When it comes to potty training, I’m sure you already know that every kid is different. My niece and my daughter are a year apart, but potty trained around the same time. My nephew, who is a few months younger than my daughter, has started the potty training process months ago, but he’s still not potty trained. It is true what they say- a child will not potty train until they are ready, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t initiate potty training somehow.
Two years ago I had the opportunity to host a Pull Ups party. My daughter wasn’t quite ready to train, but introducing the potty to her early made her comfortable with it. Last year, we had the opportunity to host another Pull Ups party, and at that point my toddler was in potty training mode.
Potty training was confusing to ME, and I think many first time parents would agree with that statement. I didn’t know where to begin. I couldn’t even train a kitten to go in a litter box, let alone a child to use a toilet. I did what I thought I should do- I went out and got her a potty, picked up some Pull Ups, and explained where her peepee went. One day, I sat with her while she was on her potty for TWO hours, and let her watch videos on my laptop. Weeks went by and there was no progress. Then, one day it just clicked. She didn’t like her potty, she was more comfortable on a toilet with a child seat. I kept her home for a few days with nothing on and she only had two accidents. After those two accidents, she understood the signs her body would give her that it was time to go to the bathroom. Within a day she was potty trained and 2 days later she was able to go #1 and #2 in the potty. She was a little over 2 years old, and I almost feel that if I had picked up on her cues earlier, she would have been potty trained earlier, but I can’t be too sure. In my case, my toddler needed a little push, but I was also remained very patient with her and tried to make potty training fun. After her first accident free day, we had a mini celebration and made cupcakes together!
This time around, I will be hosting a potty training party for my nephew, who needs a little encouragement when it comes to using the potty. They say boys are “lazy” or generally take more time to start using the potty, but in his case, I think he wants to use the potty, but he just gets to the potty too late (maybe I’m biased because he’s so stinking cute!)
I’m already on my way to planning the perfect potty training party for him and his friends. I hope they have a great time, but most importantly, I hope they are able to learn something new and feel comfortable going potty. This is a big developmental step for any child and should be approached with patience. Knowing your child is key, but also knowing when they need a little push is okay too.
Do you have a child who is ready to be potty trained? You can host your own Pull Ups “Why Wait – Let’s Celebrate! First Flush Party” for your child and their friends! You can place your application on the Pull Ups Facebook page. Sign ups are only available through the end of December, so make sure you get your application in ASAP!
You can find out more about potty training by visiting Pull Ups and connecting with them on Facebook and Twitter.
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pull-Ups. I received product samples to facilitate my review and to host a party. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
I met Jake after he was already potty trained, but my brother will need these tips in a few short years. He just had his first son in November.
This is so adorable (and we love Pullups, it’s what we used for little man!)