When is the right time to potty train your toddler? How to potty train a toddler? To be honest, there is no absolute right time same for every toddler, just watch out for sign of readiness to be potty trained. Do not compete with other babies, just follow your baby’s sign of readiness.
One day parents shall anticipate to potty train your child. It is a big step forward during the toddler stage where it shows they are capable to perform this task (pee or poo in the potty) tremendously and able to understand the meaning and instruction given by the parents or caregivers or teachers.
From the financial point of view, cut down huge amount of diapers is a huge saving for the family too.
When to start potty train a toddler?
Basically, toddlers about 18-24 month old, can give the potty a try. Let them sit on the potty at the specific time interval and do it frequently, like after 30 minutes after eating or after a bath, to familiar with the thing called “potty”. Make it a routine work and eventually they can accept and understand the meaning of pee or poo in the potty.
If your child refuse to sit on the potty, do not rush it. Some babies need to wait close to age 3 or 4 years old. Keep looking for the sign of readiness and may give them the potty a try after sometimes.
Let children see their other siblings or parents going to toilet and keep telling them no more dirty diaper, you are going to pee or poo in the toilet or potty like a big kids do!
How to potty train a toddler?
At first, you must have a potty train plan in mind. What you can anticipate during the training and things to be prepared before the training.
Potty training plan
Before you go out shop for cute little potty for your toddler, you shall also consider about how you want to start and how to handle the possible accidents. There is no so called the best technique but it will happen quite naturally IE a part of development milestone for every toddler.
We shall never achieve what other parents do (some toddlers are potty trained about 2 years of age) but just do not compete with other toddlers. Every toddler is different and he/she may have progressed in different pace. Potty train shall be done slowly and steadily.
Some toddlers can be successfully potty trained within 3 days, some may fall back along the way and some become fully trained potty users in few weeks or months.
Learning to use the potty and do their business involves skills and how fast they can understand and it can take some time. Do not rush them if they have not showed sign of readiness to be potty trained. Keep pushing may stress them out and refuse to accept it again.
Babies potties
The toilet in the house is designed for adult. Therefore, it may not be suitable to be used for children as the toilet seat is much wider and their little bottom may fall into it. For safety reason, we have to purchase a potty which is suitable for your child.
1. Comfortable toilet ring seat
The size of the seat is smaller and suitable for the children and it can fix nicely onto the standard toilet seat. The seat can be soft and squishy with their favorite cartoon characters on it. As long as there is no rough edges and a child can sit on it safely. Remember you need to get ready a step stool for your child to sit up on the toilet ring seat with ease.
2. Standalone potty
It is small and made of plastic. In the early potty training, it is better to use this lightweight potty. Your child can just squat and sit on it anywhere and anytime. It can be placed at the bedroom, living room where you can reach it very conveniently.
Some parents do not like this as it can be messy and it needs to be cleaned manually. Some parents think potty train in the toilet is more appropriate. It can be a personal choice and look for potties that interest your child from sitting on it.
3. 3 in 1 potty chair and step stool
There is 3 in 1 potty chair which can be used as a chair or step stool as well. After use as a potty chair, you can flip the lid and transform into a low chair or a step stool. Just watch out for pinched finger when your child try to flip the lid.
4. Potty seat with ladder
For safety reason, a sturdy non-slip step ladder attached to a toilet seat can be an option for bigger kids. Some parents may invest in this kind of potty seat as it can be safe to be use by their children which are fully potty trained users to use it without help. It usually comes with handle on it. It makes it easier for a child to grab the seat in a hurry.
Cute little underwear, plenty of them!
During the potty training, you can anticipate quite a numbers of potty accidents may happen, some can be messy one. Therefore, get ready more underwear and extra clothing for change before one is completely potty trained.
Kids do not know how to control over their bladder and bowel movements. It takes some time to learn and eventually you will notice the potty accidents will be getting lesser and lesser once they have learned how to control.
Get some cute underwear with your kids favorite colors and pattern. Some can have their cartoon or superheroes printed onto them. They will be more than willing to put them on.
If accidental mess is made, clean it calmly and tell your child to try to get to the potty in time.
Sign of readiness for potty training
You will send your child to toilet and sit on the potty for a while, especially 30 minutes after meal or after a bath. If they do not refuse to sit on it, try make it a routine. One day he/she will realize it is OK to pee or poo in the potty. If it has become a habit, potty training can be 50% successful.
If your child refuse to sit on the potty and showed sign of fear going to the toilet, you can slowly introduce to him/her about this little thing called potty, show him/her how to use and why we use it. Show him/her some video with kids sitting on the potty and try multiple times. Eventually they will understand and accept it.
Now, give the potty a try!
Usually, if you want to potty train your little one at home, better choose during weekend or holidays where you will be with your child the whole day for consecutively two to three days. Keep telling your child you will be a big kid and no more dirty nappy.
Once your child wakes up in the morning, change him/her with the cute little underwear and let them drink lots of water. Every 30 minutes or so, bring them to the potty, sit on it and wait. Do it frequently until your child manage to pee or poo in the potty.
Sometimes, offer compliments now and then on their dry underwear and they manage to do their little business in the potty. It can be a great encouragement to get positive reinforcement for a toddler who are undergoing potty training.
Sometime authoritarian parenting may not work here as it will create fear or stress and lead to a setback in potty training.
Conclusion
“How to potty train a toddler?” is an article written to help new parents on how to begin with potty training. I hope you will find this article insightful.
Please share your experience about potty training your toddler at home. We will be more than happy to hear from you.
Happy reading!
Read more ” What is the best way to treat diaper rash?“