Successfully potty training a toddler means that there’ll be less diaper duties. Not to mention the benefits of saving time and money!
Even though this may sound all good and gravy, it requires some thought and planning beforehand.
If you planned to potty train your toddler as early as possible, here’s what to expect…
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What to Expect When Potty Training a Toddler
1. It could get messy
Potty training can be messy.
Firstly, your toddler might not understand the process of using a potty.
S/he might get up in the middle of the bowel movement, and s/he might even spill the feces all over the floor!
This actually happened in the first few times when I potty trained my daughter.
Therefore, in order to avoid this messy situation, I would put a mat underneath the potty that can be changed and thrown into the washer.
I would also get a potty that’s easy to clean off and dry clean.
Instead of the one piece potty which I mistakenly bought, I would actually purchase an alternative like this one which can be removed easily to clean.
2. You need to wash the potty
Speaking of cleaning, it’s important to consider where to wash the potty before purchasing one.
I made the mistake of buying a generic one that’s too big to be washed on our bathroom sinks. So the only place I could wash it is in the bathtub.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking – that is not sanitary! But since we live in an apartment that’s quite compact, the bathtub is the only option we have.
But if you have a backyard or a larger sink, you’ll have more options to decide which potty to get.
After washing the potty, I’d immediately dry it so that it can be used again. If you have multiple bathroom or a larger living area, I’d consider buying a second one so that you can rotate the use in between cleaning.
3. There will be “accidents”
As I mentioned in my method of potty training a toddler, it’s important to let go of the diaper completely.
This means that your child will not be wearing diaper during the entire potty training process.
If this task sounds too daunting, you can just start with the morning and then go diaper-free all day.
Although this may sound like a scary proposition, it’s actually a critical step.
In fact, having small “accidents” or incidents where your child soil his/her pants is actually part of the process.
Just be ready to have extra change of clothes when this happens.
4. You will touch pee and poop
No matter how careful you might be, do expect that you’ll inevitably touch a bit of pee and even, gasp, poop!
Before becoming a mom, the thought of this would really disgust me. But after changing numerous diapers, this has become a commonplace.
Once you’re okay with this fact, you’ll feel less stressed about having to potty train because that’s just part of the process until you can move on to toilet training!
5. It takes time
Finally, potty training takes time.
I started introducing the potty to my daughter as soon as she learned to walk.
However, because she was still too wobbly and oblivious to her surroundings, I waited till she turned 18 months to start potty training. And even then, she rejected it in the beginning!
However, I do believe that potty training before age 2 is the most ideal because toddlers at this age are more curious and willing to listen to their parents.
I have heard of the “terribly 2” phase where the child becomes more rebellious. That’s why if you can start potty training before this age, it might get easier.
On the other hand, some toddlers may be better at following directions after age 2. In any case, just give it sufficient time for your child to feel ready for potty training.
All in all, it took us about four months for my toddler to completely be off of diapers. And when this happened, I no longer miss those days of changing diapers.
…Except during night time, we are still working on that!
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