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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:
asuwere · 06/07/2016 14:41

Get them used to potty/toilet from an early age so its not a new thing. Don't start training too early though, if after a couple of days, they haven't got it, just leave it for a few weeks and try again. Once they are ready, it will just click.
Remember to have spare pants/trousers in your bag for a while though, just in case!

Cambam2010 · 06/07/2016 14:49

Don't force it - only do it if the child is really ready and understands what is expected of them.

My son had a fancy Fisher Price musical potty shaped like a normal toilet. He loved this because it sang when it got wet and had a little flush handle and holder for a toilet roll. I also used gold coins left over from Christmas is little incentives but he only needed these for about a week before he got the hang of it.

ZoSanDesu · 06/07/2016 15:03

Recommend a pottette travel potty as it folds up into your change bag/bottom of the buggy ready to be whipped out. The bags that go with it are a bit pricey but have absorbent pads inside which is awesome when out and about.

pinkunicornsarefluffy · 06/07/2016 15:24

Wait until they are ready. DD flatly refused to potty train but once she decided to do it she was trained on the toilet within a couple of weeks, with no accidents.

and obviously ensure you have wipes and changes of clothes with you when you are training.

foxessocks · 06/07/2016 15:25

We gave a jelly bean for every wee and two jelly beans for every poo...not the healthiest way to do it i admit but after about a week we were mostly not bothering with the jelly beans unless she actually remembered and asked!

We had quite a few accidents at first and had to make sure we stayed very positive and calm but it didn't take long for it to just click. I think if they are ready then it does just click.

And always have spare clothes with you and a plastic bag for the wet ones! I've only used them twice but it's reassuring to know I've got them.

Chelsea26 · 06/07/2016 15:30

Be calm and positive - DS2 used to want to show the whole world his number 2's, he'd parade around with the potty and whoever was in the house would have to cheer and smile and be suitably impressed! Disgusting but it worked!

wigelspigels · 06/07/2016 16:02

We had a watch and copy approach. He saw we used the toilet all the time and knew it was part of everyday life.

After that he went in with his daddy and watched and learned what boys do. Nr 2 was very easy after this and we never had any accidents. He only ever used the loo, as this is what we use with watching. He showed is when he was ready.

ShatnersBassoon · 06/07/2016 17:32

Don't be afraid to try potty training when they're younger than others you know. Some young toddler's will happily come out of nappies without much fuss, and it seems easier to convince very young children to try things when an older child might dig their heels in or have a stronger sense of failure when they have an accident.

ShatnersBassoon · 06/07/2016 17:33

Toddlers! Damned phone making me look daft.

WowOoo · 06/07/2016 17:41

I would also say to wait until they are ready. I left it very late with mine and it was relatively easy.
We gave a treat after one week nappy free.

somethingfromnothing · 06/07/2016 18:06

Wait until they are ready. Stickers are great! We had a sticker chart and also stuck some around the side of the potty. If it doesn't go well just wait for a few weeks and try again.

2boysnamedR · 06/07/2016 18:14

Go to Promark or some other cheap kids clothes store and stock up on pants and trousers/ shorts. You can underestimate the number of spares you need unless you want to wash a few times a day.
I put the potty in the bathroom and say my boys on it before a bath for a few weeks so they was used to it.
Once you start try not to give up even it isn't going well.
For boys you can take a screw lid jam jar out instead of a potty to save space.
Relax, smile and always praise - even when they wee on the floor. So only start on a week where you are relaxed and can clean up lots of wee with a smile painted on through gritted teeth

muddypuddled · 06/07/2016 18:15

We started potty training when our son was 2 1/2. When at home I just let him go bottom free for ease of access to the potty. Once he started to get the hang of it at home we choose some big boy pants together an got a reward chart. For every wee or poo he got in the potty or toilet he got a sticker and when he got to 10 stickers he got to choose something from the mystery prize bag. In the bag I put some cheap toys and books which although cheap he thought were great and he was so proud of himself for getting them. We did this over and over until he stopped having accidents which to be honest were rare. If he did have an accident we would just say never mind try again next time. It took us about a month to become completely nappy free including at night time.

