There is no right or wrong time to start potty training. Although, we can argue that if your child is four or five years old, it is a bit late. Only you can say when your child is ready to start potty training.
The signs are there. Your child is ready to wear big kid underwear. Children usually show signs they are ready for potty training between 18 and 24 months. However, some might not be ready until they are three years old.
There is no rush. And if you start too early, it might take longer to train your kid. Some experts argue that three year boys learn faster because he can sit on the potty, get up when he is done, and follow your instructions.
Timeline aside, what is the best way to start potty training? We have some tips to help you maneuver through this challenging period.
Reader's Roadmap
1. Get Your House And Child Potty Training Ready
Before you start potty training, you have to prepare your home for the process. And you have to tell your kid at least one week in advance. This will prepare him emotionally for the potty training big day.
To prepare your home and environment, you can get your kid to pick his potty. That way, he feels more invested in the process. You should also get a couple of potties around the home. Get them in different areas. And make sure to get plenty of potty training pants.
But most importantly, take up any rugs you have in the home.
2. Make Sure His Ready (Age Doesn’t Matter)
Potty training can be stressful for kids. It is a scary experience. Sticking your baby boy on the toilet will not work. You need to prepare your kid emotionally. The best way to do that is make him feel invested in the process.
You can pick a potty together. You can also select stickers and decorate the potty chart. Talk with your child and communicate everything.
3. Find The Right Potty
Not every potty seat is good enough for potty training. You want the best for your little boy. In the beginning, you can start with a sitting down on a comfy potty seat. Yes, your boy will get to freestanding potty and then move to the toilet booster seat. But do not rush it.
In the beginning, use durable and quality toilet paper to keep his hands clean. Get a potty without a urine guard. While a guard protects against splashes, it is not as comfortable for little boys. It can hurt his private parts. And pain = resistance to potty.
4. Start With Peeing Sitting Down And Decorate The Potty
We talked before you can not go directly to freestanding potty training. Start from sitting down. Decorate the potty so that your kid feels comfortable in the environment. Comfort is an underrated aspect of going to the toilet. Even grownups cannot go when they do not feel comfortable.
5. Make Potty Training Fun And Use It For Bonding Time
Every time you get to spend quality time with your kid and bond is welcomed. And you should strive for more bonding time. If you make potty training a bonding experience, you will get through the process easier. Talk to your kid about his fears.
6. Try Sitting On The Potty Backwards
The trick here is to keep clean-ups to a controlled vicinity. Give your little kid a dry erase marker to doodle on the toilet seat while there. With that, you can spend a couple of more minutes on the potty.
7. Use Proper Language
A lot of parents make the mistake of raising their voice when the little kid doesn’t follow instructions. Don’t be harsh on him. Yelling will only scare him. Instead, use polite and encouraging language. The more secure and safe he feels, the quicker he will learn.
8. Use Fun Charts And Stickers
The potty training chart is a very useful tool to have. The trick is to explain to your little baby the meaning of all the stickers and charts. Tell him he can put a sticker on the chart every time he goes to the big boy potty. The more you talk about the experience, the easier it will be for your little prince.
9. Give Incentive And Create Routine
There are plenty of ways parents can motivate their kids to use the potty. For example, give them some incentive. You can make it their favorite candy. This will make it fun for your kid to use the potty and try going more often. Just be careful, give reward only for a job well done. And offer healthy snacks and treats.
Most importantly, create a routine. Set aside time regularly to put your son on the toilet. We do not recommend a specific routine, it depends on your preferences and availability.
10. Use Potty Training Pants
The benefit of using potty training pants is they are not as comfortable as diapers when an accident happens. This is another incentive for many kids to minimize the number of accidents they have.
11. Don’t Argue And Accept Setbacks
We talked about this before. Do not argue and criticize your baby boy. After all, he is just a toddler. He is still young. he doesn’t fully understand his responsibility and what he does wrong. There will be setbacks. Expect them. Your boy might go to the potty for five days in a row, and then have an accident on the sixth day. It happens.
12. Be Patient And Try And Try Again
Potty training is not something that happens overnight. It is a long process. For some boys it takes longer than expected. The worst thing you can do is compare your baby boy to other kids. Your kid and your friends kid is not the same. Be patient, and let your boy learn as you go along.
13. Accidents Will Happen: Stay Calm, Accept And Move On
Accidents are part of the process. They will happen, and you should expect them. But it is important to learn from them. Why did they happen? Did you have a potty nearby? Or were you out for too long? Learn from every mistake and accident. And you will improve as you go along.
14. Coordinate With The Daycare
If your baby goes to daycare, you have to involve them into the process. Your kid spends hours at the day care. You cannot expect him to hold back and wait to come back home. Let the daycare know your kid is on a potty training process, explain them what you do at home, and ask how they can help.
15. Get The Siblings In On The Action
If your baby boy has older brothers, you are in luck. They will help your baby boy learn quicker. They already went through the process. Together they can share experience. It is important to involve them in the process. But it is also important to explain to the older ones they were kids as well. Don’t let them play jokes on the younger one.
16. Not Getting Dad Involved And Few Other Potty Training Mistakes
There are many mistakes you can make in potty training. And we hope to help you prevent some of them. The reality is nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes. But if you learn from them, things will get better. Here are a couple of mistakes you should know. Avoid them at all cost.
And most importantly, remember, this is a long process. Be patient, and go one step at a time. Don’t expect instant results.
