It's almost that time again, where we need to start potty training another little one. Even though we've been through it once already, potty training my son seemed almost too easy. Everyone was always giving us advice, like "let him pee off the porch," and "throw a cheerio in the toilet bowl," but the truth is, I didn't do any of that.
I guess I'm more of a laid-back mom who believes that when they're ready, they'll do it on their own. Sure, I showed him where and told him how - but I didn't push him. He was two and a half when I got him his first potty, and I was so proud because he sat on it and peed as soon as I pulled it out of the box. Ok, yeah that might have been a fluke though, because he didn't want anything to do with it again. Maybe we made too big a deal out of it, with the clapping and the "YAY SAMMY!!"
So he didn't use a potty chair after that, he preferred to use the big boy toilet. At this point, I was still a stay-at-home-mom and he was using training pants. I'd have him go sit on the toilet about every hour, and sometime's he'd go, sometimes he would just play. Either way, he learned to recognize the feeling of needing to potty. Soon, I started just putting him in his underwear and kept reminding him to go potty. Eventually, he stopped having accidents and was "potty trained."
Well, here we go again, but this time with a stubborn little girl. I have a feeling it wont be as easy this time around. Wish me luck!
BABYBJÖRN sent me one of their Smart Potties to review and they want me to share with you all some awesome potty training tips from Dr. Robyn Strosaker, a pediatrician at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.
When should you start potty training?
- Most children can be ready to start potty training between 18-24 months. Children will train easier before 24 months; some can become willful after that point.
- Both the family and the child need to be ready. Review the signs of readiness and make a plan with your significant other.
- If your child is having trouble, stop for 2-4 weeks and then try to restart.
- Find a time when you can be around during the week to start potty training. Summer vacations or holidays are the best times.
How?
- Sticker charts are great. If your child earns a certain number of stickers, they can earn a non-food reward.
- If your child still wants to go in their diaper, take them out of it. If they are wearing underwear, they will feel uncomfortable when they are wet. If you are concerned about the mess, you can put the underpants on under the diaper. For those kids who don't like wearing underpants, encourage them to wear them for a short time and offer rewards when they keep them clean and dry.
- As a side note, there is nothing developmentally different between pull-ups and a diaper. Training will go quicker with underpants.
Where?
- If your child has a certain area of the house he/she prefers to go potty in, it might be a good idea to get a portable potty and let him/her try that.
- Put the portable potty in a room where the child typically plays to help them get used to the idea.
Other Considerations
- Most kids aren't ready to be dry at night until they start waking up dry from naps and some mornings.
- To help keep them dry at night, stop liquids 2-3 hours after dinner, depending on your child's bedtime.
- When traveling: take a portable potty or potty seat with you, but you may need pull-ups for long car trips or plane rides.
The BABYBJÖRN Smart Potty is a compact potty chair that takes up very little space, great for our tiny bathroom. There's a rubber grip on the base, that keeps my baby girl from sliding when she's sitting on it. Seriously, does any kid sit still, ever?? There's even a handle on the back so she can carry it from room to room and do her "business" where-ever she's most comfortable.
I love that it's shorter than most potty chairs, because as I've mentioned before, my Kaya is tiny. I couldn't even imagine trying to introduce her to the regular toilet since she's so short! She'd probably just fall in and float away...
There's a splash guard that prevents spills, and the inner compartment just pulls out for dumping and washing. No grooves to worry about, and no corners, means that it's really easy to keep clean - especially with the smooth plastic finish.
She's excited to try it - and I'm excited to get her started with a potty instead of diapers! One step at a time, and following Dr. Strosaker's advice above, I have a good feeling about getting her potty trained.
***BABYBJÖRN is offering one reader a limited edition Gold Smart Potty since June is National Potty Training Month! Check it out here: Golden Smart Potty #Giveaway: #ThirdTimesACharm Hop!***
Have you potty trained a little one? Let me know in the comments below what your best potty training advice is:
