Potty Training Practical Tips

Potty training: practical tips from our expert

Getting started

Make sure you’re ready: Don’t even try to potty train when you’re moving house, expecting a new baby or there’s some other stressful event in your lives. Wait until things settle down so you can both cope with the inevitable mistakes.
Make sure she’s ready: If she’s starting to notice when his nappy is wet or dirty, or if she tells you when he’s about to do a wee or a poo, then she’s ready. The transition from nappies to pants will be much smoother if you react to her awareness, rather than let her age dictate.
Some children potty train in days, others in weeks. It’s crucial that you remain calm throughout, even if it means slipping a pair of trainer pants on.

Go for it

Pick a couple of weeks when you’re staying close to home, and make sure you let everyone who looks after your child know your plans.

1. Introduce the potty well before training starts. Have the potty in the bathroom from birth so the potty has already become a familiar item, and let her sit on it with a nappy on before potty training starts.
2. Encourage your child to let her toys have a go on the potty. If she has a doll who wears a nappy, let your child teach the doll how to go to the toilet using the potty.
3. Let her pick out some knickers to buy and make a big deal of her becoming a big girl.
4. There are plenty of books out there to prime your child for the big day – check out our recommendations below.
5. In the beginning, ask your child about every 40 minutes if they need a wee, and remember to pack at least one change of clothes to get her into something dry right away.
6. Don’t make your child sit on the potty for more than a few moments; if your child wants to get up even after not doing a ‘wee’, allow this and praise her just for trying.
7. When the first ‘wee’ is done use lots of praise – ask around and most families had a potty dance or song to motivate their kids!
8. A reward or star chart could really help enforce this new routine. Products such as ©My Wee Friend™ can really help as an added bonus - every child will love it, and it also gives that extra bit of encouragement for continuous potty use.