Potty Training Tips From The Pros - It Only Takes 3 Days!!
It’s hard to believe that learning such a skill sometimes takes parents months to teach their little loves and can lead to some very frustrating moments for both of you… It’s also hard to believe that it absolutely CAN be completed in as little as 3 days!
Before we dive in to the best tips out there to potty train - and train fast - let’s try to understand why potty training is sometimes such a daunting task for everyone involved [parent(s), nanny, and child].
Picture this… Imagine being wrapped in a warm blanket your entire life. This blanket is such a source of comfort for you. Every time it’s taken off, there is someone you love, speaking sweet nothings to you and looking down into your eyes making sure that it gets put right back on very quickly. It keeps you cozy and warm — it makes you feel safe. As you grow, the blanket grows with you. It’s always there and it practically feels like it’s a part of you… Two or so years down the road, this is all you know. Then one day, the loved one who takes care of you and makes you feel safe, takes this blanket from you and says, ‘You’re getting too big for this, it’s time to get rid of it”… The warmth and comfort is now gone just like that, and you’re encouraged to place your body on a cold, big, scary, new object several times a day. Even worse, it makes really weird noises and just doesn’t make you feel safe and warm like that blanket did. Do you get where I’m going with this?.. This is all so shocking, it’s hard to even understand that in addition to all of this, you now need to control when and where you can release yourself when nature calls, which has never been a priority before.
If you think about potty training from the mind of your toddler, you’ll understand a bit better why there might be some push back when you start to potty train them. There are definitely ways to lead up to this moment so that it is not immediately overwhelming for the littles you are attempting to train.
It’s important to remember, if your child is ready to potty train, then they are at an age where they can understand very well what you speak to them. If you teach them about potty training over a small amount of time (a few months) before attempting potty training, things will always go more smoothly.
Many people always ask, “How do I know if my child is ready?”.. Well, there are many answers to this question…
If you think they are ready
If they’ve expressed interest
If they are at least between the ages of 1-3 years old
They have sized out of diapers and it’s the only option
Yes, this can happen!
If they can’t stop taking off their diaper
Baby #2 is coming and, in your mind, one child in diapers is plenty
*Just remember, there is absolutely no harm in attempting to potty train and realizing that they are not ready. So roll up those sleeves and get to it, if that is what your gut is telling you.
The magic behind potty training in 3 days is actually pretty simple if you follow these steps…
GETTING READY TO TRAIN
Teach them about using the potty. Read books, show them how you do it, even sit them on the toilet in front of you while you sit. (This can be started at any age.)
Sit and think about your specific child. What would make them more comfortable during this entire process?.. Maybe they’d prefer to sit with a diaper on and attempt to control the flow first. Or perhaps, come up with an incentivized process during the 3 day training process. (Picture of potty sticker chart -> click photo to buy from Mi Legasi’s etsy shop)
Make it exciting. If you came up with a way to keep this light-hearted and positive, it should be exciting. Your attitude will rub off on your child, so if it’s stressful for you, it’ll be stressful for them - keep that in mind the entire time you are training!
POTTY TRAINING 101
Naked baby coming through!
Let’s hope it’s not winter when you start to potty train, or at least you like to keep your house with the heat pumping high! Socks and shirt are okay, but you may soak though a few pairs of socks on the first few days.
Bare butt is best. Undies, pull ups, or just pants won’t create enough of a difference for your child to remember that they are no longer wearing their beloved pee and poop trap.
Your child will have accidents, so make sure you keep them in an area that does not have a carpet — this is hopefully a no-brainer.
Ask them to sit on the potty once every hour!
Are you thinking this is a bit excessive? It’s not! The first time you forget to ask them, accident #1 will follow suit.
If they are afraid, sit them in front of you while you sit (but only on day 1 if you are doing the 3-day method).
Every successful sit on the potty should be rewarded in some way — they’ve earned it! (Remember how cold, scary and new that big potty is?)
Rewards should be simple. No bribes!
Add a sticker to the potty chart you made for them
High fives, a little song or dance
No candy or toys (until they’ve successfully been trained… meaning they’ve successfully communicated to you their need to go potty while on an outing - day 3)
Be extremely observant for your child’s tell!
This might be easier for the poker players, but every child has a tell when it comes to having to go potty.
Monitor them like a hawk for the first two days to figure out what it is your child does when they really have to go.
Most children either start to wiggle around, or touch themselves in an effort to hold it. Just be patient, and keep a watchful eye and you’ll be able to catch any accidents before they happen.
Get them dressed up!
