Leighton only recently turned a year and a half, but for the past month, I have had potty training on my mind more and more. I don’t think we’re quite ready yet, but I know it’s coming soon. It’s never to early to at least start getting prepared, whether that is buying training pants, a potty or anything else to help your toddler learn. I know in other countries potty training is done much earlier, but did you know in the US, the average age for potty training is actually one and a half to two and a half years old? That puts us right on target to at least start thinking about potty training in the near future. I just ordered Leighton her first potty and bought her some training pants last week, and I’m ready to let her start exploring some.
Potty training is a big milestone for toddlers, but it can also be so stressful for adults. It can seem like such an overwhelming process, as most everything is with children. I remember being so overwhelmed about transitioning Leighton to her crib and just a couple weeks ago weaning her from her paci. They all ended up being much harder in my head than they were in reality, and I’m glad to have those milestones behind us now. I know potty training will not be nearly as quick or easy though. This month Pampers is teaming up with Dr. Laura Jana, pediatrician, award-winning parenting book author and potty training expert who co-authored It’s You and Me Against the Pee…and the Poop, Too! to help share some potty training tips.
1. Promote potty learning. It should be enjoyable, and it takes a lot of time and patience. It is a learning opportunity for both toddlers and parents.
2. Team spirit. It is important to not only be your child’s training coach, you should be their biggest fan! Remember to stay calm and remind your child to not worry if they have an accident and just try again.
3. Be prepared…to not be prepared. Potty training can be so unpredictable. One of the only ways you can be prepared is to have the proper supplies on hand. The rest will take time. Just go with the flow and encourage your little one the best you can!
4. Celebrate every win. Children can learn from both successes and setbacks. Help your child clean up your messes and celebrate your child’s efforts.
5. Watch for signs of readiness such as words, toddling to the bathroom, pulling down their own pants and feeling the sensation of peeing or pooping. When a child starts being bothered by their messy diapers, it can serve as good motivation for using the potty instead.
6. Start making connections. Make up a fun song or read your child a book about potty training. This will only make it more familiar to them so they won’t be intimidated or afraid.
Pampers Easy Ups come in sizes 2T through 5T with fun designs like Thomas & Friends and Dora the Explorer. They have a more underwear-like design for growing toddlers. One of the cool features about these training pants is they feature a graphic that actually fades when wet to help your toddler learn to feel and see when they are wet. The stretchy sides make them easy to pull up and down when using the potty. They work during both day and night and provide up to 12 hours of protection.
To help you prepare for potty training, I’ve teamed up with Pampers today to give away a Pampers Easy Ups prize package that will include Pampers Easy Ups and Pampers wipes. Good luck!
P.S. Want more potty training tips? Make sure to check out the Pampers twitter party this Thursday at 8:00pm CST with @Pampers and Dr. Laura Jana. Dr. Jana will be sharing her tips to help simplify and improve the potty training experience for little ones and their parents too.
This post and giveaway were made possible by iConnect and Pampers. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine.
Best tip: use a potty that the child is comfortable with and not intimidated by.
following on instagram as https://www.instagram.com/lisalubrown/
I find using a reward system really helps.
I agree with Shelly, we used Hot Wheels as a reward for my son and it was definitely an incentive for him.
Erika W.
My advice is don't rush it. I pushed & pushed Ella and she fought back with every fiber of her tiny being! It wasn't until I backed off & gave her space that she finally came around. She's stubborn like that though!
My best potty training tip is to have a reward system. My son was so excited to go to Mcdonald's and play in the play area and get ice cream. It also helps to stay consistent and make sure you are able to stay home for a few days while potty training.
Kristin Goodson
lilgoodson21@yahoo.com
I think the best tip I could give you is just to be calm and not push your child before they are ready. Also, reward systems are awesome!
My best advice is to potty train when child is ready. Give lots of encouragement and have a booster seat on toilet that is easy for them to use.
My best potty training tip is to have lots of patience and have a great reward system set in place! It's best for your child to always remain calm and praise them with a job well done afterwards.
My daughter loves to get reward stickers when she goes on the potty
My tip is to remind the child often to go when they are training.
My best tip is try and do it in the summer when less clothes are needed saves you and the laundry!
I need all the tips, we're just getting there!
My best tip is to use a reward system.
Be patient
My best potty training tip is to reward successes!
don't make a big deal when they have accidents. Just remind the kid where potty is supposed to go and then move on. You don't want them to become anxious about potty training. 🙂
My best tip is to be patient so you don't stress out and the child doesn't stress out.
My tip is to start training in the warmer months, less clothes makes it easier. The best advice is to have patience.
