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MNHQ

Share your tips on potty training with ASDA - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

339 replies

PoppyMumsnet · 06/07/2016 10:05

Teaching toddlers how to go to the toilet is one of the unavoidable tasks all parents must face - but it needn't be something you dread. There are many who've already been there, done that - and their learnings are invaluable.

So if you're smiling smugly from the other side, share your top tips for parents embarking on the potty training journey. What advice can you offer to make the experience less stressful - maybe even fun?

So, what words of wisdom can you share? How did you know when your child was ready to start training, and how did you integrate it into your everyday routine? Maybe you discovered clever strategies for introducing a potty or tricks for simplifying the transition from nappies to proper underwear?

How did you encourage and praise little ones for a job well done - or respond to the (inevitable) accidents without undoing all their good work? Do you have any potty training tricks for when you're out and about?

Whatever your top tips for successful potty training are, share them with Asda below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 ASDA voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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Share your tips on potty training with ASDA - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
KittyKat88 · 11/07/2016 22:09

I admit it, I bribed both my DDs with sweeties (1 for a wee, 2 for a... well, you get my drift! Wink). It worked initially, but to save their teeth I quickly reverted to stickers! It only took a week or two both times (DD1 at age 3 and DD2 at around 2 3/4). I think the trick was to leave it until I knew they were absolutely ready.

feeona123 · 11/07/2016 22:29

We're going through training at the mo. My only tip so far is just not to push it, go with the child and their thoughts!

Stargirl82 · 11/07/2016 22:30

Crocs/ flip flops. Shoes that don't require hours of drying when they've had an accident!

SkyblueAnnie · 11/07/2016 23:22

I have done this twice. First time was a disaster which may have scarred me forever. second time was a dream.

Wait until you are sure they are ready. It is so tempting to think about when they 'should' be starting/ when other kids are doing it but each child is different and it's so much easier if they actually want to do it themselves.

No harm in introducing the potty and encouraging them to use it but both of mine preferred the toilet so encourage this too.

Let them see you go to the toilet. Copying mummy and daddy is a huge motivator.

Let them choose nice pants for them to wear once they do all their wee/ poo in the toilet

Buy a few packs of cheap pants for them to wear before then - life is too short to scrape solid poo out of pants and try and salvage them. Be prepared to throw a few pairs away after dropping the poo into a toilet. This can help with the feelings of frustration when it's not working.

Be prepared to deal with lots of poo.

If you have to salvage pants washing them out in the toilet water is actually less disgusting than the alternatives!

If possible spend time with friends who have recently potty trained kids - Pant envy is a huge motivator

Carry several changes of clothes, baby wipes, anti bacterial wipes (and maybe an old hand towel) and several carrier bags- the inevitable wee flood in the supermarket is less mortifying if you don't have to stand next to it waiting for a mop

Limit trips to the supermarket where possible

Relax - they will get there and the day will come that you can shout 'shoes on!' and just leave the house ( well with raincoats / suncream/ hats etc)

user1468297160 · 12/07/2016 05:55

I used a reward system of stickers and small biscuit treats with a song singing I did it I did it

bluearmy35 · 12/07/2016 08:49

We are in the process of training our boy and after 2 weeks he has gone 4 days with no accidents. I definately recommend the early days to have him in the house with no bottoms on then he can feel the fresh air and will be more likely to go to the toilet, whereas if they can feel underpants or knickers it may give the same feeling as a nappy. It is hard but persevere it doesnt take that long for them to conquer as they take in everything at a young age.

babynearlyhere · 12/07/2016 12:18

We lay the foundations about 6 months in advance by putting a potty in the bathroom and letting him sit on it naked before bath. It really got him used to it and gradually he started to do wees in it and an occasional poo. Both of which received raptures of applause and praise from mummy and daddy.

Byrdie · 12/07/2016 14:11

Wait! It's a pain to do it when they aren't and can be the difference between sanity and insanity. When they show all signs and tell you they are ready... Or are about to start school, which either comes first, start!

forkhandles4candles · 12/07/2016 15:56

don't try to force it - and offer lots of praise and fun when it happens

ProudMummyOf2Girlies · 12/07/2016 16:56

Definitely waiting til they are ready. Pushing a child who is not ready will only stress them and you.

We got a bucket at the side of the potty and wrapped some cheap £1 presents and put them in the bucket. They got a point per wee and 2 points per poop. Once they got 5 points they got to lucky dip got a present.

Worked a dream and we were dry day and night within a week with both kids

PorridgeAgainAbney · 12/07/2016 17:26

We are only just starting getting DS used to the idea that it will happen one day as he's shown no signs of being ready yet. Sits on the potty at bath time and watching his bedtime programme, and gets a star if he tells us as soon as he's done a wee or poo in his nappy, to get him used to thinking about having done it.

I'm hoping that we can then move it backwards so he'll start to realise what it feels like just before he does it, and so on....

