Navigating Potty Training

[mamamia]

This topic can feel overwhelming, and it's often one of the biggest milestones we tackle as parents. Share your experiences, tips, and advice to help other parents navigate this fun period with confidence!

What are some early signs that helped you realize your little one was ready to begin potty training? Or maybe you jumped into it and then realized your child wasn't quite ready—what were those telltale signs? How do you keep the process fun and engaging for them (and yourself!) without turning it into a battle of wills? Let's share our journeys, encourage each other, and celebrate those little victories along the way!

 

[happyfeet]

For us, one of the biggest signs that our son was ready to potty train was his increased awareness of his bodily functions. He started to tell us when he had pooed or peed in his nappy and would often say he was 'stinky'. It meant we could start discussing going to the toilet as something that big boys do!

We also noticed that he became very interested in what mum and dad were doing - asking questions about toilets and copying us. This curiosity was a good indication that he was mentally prepared to begin learning this new skill.

In terms of keeping it fun, we made it into more of a game than a chore or a necessity. We cheered and high-fived every time he successfully made it to the toilet, and for every successful poop or pee, we'd have a little dance! It was very much a collaborative effort - our son loved being involved in picking out new underwear and choosing his own potty. Making him feel like an active participant in the process, with lots of positive reinforcement, seemed to do the trick. We also loved upping the incentive by offering a small sweet treat for successful poos on the toilet - but that's definitely not for everyone!

Good luck to everyone embarking on this adventure; it's a tricky but rewarding phase!

 

[bubblyfish]

That's some great insights and well done on making it such a positive experience! We also found that our child's increased awareness of his bodily functions was a big sign - it seems to be a good indicator that they're mentally prepared, as you say.

Making it fun is a fantastic idea - we played up the excitement too, with high-fives and cheers, and even a little song! Anything to keep the momentum going and make it a positive association.

Loving the idea of including them in the process - giving them some ownership always helps!

 

[stargazer]

Those are awesome insights too! You're so right about their increased awareness, it's such a great indicator. High fives and cheers - love it! And a song, music is such a mood booster and Happy Potty Training anthem including them and giving that sense of ownership definitely boosts their confidence too.

 

[lioness]

Love the idea of a Potty Training anthem - turning it into a fun celebration and incorporating music is such a great way to make it enjoyable for everyone and create positive associations! And you're spot on about the confidence boost too, giving them ownership and praise goes a long way towards encouraging them further. High fives right back at ya!

 

[sunnybunny]

Right back at ya with the high fives! Let's keep the fun songs and celebration going to make this a memorable and happy time for our little ones! It's an exciting milestone, and making it enjoyable gives such a great start to their toilet training journey. Yay for potty power!

 

[wisdom]

Yes!! Let's make it fun and memorable - high five!

 

[stargazer]

High five - let's do this! We're all cheering you on, go Team Potty Train!

 

[nature]

Thank you for the encouragement! I feel like I need all the cheers and positive vibes to get through this! Let's do our best!

 

[sunflower]

You've got this! It's a daunting task but it'll be worth it once they're trained, and think of all the money you'll save on diapers! Celebrate each small win, and remember, accidents happen - don't let them set you back, keep reminding yourself it's all part of the process. You're doing great!

 

[bookworm]

Accidents are expected and normal! And yes, celebrating the small wins keeps the motivation going! Thank you for the encouragement!

 

[techsavvy]

Celebrating those wins is such a great way of keeping positive and seeing progress! and well done for keeping spirits high x

 

[koala]

Those sticker charts really are a great way to celebrate the wins, and I love the visual they provide for our little ones to understand their progress too! Well done - keep it up! That picture you included is just gorgeous, what a happy moment captured! x

 

[bookworm]

The sticker charts are a fun way to make PT feel like a game and I love how it teaches them about progress and milestones too! And thank you, she's so proud of every sticker she gets and it's adorable!

 

[sunnybunny]

Sticker charts are an excellent way to make the whole process fun and engaging - turning potty training into a game! It's great how they teach children about achieving goals, and it's so adorable seeing them feel proud of their rewards. Well done!

 

[luciana]

Turning potty training into a game is a brilliant idea - making it fun and engaging will definitely help make the process smoother! Well done, love the sticker chart idea and how it teaches kids about achieving goals.

 

[doctormama]

Thank you so much! It's tough navigating parenting sometimes, so I'm always looking for ways to make learning new skills fun - especially when it comes to potty training! The sticker chart has been such a huge encouragement and motivation for them, especially because they get to choose the reward at the end too!

 

[sunnydays]

It's amazing how stickers can become such effective incentives for potty training! Making it into a game and letting them pick out a special reward is a wonderful way to make the process fun and motivating. I'm glad to hear your kids are enjoying it too. Keep us posted on their progress and share any other creative ideas you implement along the way!

 

[chickadee]

Stickers have always been a tried and true method for potty training! I remember using them with my kids too, and it's amazing how a simple sticker can provide such positive reinforcement. Making it into a game adds an element of fun and also lets the child take some ownership of the process - choosing their own reward is a great idea! Would love to hear any other strategies you're using too!

 

[nature]

We created a Potty Training Chart with different rewards kids can pick and also have them help decorate their own charts which keeps them engaged and excited to use the potty. They love picking out the stickers too!