Potty Training

The time will come for most while raising kids, the task of potty training. I've successfully completed the task four times with our typical children, and twice for our neurodivergent with Trisomy 21. The difference only varies slightly in the strategy used for each. I hope to help by highlighting a few steps here. Whether you are a caregiver or parent potty training for the very first time, finding it slightly more challenging finding success with your neurodivergent child, or a grandparent helping with grandchildren and can just use a few hints, tips, or a refresher, I hope this encourages you.

Potty training is a developmental milestone, an age-related milestone most children eventually achieve. Just as children learn to crawl, walk, and talk, learning to use the toilet is also a milestone as they gain control over a natural bodily function. As a parent, you are shown these age-based timelines to hit developmental milestones. I am here to reassure you, your child is not any less then, if they develop at their own pace. Each child was not made equally. Each child is indeed on their own very unique timeline whether typical or neurodivergent. And it is okay if the child does not meet the timeline on the doctor's pamphlet.

If you try to force it before the child is ready it could potentially be an uphill battle for both you and your child. You frustrated because nothing is working, followed by many accidents. Your frustration spilling over to your kid. Quickly turning the potty-training experience to a negative experience. Which could hinder your process when signs of readiness are shown.

Trust. There will be signs, and here are a few.

When is the right time to begin potty training?

Your child is now sitting up, standing and walking putting them into the perfect position when you start to see signs of readiness for potty training. There are signs that you may start seeing a child exhibit when they are ready to take that next big step of moving on from pampers to underwear. I have personally observed the following:

Discomfort

You may notice discomfort with wearing the absorbent garment. This may look like physically removing the diaper and walking around without it.

Expressing Interest

The child has observed others use the toilet to release themselves and now showing interest to do the same.

Mental Readiness

The child is able to understand and follow simple instructions.

Verbal Expressions

In our culture, it is said that if a child begins to request a diaper change due to soiling themselves, it is indeed time to begin potty training.

When I noticed one or more of these signs, I took it as an invitation to begin our potty-training journey.

The Introduction

This is important don't skip it. You never know which part of the process may stick so I used a variety of techniques to encourage the best outcome possible.  To kick off the process, I made it a big moment for each of our children.

Approach #1: Underwear and the Potty

I bought underwear and a potty. Pulled the trashcan into the room and said;

" Today is the day you go from baby diapers to big kid underwear! So together we will discard all of the baby diapers into this trashcan, and we shall never see or use them again! Because now when we potty we will go and sit and release it into a big kid potty."

Approach #2: Introducing the Potty

I bought underwear, pull-ups, and the potty. Whether using a toilet attachment or the individual mini toddler potty, I introduced it by saying,

"No longer will we pee or poop in a baby diaper, because you are no longer a baby. From now on when you feel like you must pee or poop, we will get to the potty as fast as we can and release it in there."

Approach #3: The Potty Watch

I purchased a potty, potty watch, pull ups, and underwear. Be patient with the watch when setting it as its normally not much of anything but it does the job it is meant to do when set right.

This worked because this was our child's first watch, so they were feeling so official! You are typically setting the frequency or the individual times you would like for it to serve as a reminder for your child to go to the potty. The conversation here was:

" You've got a watch now! This watch will alert you when it is time for you to go to the potty."

I found that this brought about excitement, independence, and ownership in the process. The watch gave them self-motivation to run to the potty themselves. At least in the beginning. You are there to help with consistency. Pro tip, the more frequently set, the better.

Approach #4: The Potty Jar

The potty jar. I purchased a mason jar and filled it with something I knew would excite and motivate my child. You choose. This could be money, a single piece of their favorite candy, or a non-food object such as a toy of some such. Whatever you can fill it up with that'll motivate your child. The conversation was simple:

"Every time we successfully pee or poo in the potty we go to the potty jar!"

Final Steps

Use one of them, some of them, or none of them, your choice. Whatever works best for your child. But pair all of them with this last bit. Consistency is key. High Frequency will yield the most success.

As they get the hang of it, it'll become a norm and that comes with more frequent trips to the potty in the beginning. Even if they do not feel they have to do anything on any attempt, encourage them to try. Dramatic celebration should follow each successful attempt. Lastly, make it an experience for your child. A fun one. Yes, a lot of work on us, but so worth it when diapers are no longer needed, and neither is the expense that comes with them.

Lastly, with any of the above-mentioned approaches assume pull ups will be a part of the process for nighttime to avoid accidents. They are more like "big kid underwear" to use only when necessary. Night training eventually trailed behind the consistency of the day training. I found that once my children became accustomed to being dry, this motivated them to get up and potty. I also enforce a liquid cut off time each evening and required one final potty trip before bed.

The weeks dedicated to potty training, I would dedicate to staying home leaving out only if absolutely necessary. And if that is frequently necessary, I considered purchasing a mobile potty to have in the trunk just to ensure you can stay on the potty schedule you are using for your child during the process, as Consistency is KEY. If not possible, try to remember sanitizer wipes for public toilets.

As for anything in parenting, it is not a one size fits all. But I hope this could give you a few ideas when it is time for you to begin this potty-training journey with your little. Using one or a few of the above-mentioned approaches, I've successfully potty trained 3 children, for one of them twice.

Whatever method you choose, be patient with your child. They spent months during infancy becoming accustomed to using diapers. Now, you are teaching them an entirely new way, and that takes time, consistency, and patience.

Best Wishes and Happy Potty Training!