Potty Training: Eight Simple Tips for a Royal Flush

Most new parents are anxious for their two or three year old to be successfully potty trained. Potty training will result in saving money on diapers and traveling with greater convenience. Before embarking on what can be a frustrating and long road, arm yourself with these eight simple tips for potty training your toddler.

Tip #1- Determine if your child is ready for potty training.
With just a few quick observations, you will know if your child is ready to start potty training. Does your child express interest in toileting? Do they curiously follow you into the bathroom? Does your child retreat to a private place, such as behind a toy box, in order to have a bowel movement while wearing a diaper? Do wet or soiled diapers annoy your child? Any of the above behaviors can be a sign of your child's readiness.

Tip#2- Find the right potty chair.
Choices in potty chairs range from simple, no nonsense models to models that play music and light up when they are used. Some parents choose no potty chair at all, but instead, a smaller seat that fits on top of the regular toilet seat. Whatever you choose, make sure your child is comfortable with the selection. If your child is scared of the potty chair, you are much less likely to be successful with potty training.

Tip#3- A gradual introduction.
Yanking a new potty chair out of a box, tossing it on the floor and expecting your child to rush over to use it is an unreasonable expectation. Create an increasing curiosity about the potty chair, by simply setting it out in the bathroom and letting your toddler "discover" it. For the first few days, only talk about it when your child initiates the conversation. Potty training your toddler is much easier when you let the child lead the process.

Tip#4- Just sitting there is an accomplishment.
Some parents become frustrated because their child will only sit on the potty chair without actually going to the bathroom. This is a great start! Just the fact that your child is comfortable enough with the potty chair to actually sit there for a while without getting upset is a huge step in the right direction.

Tip#5- Think practical.
In the beginning days of potty training, timing can be everything. Just a few seconds can make the difference between a successful trip to the potty, or another accident. During the first few weeks of potty training, choose simple and easy to get out of clothing for your child. When seconds make the difference, a pair of shorts or sweatpants with an elastic waist will be much more practical and time saving than a complicated three-piece ensemble.

Tip #6- Learn your child's habits.
Most toddlers have regular times of day when their diaper will be wet or soiled. If you learn your child's routine, you'll know about what time to have them try to use the potty chair. Paying attention to your child's timing can help increase the odds of quick potty training success.

Tip#7- Make it a positive thing-always.
Negative scolding of your child for having accidents or refusing to use the potty chair will only result in a longer, and harder potty training process for your toddler. Praise your child for anything you can think of regarding potty training. Praise them for talking about it, praise them for trying, or for even just sitting there. Plenty of positive feedback from you can help your child to feel good about potty training, and they will be even more eager keep trying.

Tip#8- Patience, please.
Every parent gets frustrated with potty training at some point. It does not happen overnight. Take time for yourself when things get crazy. Understand that potty training, like many other accomplishments, takes time, and eventually we are all successful. After all, how many people do you know who wore a diaper to kindergarten?