Potty Training Toilet

Mom to Mom Advice

Perhaps most parents look forward to this stage because it means the end of changing soiled diapers. But when should potty training begin? I began researching potty training when my daughter was 10 months old, because my in-laws bought my daughter her very own potty training toilet.

I was quickly overwhelmed by the diversity of advice: Train early. Don’t train until they are two years old. Give rewards. Wait for them to show an interest in the potty. The advice went on and on.

I tried a schedule of sitting on the potty training toilet which usually meant sitting there with her and reading books for half an hour without any result. After a few weeks without results, I was pretty frustrated.

What ended up working for her was simply letting her run around at home with a bare bottom. She had accidents on the floor, of course. But each time that happened, I would gently remind her, “When you feel like you need to pee, say ‘I need to pee’, and go to your potty” (I’d placed her potty in the hallway for easy access.)

I wanted her to tell me when she needed to pee so that I’d have some warning, because frankly sometimes there is no warning, just a sudden puddle on the floor.

After a few days of accidents, she started getting into the habit of saying, “I need to pee”, pulling off her pants and underwear, and running to sit on her potty. She is now potty trained mere weeks before her third birthday. Hurrah!

There are probably as many potty training toilets out there as there are pieces of advice on potty training, but one is sure to fit the particular potty-training style of your child.

Some potty trainers are musical, others are made specially for your little prince or princess, and there is even a potty with rewards that lights up and sings when your child successfully uses it!

Krista (mom of two)