How can I help my child with potty training?

Potty training can be fun and relaxed. You don’t have to be a strict disciplinarian. It’s much nicer if you can do it together with your child, as a team. How can you make that happen?

• Know what to expect. Most children take 1 to 4 months to become potty-trained. But it can also take a little longer. Trying to rush the process causes a lot of stress and almost never results in a child actually becoming potty-trained.
• Be patient. Not every day is the same. Having a rough day? Tomorrow is another day.
• Stay positive. Keep things light with jokes, high fives, and compliments.
• Stay calm. Children can tell when you’re stressed or get angry easily. That makes them even more anxious, and things often don’t go well as a result. Or it turns into a battle. There’s no need for that.
• Be kind to yourself. You're doing the best you can. Give yourself a pat on the back for how far you've come.
• Hang in there! Sometimes it’s just a matter of perseverance, especially in steps 3 and 4. It’s okay to skip a day, but don’t put potty training on hold for days or weeks (unless it’s a real struggle). Otherwise, you might have to start all over again, and that would be a shame. So try to stick with it, encourage your child and yourself, and stick to the routines.

Don't rush and follow all the steps

Potty training is different for every child, but it follows the same steps. Some children move from one step to the next very easily, while others need more time or help. You can always take a step back if necessary. When something stressful has happened, we often see that children don’t want to practice for a while or have a few more accidents. For example, after a move, the birth of a sibling, starting in a new group at daycare, or after being sick. In that case, start practicing again. It might feel like taking a step back, but it actually helps you, and it’s a normal part of the learning process. Always pay close attention to your child and support them in whatever they need. Sometimes that means taking a break, and other times it means pushing through.