Three children means I have done potty training three times and I can safely say each one was a unique experience. From a child who was dry both day and night in three days to one who took six months, I can safely say I have tried most methods and read most of the information there is out there and over the years have a few top tips
Do not compare
Every child learns differently. They all do things at their own pace and in their own time. It is therefore important not to compare your child to either their siblings or to another child of a similar age. All it will do will fill you with stress and worry which in turn will pass onto your child and make the whole process harder, which brings me to my next tip.
Magic age
There is not set in stone magic age. Two of my children were potty trained before the age of two, the other wasn’t anywhere near ready. First, a child must be able to communicate with you that they need to go. This doesn’t have to be a verbal communication but it does need to be a communication that you both understand. A child needs to have developed the muscles needed to be able to hold it. Usually, you will notice an hour or more dry period in a child's nappy and this is a good indicator they are able to hold it. Whilst there is not a specific age the window of opportunity is between 18 months and 30 months.
Set your child up to succeed
I used to have multiple potties all over the house, because if a toddler needs to go then they need to go now. I was setting them up to succeed as there was always a potty close by. As they got better at control I reduced the number of potties until we then progressed on to the toilet.
Attention
Sometimes a child will have an accident deliberately because for them some attention is better than none. Give no eye contact, don’t show emotion and do not tell them off for having an accident. However, when they do go and don’t have an accident shower them with praise, make it a big deal and be over the top. One of my kids loved stickers and would get a sticker if they went, another wanted high fives and one of them wanted a treat. Find out what reward works for your child and use this. Lots and lots of positive attention and reinforcement and try not to show any emotion when those accidents do happy.
Don’t go back
Once you have decided to potty train then stick with it. Swapping back to nappies or wearing nappies some of the time can cause confusion for a child. A nappy is convenient so a child will, of course, want to wear it. Remember to stick with it and see it through. The exception to this is with night time. A child often becomes dry at night much later in the process so try not to worry about this.
