Potty Training Toddler – Starting Off Right

The first potty training day can be difficult.

You’re ready to go, but your (potty training) toddler isn’t.

They’re smart, capable, and always up for anything, yet the moment you start talking about learning to use the toilet, toddler troubles abound.

This is perfectly normal and easy to navigate.

Your soon to be potty training toddler is probably feeling the threat of security being stripped away. The diapers on their bottom are equal, at least in their mind, to a certain amount of attention and security they’ve always known.

While you are simply asking your toilet training toddler to be more independent, they are hearing that something they are highly comfortable with is going to be taken away from them.

We know it is growth. They see it as loss.

Potty Training Toddlers – Simple Solutions:

1) Identify friends that are potty training – toddlers will react well to their favorite characters as well. “Look, Diego is potty trained,” you might say, “he could never have so many adventures if he was wearing a diaper!”

2) Create a potty chart so you can easily build in incentives. After three successes, your potty training toddler can earn something – perhaps a favorite game or activity. This does NOT need to be something purchased, what your toilet learning toddler is most seeking is your time and undivided attention.

3) Articulate your plan and make it visual. If your toddler resists, be clinical rather than emotional (this is flat out some of the best potty training advice you could ever ask for). Your toddler will feed off your emotion. Negative attention is still attention.

4) Reinforce their progress with positive intonations. Say things such as, “Look how exciting this new experience will be for us!” “Now that we won’t need to change your diaper, we can take longer field trips.” “This is so much fun watching you grow so smart.” “Listen to your body. It’s trying to tell you to get rid of your waste.”

Effective potty training techniques consistently say to involve your toddler as much as possible as it will help to keep them motivated. Let them choose the potty chart, place the stickers, choose the reward, etc. If you want to find toilet training triumph, then it is important to explain not only the process, but the benefits as well – more freedom, hygiene, time together, etc.

The primary thing your potty training toddler needs in the beginning is comfort in understanding the transition. They must be assured that they are the winner in the end. Your child will be more eager to succeed once they understand they will have more time with Mommy and Daddy once they are using the potty with independence.

Our biggest words of wisdom – don’t get into a power struggle with a potty training toddler. There will be moments when you will feel frustrated, and your toddler might even make you feel like you are not taking care of them or that you are not tending to their needs. Remain confident that you are taking care of them in the best way you can.

We’ve seen a lot of parents let their guilt drag the process out. Being clinical will shorten the time needed because your potty training toddler will not be able to feed off the exchange. I know we kind of beat this drum in the potty training book already, but remember, potty training is a process, not an event.

Remember, you’re not alone. As frustrated as you might feel, millions of people have dealt with their own potty training toddler, and this will all be a memory soon enough.

Potty Training Power…AWAY!!!