Blog Sample - Get This Potty Started: Helpful Hacks for Toilet Training

In every parent’s life, there comes a time dedicated to the unpleasant: we ditch bottles for bowel movements. Unfortunately for you (and good for the detergent industry), children don’t take to the toilet the way kittens take to litter. But, they also don’t poop in boxes. So, at least that’s a bonus. 

Even so, potty training infuriates even the mellowest mom and most delighted dad – plainly put, it’s sort of crappy. This is where knowing a few hacks helps. These might not guarantee a diaper-free existence, but they’re a good start. Yep, “urine” luck when you try the following:

Bribe: There are two wonderful things that come with toddlerhood: a) your child is willing to fetch things for you (a can of soda or the remote control) and b) they understand bribery. The latter is handy with potty training. A jar of jellybeans or M&Ms goes a long way. Still, beware of manipulation: your child pretending to go in order to get the goods, for instance. Thus, reward when they actually do something – pay only by the drop or plop.

Use a child-sized toilet: Often, kids look at regular toilets as if they’re monsters determined to swallow them whole. Using a child-sized toilet fixes this fear – if it has cartoon characters, even better. For a fast cleanup, consider lining the toilet with coffee filters. Just don’t use them to make coffee afterward. 

Limit their access to toilet paper: For every child who uses toilet paper, 96 trees die in the process. Simply put, your child will use wads and wads of TP if you let them. Limiting their access saves money, saves the environment, and saves you from having to call a plumber after every high-fiber meal.

Track progress: Many children respond better when they see their progression. A chart that tracks how well they’re doing offers the inspiration they need to push themselves. Days without an accident: 3.5.

Use the art of aim: Little boys are sometimes harder to potty train than their female peers. Allowing them to aim at something – a Fruit Loop, a Cheerio, a torn-up photograph of your ex-flame– provides motivation, hopefully assuring a quick study.  

Make it fun: Kids like to have fun; kids should have fun! After all, that’s the beauty of childhood. When you bring this fun into the bathroom, children are more receptive. They no longer view the toilet as something less convenient than diapers. Rather, they view it as joyful. So, get creative – write a story about the toilet that couldn’t stop flushing, sing a song about toilet paper lost at sea, or juggle bars of soap. 

Let them know it’s natural: Needing to use the bathroom might be annoying, but it’s natural. Teaching kids this helps them understand the inherent necessity. But don’t only teach them that all humans have to go; use your pets, too. Show them your dog’s toilet (i.e., the backyard) and explain the process. You may also take this opportunity to let them know that yellow snow is not lemon-flavored. 

Express satisfaction and disappointment: Your children see you as a superhero when they’re young – they value your opinion. If you’re disappointed in them, they work to amend the situation. Use this to your advantage: laud them for using the loo, and express sadness when their underwear fills up with poo. 

Wake them up in the middle of the night: Even when a child becomes potty trained during waking hours, the nighttime urges are harder to quash. Waking your child up in the middle of the night and forcing them to go is one way to avoid this. Tragically, this also involves you waking up. So, maybe just stock up on overnight diapers, instead. 

Bribe: Did we mention that already? 

Potty training is a marathon, not a sprint. Your child will get there eventually, but the above hacks make the process a little smoother. At the very least, they’ll certainly get things flowing.