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

[PoppyMumsnet]

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

Standard T&Cs apply

Endless patience and calm is all I can recommend and a consistent approach no matter how inconvenient (ie not reverting to nappies just because you're too busy)! They're all different!

do it in the summer if poss

Both of my children toilet trained and we never bought a potty. We bought toilet seats that had little seats inside - built in. They felt grown up. It only took 1 week with my older son, he was just 3 years old and not a single accident. I took a week off work so we could concentrate on the job in hand without pressures of going out and hey presto!

I had quite an easy ride with potty training both mine. Both were ready before they were 2 and they let me know as they refused to wear a nappy that was so much as damp.

As an avid reader I used to keep their potty in the bathroom so as soon as we were up in the morning they sat on their potty with a book whilst I sat on the loo with a magazine.

Lots of praise, accidents ignored. Summer is easier as they can run around naked in the house so there is no faffing with clothes. Ultimately though - don't stress.

We try to encourage good potty behaviour when we can with rewards but not to overdo it

Waiting until he really wanted to
Having a few different potties and loo seats dotted about
Getting nursery on side
Waiting until we had a long stint at home - bank holiday weekend
Giving chocolate as a reward
Ignoring any accidents
Letting him choose some nice new boxers to match daddy

We used to wait till the little ones had used their potty for the first time and all sing and clap and pretend to play trumpets (we aren't mad lol but they loved it) they felt really special and important and kept returning to their potty to entertain us but it really worked with each child and most of all don't rush them or yourselves or feel pressured by other mums, just go with the Flow 'So to speak lol'

Don't rush your child, so many parents (first time ones especially!) seem to rush into it too soon and this can just cause unnecessary stress when the child clearly isn't ready.

Look for signs in that are they telling you if their nappy is wet/dirty?
Are they staying drier for longer? Are they able to communicate when they are doing something in their nappy? etc - lots more signs too!

Introduce a potty in the home.. role play maybe dolly/teddy might use it? Use books and stories about potty training... let them see family members using the toilet.. give them a book to read whilst sitting on it, use stickers as rewards and most importantly encourage and praise!!

Be patient

potty train when your child is ready not when their friends are ready. Lots of praise and no critism when they make a mistake.

My daughter we did as soon as she turned 2, in hindsight i wish we waited- our son is 2 years 8 months and 2 weeks in it is so much easier!! Much less accidents and easier to talk about it, my biggest tip is wait! Dont rush it as its less stressful all round

I potty trained my son at the beginning of the year. I swear by just leaving them bare bummed for a few days just until they get used to the concept. People insist on putting them in pants straight away and then wonder why they have loads of accidents. I think that with a bare bum they get used to the feeling of needing to go and they know they dont have a nappy (or pants on) so are more likely to say they need to go rather than just doing it in their pants. That was my feeling on it. We used stickers but didnt do anymore than that. He wont eat chocolate or treats anyway so couldnt use the chocolate button bribery trick. He had it within a week though and we have never had issues with not wanting to poo on the potty or the toilet either. After the first couple of weeks I also tried to encourage use of the toilet rather than the potty which was my personal preference.

Only start when you feel your child is ready not just because someone else's child has started, and leave the potty where your DC can see it and can sit on it freely. Most of all don't stress, each child is different and will get there.

Before starting potty training we sat teddy on the potty, and told our toddler what teddy was doing.
Then we would read their favourite stories while they sat there. If they did something we praised, and never reprimanded or complained if nothing happened.
When they used their potties, positive reinforcement always worked best, and they were soon trained.

A sticker chart with a reward for ten stickers worked a charm!

Use a waterproof potty

Be consistent. I just kept putting her on the potty and rewarded with stickers every time she used it. Lots of perseverance, but worth it in the end. Saves you a fortune in nappies....

Don't feel forced into it by keeping up with your friends babies. All children are different. If you think they are ready try it but it doesn't work then leave it for a while.
If they have problems pooping in the potty then try not to make an issue out of it. Just put a nappy back on and let them poop.

All of our kids were potty trained very early. We made sitting on the potty a regular routine. They even sat on it when they were eating. We also played games with them while they were sat on the potty. Oh and of course lots of praise when they did their deed for the day. It worked a treat.

I started potty training as soon as mine where aware they had done a toilet. I basically stayed in for the first week asking often if they needed a toilet and giving massive praise when they did a toilet in the potty. The next week i would just go to places locally so if an accident happened we would not have far to get back

Always have the potty easily available

Don't be afraid to let them see you use the toilet. Boys want to be like their dads & girls want to be like mum

I got abit worried as it was taking longer than expected so we took a break and then all of a sudden he just did it. I wish I'd not worried so much

Always leave the potty out so they get used to sitting on it first, then introduce them slowly to it and reward them and clap when they use it

I wasn't too pushy, I let her go when she needed to and tried to encourage using a potty. She picked it up in no time :)