Lovelongweekends · 06/07/2016 18:21

Do the happy dance! Stickers didn't appeal to dd1 and I didn't want to use sweets or chocolate so every time dd1 successfully used the potty or toilet we did the happy dance (lots of wriggling bums and jazz hands!). I've happy danced in supermarkets, service stations and sports centres to name just a few!!

goldenretriever1978 · 06/07/2016 18:21

Definitely try not too get too stressed, anxious or annoyed as you will pass these feelings on to the child whether you realise it or not.

Givemecoffeeplease · 06/07/2016 18:48

Don't start too soon! It's just not worth it. Wait til they can pull pants up and down themselves at the very least.

Sammyislost · 06/07/2016 19:05

We chose a more expensive potty as it was clearly more comfortable, and it couldn't get knocked over. Every time my little one did a wee or poo on the potty, they got a sticker they could stick on the outside of the potty. Once they got to 50 stickers, they got a day out to Legoland! It really worked for us, we never had an accident, as they were so determined to get that sticker and the big reward!

Frannyboo90 · 06/07/2016 19:10

Buy knickers or undies with your child's favourite character on and re-enforce keeping them dry :)

StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 06/07/2016 19:12

Don't feel pressured to start before you/they are ready just because everyone around you seems to think you should etc.
Lots of cheap pants in the changing bag, plus bags for putting wet clothes into and scissors for cutting off pants with poo (to dump). Plenty of spare trousers/leggings and socks too.
Don't be afraid of a little bribery. We used stickers for DD1 to get her to wee in the potty/toilet, but needed chocolate buttons to convince her to poo. DD2 didn't need any bribery.

IrritableBitchSyndrome · 06/07/2016 19:12

It took a few false starts before our little one was really ready. We went with the 'naked from the waist down and stay home for a week' approach, moved on to pull up nappies for going out but still half naked at home, then moved onto exciting grown up pants when ready. Then it's just a question of making them go before leaving anywhere witha toilet, using bribery if necessary!

EasterRobin · 06/07/2016 19:39

We've been given a kids' poem book with lots of cartoon illustrations of toddlers using the potty. According to my brother, it was really useful for getting his child used to the idea.

IonaAilidh11 · 06/07/2016 19:55

you will know when your child starts asking to use it, dont panic about it, try to start when your at home most days saves hassle when your out

daisyduke66 · 06/07/2016 20:02

I didnt do the potty for any of my three. My first just wasn't interested and was straight to the toilet with a mini toilet seat placed onto the toilet and a little step. I then did the same for the others. It was all relatively painless! That was just the way it worked out! No pressure..

MoonlightMedicine · 06/07/2016 20:04

If you don't like using pull-ups but are in the early stages and need to go out somewhere for a few hours, put their usual pants/knickers on and a then pull-up over the top of them.

This way they will still know straight awayif they've had an accident but there clothes/car seat/chair etc won't get wet because the pull-up will protect it. Obviously you still need to change them immediately or they'll be really wet, but you get the convenience/security of the pull-up while out and about without losing the 'wet' feeling when your child has an accident.

I've used this trick once at a soft play party as I didn't like the risk of my little one weeing in a ball pool or something!! In the event he didn't have an accident but it made me more relaxed about the outing!

Sierra259 · 06/07/2016 20:07

Don't feel under pressure to do it before your child is ready, just because all their peers are out of nappies. Buy lots of cheap pants and leggings that are easy to wash and dry overnight. Expect lots of accidents the first 2-3 days, but it should improve a bit after that. If not, they're probably not ready. We used Smarties as a reward this gradually tailed off with a "don't offer, don't refuse" policy! If they're not ready, don't be afraid to call it a day and wait another few months. DD trained later than all her peers, but was consistently accident free much quicker.