Let’s talk about potty training. This particular subject makes most parents cringe… but does it have to? Training a child to use the potty can be easy with the right approach, a positive attitude and dedication. At Sophisticated Standards, we believe parents are the ultimate guides and we make it a point to highlight how involvement in life’s most simple moments makes a heavy impact on our children and our relationships. Together, and specifically with the potty training experience, your guidance is imperative as this is one of the first times they will look to you to guide them through a process that leads to success. Believe it or not, you are participating in something much bigger than teaching a simple task. You are teaching a child they are capable of doing anything they set their mind to and they can rely on you to help them. 

It’s no secret that diapers are a large expense; who doesn’t want to ditch them anyways? We’ve successfully potty trained our children both by the time they were two years old. Both experiences had their stressful moments but we learned quickly that methods successfully used with one child would not work with the other. One large key factor is not to compare your children to others. 

A common misconception about potty training is that girls are easier to potty train than boys, and it’s simply not true. Every child learns at their own pace. Our daughter started her potty training months earlier than our son. However, our daughter hit a regression after “the incident” of cold  water splashing her bottom. Although urinating was a breeze for her, it took us a few weeks before the fear was eliminated completely. We were thrilled the first time our son pooped in the potty, and he was confused, not knowing the struggle with our daughter’s experience, on why we were so overjoyed. But it took him much longer to figure out how to stand up and pee.

It's helpful to know that for all the glee that comes with dropping your diaper budget down to zero; it can be hard to watch your child morph from little one to big kid. If unexpected, a twinge of grief is a common reaction to the potty-training process. On the other hand, it also offers you a chance to be proud of your child's adaptability and mastering a new skill. 

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY CHILD IS READY TO START POTTY TRAINING?

If the child does two or more of these things, it’s a good sign, and time to introduce potty training when:

• They have a dry diaper for longer than usual time

• They wake up dry at night

• They ask questions or show interest in the toilet

• They hide to use the bathroom

• They can acknowledge and/or tell you they are peeing or pooping

• They develop a bathroom routine or poop on a schedule

• They desire to be cleaned right after pottying

• They can remove their pants independently

WHAT AGE DO KIDS START POTTY TRAINING?

The reality is, there is no perfect age. Our daughter was 15 months old when she first peed in the potty by herself. Our son would use the toilet by himself at 18 months old, however, he was not comfortable going to the bathroom without mommy or daddy at school until he was nearly 2 years old. When kids want to go on the potty, they will go on the potty. Sometimes that happens at 15 months, sometimes it doesn’t happen until almost 4 years old. According to doctors, most children typically start potty training between 18 months and 30 months old. But as long as they are out of diapers before kindergarten, you’ll be fine!

WHAT METHODS WORK BEST FOR POTTY TRAINING?

There are several options to research, and we’ve outlined a few of our favorites below. But keep in mind there isn’t a one-size fits all approach. The key is finding what works best for your child and family.  

• The 3-day potty training method: Did you know that you can potty train your toddler over a long weekend? Sounds amazing, right? Be prepared to clear the schedule and sit at home with total focus on potty training.

• The 10-day incentives method: Take a trip to the dollar store and pick out nine small items to reward your child after a full day of trips to the potty without accidents. On the tenth day, let them pick out a slightly larger incentive to celebrate the end of their training. This method is much easier when you can’t take time to clear the schedule, but beware it still takes a lot of encouragement, dedication and habit breaking. 

• The child-signaled method: This method is exactly what it sounds like. If the 10-day method seems like too much work, and the 3-day method seems a bit intense, this method might be for you. Basically, with this method, you wait until your child signals their readiness to be potty trained. Usually, it comes as they feel the peer pressure from classmates or older siblings to get out of diapers and use the potty like a big kid. Once they show interest in using the potty, you show them the ropes, explain how it works and slowly transition them away from diapers as they feel comfortable to do so.

  
  

For more strategy options and information, check out: POTTY TRAINING METHODS

• Remove the fear and prepare the child for the transition: Gradually introduce the toilet with prepping the child a few weeks in advance by talking frequently about the coming change. Kids need time to process any new change but you’ll be surprised to know that kids adapt quicker than adults. Start talking about potty training occasionally to pique interest and have them join you or a sibling on trips to the bathroom. Keep a few children's books about potty training to read with your child. Bring up the subject of the potty in conversation; saying things like, "I wonder if _____ [child's favorite stuffed animal or character] needs to go potty" or "I have to go pee-pee. I'm headed to the potty." The idea is to raise awareness about going potty and make the child comfortable with the overall concept before they're ready to potty train.

• Set the schedule: Direct the child to the bathroom first thing in the morning, before and after naps, after meals, and before bedtime. Also ask the child if they need to pee or poop regularly. Some parents like to set a timer and put their child on the potty every 20 or 30 minutes. 

• Expect accidents: Unfortunately, into every potty-training journey, a little accident is to be expected. Almost no kids make it through this process without at least a few wet pairs of pants. But, counterintuitively, during the initial three days, accidents are a good thing, since they're key to the learning process. You’ll want your child to have an accident or two because they need to know what that feels like, and you need accidents in order to learn those signs that they're about to go. They're still toddlers—of course they'll have accidents. Potty training, accidents are simply part of the process. Some kids still have accidents through age 5 or 6, and many don't stay dry at night until that age (or even later). Never punish your child for wetting or soiling their pants; they're just learning and can't help it.

• Be consistent and prepare for the potentially long road ahead: Everywhere your child goes, the adults around them should use the same potty training method. That includes both parents, caregivers and other family members. Potty training may feel like one of the most challenging tasks you undertake as a parent of a toddler. The key is patience and consistency. Your child will eventually get the hang of it, even if he or she doesn’t take to the potty-trained life right away. Just keep at it and remain consistent, and your child will be a potty expert in no time!

For the full list of potty training tips and tricks, read our TIPS FOR MAKING POTTY TRAINING A SUCCESS blog

Truthfully there is no right or wrong answer for any of these questions. Every parent wants to move past the diaper phase as soon as humanly possible. Potty training might seem like a daunting task, but if your child is truly ready, there's not much to worry about. 

Having potty training problems? Check out our HOW TO SOLVE COMMON POTTY TRAINING PROBLEMS blog

It's amazing to realize just how capable our kids are. As you help them potty train, you see them connect the dots and start to understand that they actually can do this new and very foreign skill. It's so cool to watch your child become more independent in real time.

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