adminI will fully admit that our initial attempt at potty training did not go well. Our first kid was not interested in potty training in the slightest. I tried to early, tried too hard, and it ended in tears. I made a list of tips and tricks to hopefully help you avoid my headaches. But when you’ve decided that your kiddo (and you!) are ready to get started, here is my go-to tried and true quick method for potty training.
How to Potty Train in 3 Days
Step 1. Have all of your supplies ready.
- Get a potty chair or potty seat. My preference is a seat because it’s waaaay easier to clean. If you have a boy, just make sure you get one with a tall pee shield.
- Get some underpants. Let your toddler pick them out!
- Get a basket of goodies for the bathroom. Choose things that will only be available when your toddler is sitting on the potty. My kiddos have liked books, stuffed animals, clipboard with paper and a marker, iPad, etc… Don’t underestimate your attention either. Singing songs, playing words games, or just being silly can make the extended toilet sitting time more bearable.
- Get a reward for successful use of the toilet. Again, this totally depends on your kiddo, but candy they don’t get any other time is always a go to for me.
- (Check out my list of potty supplies).
Step 2. Block out your calendar. I’m not joking. Cancel all your activities for 3 days. Or make sure you have a tag-team partner so you only have to cancel half of your activities. This does not work if you have to leave the house and put on a pull-up. You have to be ready to fully commit. Pull-ups come up as soon as they get out of bed in the morning and don’t go back on until they are just about to get back in bed for the night. (nap time pull ups are ok too)
Step 3. Push the fluids. This may seem like a no-brainer, but if there’s nothing in the bladder, there’s not going to be any pee pee. In general, the more often you can reward going pee on the potty (or poop!) the more often the child is going to be inclined to do so. If they only need to go once or twice a day, that’s a lot fewer opportunities to reward than if they have to go 10 times a day.
Step 4. Set a timer. You will be consistently putting your kiddo on the potty throughout the day. Start with a 15 minute timer and see how it goes. If they have an accident before the 15 minutes is up
General procedure for Day 1
