Potty Train a Toddler

"Congratulations! Shreyanvi is now potty trained and is eligible to get promoted to the preschool."

The week before my daughter's 3rd birthday, her class teacher handed me the above note. I smiled nervously "Really? Is she?"

I read lots of articles and blogs on how to start or when to start and how to practice potty training. I think each and every parent takes an approach that suits them best. Our strategy was a simple  "Wait until she is ready".  We could not try the steps of 5 days plans to potty training. We could not keep her diaper free because:

• On weekdays, she goes to a daycare and she has to wear a diaper until they confirm that she is ready 
• On weekends, we spend most of the time outside home and we could not take the risk

So, we took up a stress-free plan that suits our terms. We didn't rush her or us. So, here is my Steps to Potty Training:

Step-1: Switch to pull-ups: 
Once she turned 2 years, we switched to pull-ups from the regular diapers. She gradually learned to pull it down or pull it up like an underwear. She liked to pick her own design - a princess,  a car or a lion. 

Step-2: Potty Training Seat:
We bought a potty training chair before she turned 2. However, we never used it. I was not sure if she gets used to that chair, how would I practice her to seat in a regular toilet. It is not so convenient to carry it every time we leave home!

One day, I tried to take her to a regular toilet and she was scared that she would fall. She was nervous, she screamed and it looked fair! So, we decided that first, we need to make sure that she can sit comfortably. We got a potty training seat. It fits perfectly in the regular toilet and thus she can sit easily without the fear of slipping in. She didn't complain and got comfortable sitting there on her own.

Step-3: Regular visits to the toilet:
We started taking her to the toilet after she comes back home from her daycare. We made her sit there whether she peed or not. She sings her rhymes, tells her ABCs and 1-2-3 and we just wait there patiently. If she pees, we do high-fives and claps. Till now, we do the same. In the meantime, she started sitting on the toilet in her daycare and she got used to the concept and understood that it is a part n parcel of growing up. She was excited that she was not treated like a baby anymore and she is a "Big Girl"!

Step4: Underwear and No diapers:
When she was around 2 and a half years old, I bought a pack of underwears for her. She was super excited that she got to wear "pantoos" (yes, that's what she calls her underwears) like big girls. She was adaptive and willing to the concept of going diaper-free. On weekends, we started to put her without a diaper at home. But, while going out, we used a diaper. Sometimes, she used to tell us before a pee. But few other times, accidents happened. It felt like 'We were almost there, but not totally there'. 

Step5: Trust your kid:
We spend a lot of hours outdoors on weekends and I am always scared of using a public toilet. It is not always clean. I was looking for some ways to keep her diaper free, even if we are out. I saw some disposable potty seat covers in Amazon and I ordered. It looked amazing and safe, but expensive. I have to take her 4-5 times to a toilet and it seemed not-so-convenient. I started checking out again and the next idea I got was disinfecting wipes. We kept a bottle in each car and one in my bag while traveling and it worked pretty well. It fits my budget, easy to use and most importantly keep me worry-free. 

Then, one day, in her daycare, her teacher told that we can send her without a diaper. She spends most of her time, when she is awake, in a daycare. Unless they encourage her to stay without a diaper, she cannot be totally ready. I was waiting for this green signal for long. Then, after a few days, her class teacher handed me the note that "She is Ready."

Even, today morning, I repeated to her like a mantra "No pee or poo in an underwear". She understands, she repeats and until now, we are doing good. I am not worried anymore. We have come a long way without much efforts and I am confident that we will be reaching that goal soon enough. If an accident happens, I am prepared. 
I carry an extra pair of cloth.
I carry my disinfecting wipes.
I take her to toilets every two hours or when she asks for it.

So, to all the parents out there who are planning to start a potty training program for their kids or who are already in it "Just be patient and pick up your own pace!" Somewhere I read that "No child ever went to her proms wearing a diaper" and it is so true!!!

Posted in: MyBabyIdeas