Potty training tips

So potty training is easy apparently, who knew? Ok, maybe slightly challenging and we haven’t quite took the plunge yet but so many people have messaged and asked me to share what tips people gave me yesterday (thank you to everyone who messaged ❤), so here you go! Like everything, people’s advice differs and in the end what works for your child, might be different to someone else’s. But one running theme was to stock up on chocolate buttons and ALL THE WINE. GOOD LUCK!

• Recommended books – Oh crap! Potty training by Jamie Glowacki, The Gentle Potty Training Book by Sarah Ockwell-Smith and for toddlers – Pirate Pete's Potty and Princess Polly Potty (also just seen there are YouTube videos featuring Pirate Pete too)
• Website recommendation - https://busytoddler.com/2018/09/potty-training/
• My Carry Potty was recommended
• Rewards – Most people recommended a reward sticker chart. Either to make yourself or Amazon have a few. And rather than a treat for every wee or poo, they get so many stickers then a chocolate treat (or what they like). Or others said a treat after every wee or poo (to start with) and then see how they get on, then just stickers – and a treat after a few rewards.
• Sitting them on the potty with iPad/favourite programme can help.
• Get their favourite teddy or doll to show them how to use it – or older brother and sister.
• Let them run around naked/or from the waist down for days and ask them every 20 minutes if they need the loo.
• Some people said don’t ask too much as annoys them! You can judge which one works for you.
• Put them on the potty at every nappy change for a few days before going the whole hog.
• Start with little steps, seeing if they will have a wee when they wake up and before bath, then go from there.
• Once you start, put them on the potty every hour and ask them sometimes in-between. They will have accidents but if they can't last an hour after one wee before they need another they probably aren't ready yet as they don't have the control to hold it.
• If they have an accident (expect a fair amount) don't make a deal about it.
• Fold up steps that toddler could climb up and down on to the toilet – a few of you mentioned that their child never wanted to go on potty but wanted to go straight on the toilet.
• Make everything exciting! This was the common theme. When you show them their sticker chart, when they wee or poo on the potty, PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE, let them pick out/get excited over/wrap up their ‘big boy/girl’ pants. Come on guys - best stage school smiles!
• Majority said nappies still for night and naps for a while. And poo's are much harder than wee's. Pardon the pun.
• Rather than letting them run naked, some said put in pants straight away so they can recognise feeling wet.
• Carpet cleaner on stand by!
• WINE. WINE. ALL.THE.WINE.
• Stick to one room or garden – or basically follow child around with potty.
• Don’t start until they are really showing signs. (I am in two minds whether to try as he isn't showing many signs but just going to give it a go. Some people said their child wasn't showing signs, they tried and it was obvious they weren't ready so tried later on. Others said they showed no signs, they tried and went well.)
• Little steps – rather than intense, no nappy straight away. But others said intense worked for them – again you just do what works for you.
• Majority who messaged said it was hard and stressful (though with some kids it did just click quite quickly) - but most did say it wasn't as traumatic as they thought it was going to be so not as terrified!

So we are definitely going to do a sticker reward chart (and chocolate after so many stickers). I’m going to see if I can get the pirate book but delivery on things at the mo is hit or miss so I might just show him the YouTube videos. Over the next few days I'm going to try getting him to have a wee in potty when he gets up and then before bath. (Though he just threw the potty in the bath before so doesn't bode well.) Then nappy off and go free for a few days and see what happens. I fully expect my cream carpet will be green and brown by the end of it and I’m still not sure he is ready but just going to try. No pressure – if he isn’t ready just try again in a bit. I’ll let you know how we get on!

Wrote this super quick while Elijah was asleep on me so hope this all makes sense!

GOOD LUCK!