Potty Training: The Signs
Potty training is one of the many highly debated parts of parenting. With so many professional and parent-led opinions floating around, it can be hard to know when and how to get started, or even if you or your child are ready to get started! We hope to fill you with confidence as you start this journey, whenever you and your child are ready.
It’s important to note that all children develop at a different pace and you may feel you started potty training too early, if that is the case, do not worry; take a step back, get the nappies back out and give yourself and your child a break, both literally and figuratively.
Ready…
The first thing most parents ask themselves when considering starting to potty train is whether or not their child is ready, physically and emotionally.
One of the easiest physical signs to look out for is a dry nappy; if your child is waking up from their lunchtime nap with a dry nappy or you notice longer gaps between wet nappies, this is a good indicator of how their bladder control may be increasing. Another is if they are showing signs that they know when they need to do a poo, this could be different for each child but some of the common signs are, pointing to or pulling at their nappy, or going quiet as if they’re concentrating hard on something.
Alongside these physical signs, there are some developmental steps that are good top;;4[- work towards before starting to potty train, which will help make both you and your child’s life easier when it comes to taking that step! So before you consider potty training your child, ask yourself, can they…
Dress themselves, or are at least happy to have a go? This may sound like a big ask when you’re looking at your 18 month old who would happily run around naked 24/7 if you let them, but grasping the concept of pulling their trousers up and down will help ease the frustration that comes with potty training. Think about it, they don’t need to ask for any help to pee or poo in their nappy right now and they can go whenever and wherever they like, so why would they want to sit on the toilet if it means having to ask for help each time. Learning to undress and redress can help them gain a sense of independence, and save you sprinting to help them before there’s an accident!
Follow instructions? Potty training will require your child to follow some simple instructions like, “let’s go to the toilet”, “pull your pants up”, “let’s wash our hands” etc. To be able to do this without too much frustration, practice giving small tasks and instructions for them to do. It can be easy to just grab your toddlers coat and shoes for them if you’re rushing out the door but a simple instruction such as, “can you bring me your shoes so we can put them on please?” can help them learn how to listen to instruction and also help with that independence that is important for potty training.
Sit still? I’m sure many parents will be asking if this is some sort of joke, but we are talking minutes here so don’t worry too much. Some children may find even this difficult, which is why it’s a good idea to help them by taking a box or basket and putting some ‘quiet’ toys in there, such as fidget toys, dolls, cars or their favourite books. Try to leave them to it for as long as you can before they start to wander or ask for your attention. They will need to stay in one place (the toilet, hopefully!) when potty training for a couple of minutes, especially when getting used to it, so this is good practice for them (and hopefully allows you a chance to sit down or make a cup of tea, or even both!).
Steady…
Now you know that your child is ready to start their potty training journey, it’s time to get prepped! You don’t need a million fancy products, but there are some things which will make your life a lot easier when you’re in the thick of it, which we have tried and tested over the years.
A toilet seat adapter will help your little one feel comfortable when sitting on the toilet; it’s hard to relax if you feel like you could fall into the toilet water at any moment! We love this one from Bumbo as it’s easy to clean without being a hard plastic seat, but any kids toilet seat will do! (Rebecca swears by this one for when you’re on the go, it folds up so you’re not carrying round a full toilet seat or potty!)
A step stool is important for that independence we mentioned, if they can climb up onto the toilet and up to the sink to wash their hands by themselves, they are much more likely to do it! We love this one from My Carry Potty, but as with the toilet seat, any small step stall will do!
A seat protector for when your little one is caught short in the car or buggy! We recommend this one, it fits most car and buggy seats and it easy to wash!
A reward chart for positive reinforcement. This can be homemade or bought, you can keep it simple or tailor it to their favourite characters, such as Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol!
We recommend buying a pack of pants with their favourite character, colour, animal or pattern on them, preferably in a size up so they’re easier for them to pull up and down! You can also buy reusable potty training pants, which some find help as they don’t have the feeling of a nappy (like a pull up does!) but prevent big accidents from making a mess, whilst letting the child feel when they have had an accident (something that pull ups often prevent).
Potty training books are a great way to get your child used to potty training terminology, so they feel prepared when they are faced with all of the very different concept of using the toilet rather than their nappy! We love No More Nappies, Princess Polly/Pirate Pete and Potty Superstar.