Kids & Company Blog

Potty Training Tips

As every child and parent is different and this is true for my children, I decided it would be best to poll our highly trained, qualified and certified directors and ECE’s to see what they think about potty training. Included are tips and tricks from my 8 experiences of potty training as well as the hundreds of experiences our team has had.

• Be consistent! – Consistency is one of the most important tips. Always let your child care provider know when you’re starting to potty train and what methods you’re using so the learning at home can be the same as at child care.
• No Pull Ups! – It’s best to go “cold turkey” switching back and forth from underwear to diapers/Pull Ups makes it very confusing for your child.
• Don’t force it – Some children will be ready for the potty at 18 months, others at age 3. The best thing to do is watch your child and see if they’re showing any signs of readiness i.e. dry diapers, interest in the toilet and start your training then. Forcing it when they’re not ready will only make it more difficult for you and them!
• Praise! – Be sure to stay positive and praise them with every success. Although we don’t want to praise accidents, we don’t want to scold them either, simply talk about what happened and what they could try for next time. Focusing on the negativity will only make it a negative experience for them.
• Schedule – Set a schedule with your child. Discuss with them when their “toilet time” will be to sit on the potty. It’s usually good to set these around transitions i.e. before snack, after snack, before outside, after outside, before lunch, after lunch, etc. The “toilet time” will set a routine for them and maintains consistency.
• Sticker Charts – They work so well in allowing you and your child to track their success. They’re not receiving a “treat” for their success but they are able to see their chart filling up and see what a great job they’re doing.
• 3 Day Minimum – Devote at least 3 days to start potty training as going “cold turkey” seems to work best. If you are able to stay in the house for these 3 days and just focus on a planned schedule (and of course doing laundry!) you will give yourself a huge head start in the process.
• Books – Read potty books helps your child feel a bit more comfortable with potty training. The book Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi is a great one and is easy for them to follow along with.
• Underwear – go underwear shopping together for “big boy” or “big girl” underwear. They will be more inclined to wear something they’ve picked out and like.
• • Accidents – You should expect them, they’re going to happen! No matter what, it’s a learning experience and they will become experts in their own time.

Share your tips and tricks with us too!

Posted on: Wednesday March 7th, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik