8 Top Toddler Potty Training Tips

Effective potty training requires you to gather information and then develop a flexible plan.

If you are combing the Internet looking for top potty training tips, look no further.

Like much of parenting, potty training requires you to gather information and then develop a flexible plan.

A key thing to remember is that each child is different as Rebecca Eanes at CreativeChild can attest. She offers helpful hints to keep in mind as you are potty training your child.

 Her top 3 tips are:

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  1. Get a little potty seat long before you expect they’ll want to learn.
  2. Take your child’s personality into account.  In other words, some children will learn with a gentle nudge, while others will dig in and refuse if you push potty training too hard.
  3. Keep your attitude about potty learning light, encouraging and supportive.

It’s amazing how difficult it can be to keep our own attitudes light sometimes, but a good reminder, isn’t it?

Whitney Barthel at Babycenter agrees that all children are different and that it’s important to recognize your child’s personality.

She offers 4 additional tips:

  1. Be an example
  2. Tackle one thing at a time (going pee, going number 2, washing hands independently, wiping—there is a lot to potting training)
  3. Have patience with going number 2
  4. Use incentives

Being an example shouldn’t be too hard right? Who hasn’t had their privacy invaded by the tiny toddler in your house who often finds it very hard to take no for an answer?

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Last Tip:

The last tip comes from the book, On Becoming Pottywise for Toddlers. The authors say “don’t start training your child until she has both the capacity to learn and the ability to achieve.” They offer a variety of methods knowing that every child is different and the methods work because of “the combination of right timing, right method, and right motivation.” Their book, a quick and easy read, will equip you with all the basics you are looking for in addition to all the pertinent, in-depth background information.

Once you have your potty training plan, relax and trust the process, then say good bye to diapers!


Annie Wiesman

Annie Wiesman

Annie Wiesman is the co-author of “Education Begins at Birth: A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers for Kindergarten.” She is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom who enjoys traveling, hiking in the mountains, and creating memories together with her husband and little girl.


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