MummyBtothree · 12/07/2016 17:29

We had a personalised book made for our son all about growing up from a baby to a big boy and using the potty and toilet. It featured him as the main character and we read it to him frequently. He thought it was great and it really seemed to help. It makes a lovely keepsake too.

sarah861421 · 12/07/2016 18:43

Patience, and lots of spare clothes everywhere ( car, handbag etc ) . It will come evenutally. talk to the child and exzplain what is happeneing, but accept that they have limited control . make sure you and they know the difference between ac accident and laziness

badgermum · 12/07/2016 19:10

I brought lots of pants and easy to get on and off bottoms , ie shorts tracksuit bottoms and went straight from regular nappies to pants we took a potty in a carrier bag with us whever we left home for the first few weeks and if your child is ready to start potty training then just keep reminding them every 15 mintes or so asking them if they need to go. I found using a reward worked and my boys responded very well to having one chocolate button for a number one and three for a number two in the potty or toilet Smile

mumsnit · 12/07/2016 19:14

My DD was very late to potty train and the thing she found really difficult was learning to do a poo on the potty. It took years to crack it as she just wanted to use a nappy every time.....until we discovered a fantastic story on the internet called 'Poo goes to Pooland' which we read to her. Hey presto and she did it!!

Would thoroughly recommend if anyone else's child is struggling with this Smile

ricecrispies16 · 12/07/2016 20:45

For my daughter we had a potty lying around since she was about 1year old and shed sit on it (fully clothed) as a seat! In between then and now I got her to put her dolls/teddies etc on the potty for a wee and then do a big song and dance of praise for the toy!

She's 2yr6months now and has been out of nappies for a good few weeks now. About a month or two ago I started 'emptying' her nappies into the toilet and explained to her that she's a big girl and big girls use the toilet, also told her that mummy, daddy, nannie etc all use the toilet and that its her turn.

All this preparation really helped but what kicked it off to a really positive start was the promise of a chocolate button each time I wanted her to use the potty!! It worked!!

So my best tip: Bribery Wink

tinker78 · 12/07/2016 21:04

Definitely wait until the child is ready. One of my twins was ready a couple of months before her sister. Don't leave home for a couple of days. No pants for the first day - I tithe sensation of wearing pants must be similar to that of a nappy. It's a huge change for the child, so lots of positivity and stickers and smarties for rewards.

buckley1983 · 12/07/2016 21:07

Potty training top tips!

  1. Get loads of cheap potty's & place them in frequently used rooms - one in the car is good too, for on the go!
  2. Once you've started, stick with it - otherwise you'll just confuse your little one!
  3. Get looooads of pants. When soiled with poop - get the worst off & then blast with a cold shower before washing. Some people chuck them altogether, but I think that's wasteful & unnecessary - especially as accidents happen often & repeatedly :)
  4. Praise any dry spells with gusto! - use a sticker chart if that works for your little one.
  5. We used the Pirate Pete potty training sticker book which worked really well - they do a Princess one too if you have a girl :)
  6. Rejoice that nappies are no longer part of your weekly grocery shop -hurrah!
Good luck to all :)
MaGratgarlik1983 · 12/07/2016 21:33

I'll be thinking about this in the next few months! Tips i have heard of include putting the potty in the bathroom, changing your toddler in the bathroom as well and linking things, and not putting too much pressure on.

finova · 12/07/2016 23:53

Start late 2 3/4 ish and train at night too within a week works for us.
No pull ups just use bed pads.
Have a few days at home and catch wees as they start initially- they gradually make it to the potty and recognise the need a wee sensation. Training then done very quickly.
Just sitting on it regularly didn't work for us.

sarahb8708 · 13/07/2016 00:08

I found that showing my daughter how the potty works and then just leaving it in view for her to approach in her own time worked well. Oh, and flushable toilet wipes are a MUST! Xxx

juju3 · 13/07/2016 11:06

Offer loads of incentives but at the end of the day it takes time and should not be forced

loubymain · 13/07/2016 13:44

Its all about consistency and sticking with it. reward systems also work well

Pengweng · 13/07/2016 14:07

My twins toilet trained over 12 months apart. One was a complete breeze and had poos and wees and day and night done in 3 days. The other one was endless tears, stickers, M&Ms, bribes and puddles of wee on the floor. I left it until she was 3.5 (late i know!!) and then she seemed to get it a bit better. Within a week she was 90% dry and now nearly 6 months later she is absolutely fine both day and night and wee and poo. So basically my tip is don't listen to any one else opinion on how to teach your child. As long as they have no other additional needs then they will get there with some gentle encouragement. Don't panic it makes them panic and stock up on Biscuit and Wine!

kateandme · 13/07/2016 15:13

use their peers and daddy and mummy "ooh I need the toilet." pretend to go on the potty.let little one see that's where we to go. put it beside the toilet and when you go to the loo put it down and say "right until you can get all tall like us to use this toilet we've got you this special one to sit on"
don't make it a huge deal.do not force with anger.they are scared shitless haha. for so long they can drop where they want then suddenly its means to be out somewhere!!worrrrrt. very confusing time.
if you've ever puppy trained it lots like this hehe.