Potty Training DOs and DON’Ts

Ah, potty training. This term is enough to make even the most confident of parents shudder. Whether you've already started the process or are only beginning to notice signs your toddler is ready, you're probably already realizing that that stage of partenting is going to be tough. 

Just remember you're not alone. At Naturepedic, we happen to know a lot of parents, so we decided to ask them for their best potty-training tips and advice. Many of these seasoned moms have potty trained several children and can attest that every child is different. So, don’t panic!

Take a look through these tips and remind yourself that:

• You're not alone
• Mess is inevitable
• Every kid eventually learns

Right! Let's get you started on the path to success. Here are some excellent tips on how to tackle the toilet with your little one. 

The fact is, kids will potty train when they are ready and you can’t really push them into learning before their time. Follow your child’s pace and lower your expectations of when they “should” be potty training.

The more you talk about the potty, using the restroom, and bodily functions, the less mystery there is and the more comfortable your child will be in communicating when they have to go. Make sure your child knows the appropriate words to tell you what’s going on (whether you say “number one and number two” or more direct terms.

There are many useful tips and tricks you can use to make potty training easier on both parent and child. Public restrooms and their many distractions, toilet paper shenanigans, and general lack of awareness can make using the bathroom a real pain. Be prepared.

While there’s research on either side of using food as a reward for young kids, a couple small tokens are probably worth the peace of mind. You can use individual candies or berries, stickers, or other rewards to help reinforce the results you want.

Sometimes knowing what not to do can be just as useful as learning how to approach this important milestone. Here are some things you may want to avoid. 

Potty training is different from child to child, even within the same family. It can be disheartening to know that your neighbor’s kid potty trained at age two and your four year old still isn’t there yet, or you might be frustrated your first child potty trained easily and your second is taking longer. Each child is different, and it’s all a variation of normal. Try not to worry!

Punishing your child for accidents will set you back in your potty training journey. It’s hard to stay positive and keep a smile on your face when you’re cleaning dirty underwear for the hundredth time this week, but do your best to stay calm and not punish, demean, or yell at your learning child. It’s a process.

Say what? Yes, that’s right! Don’t stress about potty training your child or thinking you are solely responsible for teaching them how to use the toilet. If you model the behavior and answer their questions, they will get to it on their own. There are tips and tricks that help move things along, of course, but really it all boils down to your child being ready. And for many kids, that’s a pretty hands-off process!

Nighttime potty training can take a while longer than daytime training, so protect your child’s mattress with an organic waterproof pad. Additionally, our Organic 2-in-1 Kid's Mattresses is waterproof on one side and quilted on the other, making it ideal for the potty training transition years – and beyond.