Thanks for all the tips !!
I think consistency, a schedule of some sort, and a reward system are key with working with any child in anything- or just kid life in general. I have 2 daughters, one is ten and one is in the middle of potty training at 3. My older daughter was fully potty trained, pee and poop by 3. and My 3 year old is fully pee trained at this point but is having a hard time with the poop…. she just will not go on the toilet…. we have a seat that goes on the toilet… Another one of my tips is buy a potty chair- the big toilet sometimes scares/intimidates them- and you can put the potty chair in the living room or the room where you spend the most amount of time and when they need to go, they can walk right over to it and use it- rather than ask you to take them to the bathroom and turn the light on etc.
I actually heard an 'old school' tip that makes a sort of 'mess' but seemed to work for me, for this child- as soon as they seem like they are ready to train- start letting them walk around ALL DAY with no diaper- every time they pee on the floor or start to pee- say "STOP!" and hopefully they stop- and you can run them to the potty, where they will finish. If not, they will eventually learn that they can't keep peeing on the floor or whatever because they wont like the feeling of being wet or helping you clean up. It seemed to work for us.
I need tips for helping potty train the pooping part lol!
Patience and praise!
My best tip is to stay consistent and don't get frustrated.
My best tip is to stay consistent and don't get frustrated.
don't put too much pressure on yourself or the child.
I don't really have one. I have a six year old with autism and she wont even go near the potty.
It helped rewarding our kids and making it fun so there was not a lot of pressure on them.
Small rewards, like m&ms. Be patient and realize it is THEIR achievement and not yours. Daniel Tiger has a good episode about it.
I do not have any special tip – only to be patient with your kids and to make pottying fun so your kids won't be stressed out.
My best tip is not to push too hard!
For us, a reward system, like stickers, really helped motivate my little ones. Patience is also so important!
My Best Potty Training Tip Is To Make It Fun! Offer Rewards And Encouragement Along The Way.
Have a comfortable potty with a back they can lean on and handles to hold on to. Add lots of cheering for success!
I used a timer on my phone to help my son when were training. He knew that when the beep went off, that he should go to the bathroom
make it fun!
Wait until your child is ready to begin learning.
Don't force them to do it. Wait until they are ready. They will let you know.
Reward system works great for my kids.
I always leave my kids without diaper with a underwear when they have the urge they don't like the feeling of wet.
Rewards work great if your child is ready. If your child isn't ready wait a little while and try again.
Allow your child to lead at a pace they are ready for and never get angry over accidents.
Allow your child to lead at a pace they are ready for and never get angry over accidents.
dont push them before they are ready
We aren't quite there yet, but like anything else in parenting I'm guessing patience is key!
I need tips! lol but one that i can give is for boys: use cheerios on their potty to teach them how to aim. I did it with mine & it worked! 🙂
My best tip is to wait till your child is ready. My oldest daughter wouldn't even talk about the potty till she was over 3, but when she was ready she was potty trained in a day.
My tip is to not get stressed out if the first attempt doesn't go well. Rewards are always good.
I need tips! lol but one that i can give is for boys: use cheerios on their potty to teach them how to aim. I did it with mine & it worked! 🙂
I don't have any good tips yet I haven't started potty training my son yet.
Best tip is to encourage but not stress or push too much. It can backfire.
Use a reward system/chart as well as provide plenty of praise through the potty training process.
For boys, use Cheerios as potty targets.
My tip is to make it fun for kids by offering rewards and toys and books related to the new potty experience. Don't make it stressful!
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
my tip is to reward your child for using his potty
To use songs and rewards as encouragement.
My best tip is to let the child take the lead, forcing them will only prolong the training process.
Be patient! This doesn't happen overnight! There's no magic tip- every child is different and learns at their own speed!
I actually need great tips, loving all these comments here 🙂
The best tip that I was given was to make it fun by having a reward system.
My best tip is to have a lot of patience!
Be patient with your child.
Be patient, and use a rewards system.
Don't force it – let them do it at their own pace.
My best tip is to have a sense of humor, you are going to need it,LOL~. My email is traciemichelle0515@gmail.com
We put storybooks by the potty chair to get him to sit long enough to go. He loves to go and sit and read a book!
have them watch other kids- it really helps!
Be consistent and use a reward system for you little one. Also be patience with them.
I would put my daughter on the potty every morning when she woke up and she started going on her own
My best potty training tip is the reward them when they use to potty and to be patient with them during the process.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Cheerios in the potty help to train male children.
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
Be patient! It takes time!
My tip is to use a reward system.
Be patient and give small rewards.
my tip is to go straight to underwear.