Potty training is an inevitable milestone for every toddler! So how should you prepare and what’s the best way to start potty training?

We’ve got some parenting tips and tricks to make this process easier on you and your child!

When To Start Potty Training

You may be wondering, what’s the average age for potty training? In reality, while some child development stages are based on age, potty training is not. It depends on your child’s developmental, physical, and behavioral milestones instead! So while children can be ready for potty training around 18-24 months old, some aren’t until much later. The bottom line is, there is no rush to start! In fact, it is better to wait until your child is ready since it will make the process easier and faster.

Signs Your Toddler Is Ready

So how do you know if your child is ready to start potty training? There are a few questions you can ask yourself to see!

• Does your child show an interest in using the toilet or wearing underwear?
• Is your child’s diaper staying dry for at least two hours?
• Is your toddler vocal about when he/she needs to go poop or pee?
• Can your child walk and sit on the toilet?
• Can your toddler follow simple instructions?
• Can your child understand and use words about using the toilet?
• Does your toddler notice and doesn’t like dirty diapers?

If you’ve answered “yes” to the majority of these questions, then your little one might be ready! If not, then it would be better to wait a bit. Remember, every child grows at their own pace so be patient and never force them to potty train until they are ready!

Potty Training Methods and Tips

Now that you’ve established your little one is ready for this milestone, actual toilet training is the next big step! Keep in mind that this process can take a few months, even a year, so be sure you are able to devote time to it. Here are some easy potty training tips you can use at home:

To help start off the potty training process, the right equipment is needed! You can either go for a baby toilet chair, which is a separate smaller toilet your child can use, or you can get a potty seat that attaches to the toilet you already have at home! Make sure the model you choose is durable that won’t tip over or be shaky. If your toilet is too tall for your little one, you can also get a small step stool for them to use! Have them practice sitting on it first with their clothes or diaper on and after they get used to it, you can have them sit on it bare-bottomed.

Teach your toddler how to express when they need to use the bathroom! If you teach them, they will be able to let you know when a trip to the toilet is needed. It can also help them identify the difference between a poop and pee. Try using the words “potty”, “pee”, and “poop” even before you start the potty training process to get them acquainted to the words and their meanings.

Consider using pull-ups or washable potty training pants during the start of potty training. It can make things a bit easier to use pull-ups or training pants while you’re testing if your little one is ready for potty training. Once you can be sure they are ready then you can go for regular underwear. However, it is common for kids to have accidents at night since it is harder to manage compared to during the day. If you’d like, you can have your toddler wear pull-ups and training pants at night in case of accidents!

Nothing like fun printed underwear to get your toddler excited to start wearing “big-kid” underwear and using the toilet! Try surprising them with printed underwear or even picking some out with them. Not only will this be a fun thing for them, but they will also be more hesitant to soil their favorite design and clothing! WithOrganic carries a collection of underwear and boxers for both boys and girls! Not only are they 100% organic cotton, but there are plenty of cute and exciting designs your toddler will love!

Believe it or not, but the clothes you put your toddler in for the day can impact their potty training. Set them up for success by dressing them in clothing that is easy for them to take off and pull on. For instance, go for stretchy waistband pants rather than ones for buttons. This will allow them to easily pull down their pants themselves when they need to use the restroom! Fumbling with buttons and zippers will only frustrate and discourage them from using the toilet on their own. WithOrganic’s 100% organic toddler clothing is a great option! Not only are our pants a comfortable and stretchy cotton, but will make it easy for your child to put on and take off!

Keep your child motivated by praising them or giving them small rewards whenever they go to the potty. You can give them mini m&ms as a reward or even give them stickers to put on a chart that tracks their successes! Pick some sort of rewards system that works for your parenting style!

Establish a toilet routine for your little one. For instance, you can sit them on the potty after waking up, 20-30 minutes after meals, or 30 minutes after having a lot of liquids. If your toddler has a tendency to have a bowel movement at a certain time of day, you can also have them go to the bathroom then. Have your child sit on the toilet for only a few minutes at a time and let them be able to get up whenever they feel like it. 

You can teach your toddler how to use the toilet by showing them and explaining how you do it! Children learn by watching their parents. If you are uncomfortable with showing your little one yourself, you can also sit them on the toilet and show them what they are supposed to do! Before you get them out of diapers, you can also teach them what goes into the toilet by emptying a diaper with their poop into the toilet, flushing, and telling them that their poop is supposed to go into the potty.

Potty training is going to take a lot of work with a lot of successes and setbacks. Keep calm and expect accident to happen since it can take awhile for your little one to get used to using the toilet. Make sure to keep your child motivated and self-confident and don’t shame or punish them for their potty training mishaps. Accidents can and will happen during this milestone!

Toddler potty training can be a touch phase that requires a lot of work and patience. With these simple potty training tips you can use for your little ones, we hope you and your toddler have an easy transition through this important milestone! Good luck!