Once your child has been able to take multiple trips to the potty with success, it’s time to put those clothes back on (day 2 or 3).
Don’t be discouraged if they forget they don’t have a diaper on and have an accident. It’s still up to you to monitor them and have them go to the potty once every hour to make sure they form this new habit.
Take a quick trip in the car… emphasis on quick!
This is essential in understanding that your child has almost completed their potty-training. Wait until day 3 or when your child can successfully recognize the need to go potty and can verbalize that with you.
Take a ride around the block, or go run an errand. It’s best to do this after your child has used the potty recently.
Line the carseat with a towel or a pee pad just in case. It’s never fun to clean a soiled carseat!
Master the public toilet!
So your child has completed all of the previous steps. Fantastic! Now it’s time to do a quick trip to your favorite store with your favorite public bathroom… when you know they’ll have to go potty soon. Potty-training is never complete until you experience that rush to the nearest public potty and make it just in time!
My suggestion is to go to Target (or anywhere) to celebrate this achievement by buying your little love some new undies.
Bring extra clothes, just in case, and remain excited because this is the final step!
Fear of public bathrooms is a real thing for a child that has never used one. Hold on to the excitement from the previous days and encourage them to use the public potty with no fear.
Typically, this is the hardest part because you might be farther away from the potty than usual. Additionally, you might need extra time to wait for a free stall or to put toilet paper on the seat. By completing this step, you will have no doubts that your child has completed their potty training and will never wear a diaper again. Phew!
Overnights!
Do not put a pull-up or diaper on your child when bedtime comes!.. I can’t stress this enough.
Be prepared for this part by lining their mattress with a waterproof liner (don’t skimp out and buy the cheapest kind, they don’t work well), have some spare sheets and a working washing machine.
If your child sleeps very soundly, then it’s up to you to set an alarm to wake them up in the middle of the night to go potty… sometimes multiple times!
This is a very crucial part of potty training, so be prepared to do so…
It will help your child start to recognize the signs of a full bladder during sleep
It will make waking up and going to the potty less scary from the start
If an accident happens, don’t be discouraged… your child will most likely wake up because they are cold, wet and uncomfortable. This is good, they need to get used to waking up at night if they have to go!
So you’ve made it this far… with hopefully only smiles from everyone involved!
Here are some a few extra tips, tricks and helpful insights to remember during these potty training days…
Boys can pee outside!
Pros: Makes it fun, can help with aim, quick relief
Cons: Splash back, can’t be done in public, still need to be toilet trained for #2’s ——————-(*boys can be potty-trained in the sitting position and taught to stand when they are a bit older, that’s fine and normal)
Toddler personal potties!
Pros: Less scary, can be decorated/personalized to encourage excitement, feels more comfortable to sit on
Cons: Not easily portable for most public places, not the full potty-trained experience, gross to clean
Always help them go potty!!!
Pros: They won’t fall in or reach into the toilet after using it, they won’t unroll all of the toilet paper, they will be properly wiped by the guardian… (they will need help wiping themselves for a decent amount of time until their arms are long enough and they can properly wipe up well)
Cons: Sometimes it stinks!
Never make them hold it!
Pro: There will be minimal accidents
Con: Sometimes it’s inconvenient for you, oh well!
Less liquids at night!
Pros: Your child will have less overnight accidents and you wont have to wake up as often to escort them to the potty in the middle of the night
Cons: You might have to start eating dinner slightly earlier if your child prefers to drink lots of liquids with dinner, no soup dinners for awhile.
Everyone needs to be involved! —————————————[This is the most important one]
This is not just a job for the nanny!… whomever takes care of the little one needs to all be working together and towards the same goal
If everyone is using the same tactics and verbal communications during potty-training, things will go much more swiftly and smoothly!
Disclaimer from the Author:
I hope you are not overwhelmed just by reading this! It seems like a lot of information but most of it is relatively simple and can even be fun. No matter what, this is a bonding experience for everyone involved. Whether it takes 3 days or 5 days or 7… take the week off from work to spend with your little love(s) and watch them grow up before your eyes. Do whatever it is you need to in order to keep your calm and positive teaching energy flowing during training. Remember that this is something that every child is capable of learning—when they are ready. After good effort, if they just aren’t getting it, recognize that maybe your evaluation of your child’s readiness was a bit off and that’s okay.
If you are willing to put in the work, potty training in 3 days is absolutely achievable!
If you’d like to hold off a bit, and collect more information before diving in, I suggest reading Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right, by Jamie Glowaki. I followed a lot of her advice over the years while training the kids I have nannied for, and have learned a lot from this book.
Good luck!