel more secure in their environment. Providing constant encouragement and support is key.

Set a Schedule

Creating a schedule can help turn potty training into a routine, helping your child adjust to their new responsibility, as well as serving them reminders to go by themselves. To begin, it’s best to pick 2-3 times per day when you will put your child on their potty. While it’s great if they use it, try not to worry if they need more time. All in all, you just need to make sure that your child starts to get used to it.

Introduce Your Child to the Potty

Some children may see the potty as a scary or intimidating thing, so it’s your job as the parent to show them that it will benefit them, rather than cause problems. To help your child feel more comfortable, there are several things that you can do, such as placing the potty in your child’s play area which they can use while playing with toys or reading a book. Once they become accustomed to the potty, you can go about placing it in the bathroom.

Use the Right Words

Rather than using obscure or vague words to describe the act of going to the toilet, it’s best to use child-friendly words like ‘poop’, ‘potty’, and ‘pee’ when talking to your child. The last thing you should do is use words like ‘disgusting’ or ‘dirty’ to describe the potty, as this can cause your child to feel embarrassed or ashamed of their actions.

Create Good Habits

Once your child gets the hang of using the potty, they will likely want to get back to playtime straight away. Before they finish, make sure that you teach your children the importance of washing their hands. To encourage hand washing, you can purchase a child-friendly antibacterial soap that they will enjoy using.