Our Best Potty Training Tips

As developmental milestones go, potty training might not be the most glamorous, but it’s up there among the most important learned skills your child can master. For parents, it represents the end of the diaper cycle, always a welcome transition. 

However, toilet training can sometimes be a challenge. As with most aspects of learning, every child proceeds at their own pace, in their own way. Potty training requires guidance, patience, and timing. 

Dr 2 Kids, Smita Tandon MD, wants your transition through this phase of your child’s life to go well. With this in mind, we’ve compiled our best potty training tips in this month’s blog. 

Take a look, plan ahead, and build your strategy based on what you know about your toddler and how best to work with their growing personality. If you run into roadblocks, Dr. Tandon and her team are always ready with alternatives. Don’t worry, the job will get done. 

Is your child ready? 

The first step in the timing of potty training is your child’s readiness. This isn’t defined by age, but on other developmental milestones. Signs of readiness include: 

• Shows awareness of the need for the toilet, including pant tugging, crossing legs, fidgeting, and other “gotta go” behaviors
• Readily asks one-word questions including When? How? Where? etc. 
• Usually responds to your instructions
• Comes to a parent when needing a diaper change
• Understands the purpose of a potty chair
• Is capable of walking and sitting on their potty chair
• Can remove and replace clothing
• Can hold urine for two hours or longer
• Has three or fewer bowel movements during the day

If your child displays most of these signs, they may be ready to begin potty training. Avoid toilet training when there are other major events happening such as the birth of another child, moving, travel, or when the child isn’t feeling well. 

Our best potty training tips

Be prepared to provide patient guidance once you start potty training. Adding complications or stress can delay the process. Consider these tips as you build your training plan. 

• Block off time to address toilet training
• Use this time to establish a routine
• Pick times when the need to go is likely high, such as: after waking with a dry diaper, an hour after a big drink, shortly after eating when the gastro-colic reflex is strongest, or when they show “gotta go” signs
• Have them sit on the potty at these high-event moments, but let them get up when they want, results or not
• Never force your child to sit on the potty when it goes against their will
• Choose easy-to-use clothing while toilet training to increase the chances of self-undressing and dressing
• Develop a small reward system for bathroom attempts
• Keep a positive spin on all potty training attempts, whether successful, nonproductive, or ending with an accident to help your child understand that training takes practice

Be sure that babysitters and other caregivers are up to speed with the potty training routine so your child has consistency through the process. 

Potty training can be exciting, though stressful, for a child. If you need help, contact Dr 2 Kids, Smita Tandon MD by phone or online to schedule a visit to our Fountain Valley, California, office today.