The potty training journey

Potty training, much like parenting itself is a journey. A journey unique to every child.

So far I’ve potty trained three children and still have one to go.

Each child has been totally different, but the most important lesson I have learnt as a parent is not to rush them and to try to relax.

As a first time parent I tried to rush my first child into potty training at exactly two years of age. It was hard work and she wasn’t ready, and consequently it took ages to nail the daytime. Nighttime was totally different and she was dry at night instantly.

With my second child I was much more relaxed and promised myself I wouldn’t rush him.  As a result, he was super easy and just started climbing on the toilet one day. Nighttime was a different story and took much longer.

With my third child, he just wasn’t keen at all so I just left it and decided to wait until he turned three. Two weeks before his third birthday he woke up and announced he was wearing big boy batman pants now and that was that. It basically took two days and has been super easy. He takes himself off to the potty or toilet and I don’t have to ask or remind him, he will either say if we are out that he needs to go, or when at home just potter off on his own.

Nighttime is hit and miss. Sometimes he’s dry in the morning and sometimes he’s not, but I’m really not concerned about that at the moment.

At 18 months our youngest used the potty a few times and now at 22 months he knows exactly what it’s for and will ask to sit on it. He potentially might be really early but that will be his choice not mine.

pull ups

Potty training is much more than saying goodbye to nappies. It’s integral in shaping your child’s feelings of self-confidence and independence, making it one of the most important developmental milestones of this age.

Every child is different and what works for some doesn’t always work for others. There’s a lot of conflicting opinions and advice out there, and family and friends also have their own experiences. All of this information can feel overwhelming.

To help you and your little one get set for success, Huggies have worked with renowned child psychologist, Dr Heather Wittenberg, to develop the Huggies® Pull-Ups® 6 Steps to Potty Success. Based on the most practical, helpful and science-based tips, the Huggies® Pull-Ups® 6 Steps to Potty Success makes potty training the exciting learning partnership that it should be. With this tool, Huggies are here to help you through every challenge and support you along this new journey.

To help with this we have one potty training bundle of a pack of daytime and a pack of nighttime pulls ups to giveaway to one lucky reader.

Just enter the easy widget below, UK entrants only please.

Win a Huggies Potty Training Bundle

SuperLucky Blog Giveaway Linky

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147 comments

  1. Always just let them decide what is best. Keep a potty where they know where it is but not in full view, and praise when they do use – praise is the best teacher

  2. Wait until they are showing signs they are ready and dont get stressed when there are accidents

  3. leave the potty around for months before you hope it will be used and keep talking about it, saying things like “That is for when you are a big boy/girl”

  4. Watch the expression on their face, sometimes you can tell when they’re just about to go!

  5. Make sure your child is ready as when we potty trained my son, I dont think he was ready and he took absolutely ages to get dry. We will wait until we think our daughter is completely ready before we start 🙂

  6. It’s best to take it slowly and go at your child’s pace. Being patient with them will help them get it right, even if you sometimes feel frustrated.

  7. Your lovely blog really put my mind at rest. I’ve been getting pressure from family and my little boy’s nursery to speed up his potty training as he’s three in a few months time, but your story about your little boy just picking it up in his own time is really comforting to know. I think you are right in saying every child is different and they all move to their own timetable not ours. x

  8. My son asked to use the potty at around 24 months and he was doing really well, then one day he decided to stop and asked to wear a nappy!

  9. We arent quite thier with potty training our two year old, she will sit on the potty but she just says ‘its stuck’ ?

  10. i tried to rush things with my eldest but when i waited for for him to do it in his own time it was much easier & less stressful

  11. Go over the top wild when they DO use the potty. We virtually used to give my son a standing ovation and cheers and he loved it lol

  12. we’re about to start potty training my son harry so need all the advice i ca get but i’m just going to try and be patient and remember lots of clean underwear and trousers when we go out lol

  13. Try using a toilet timer to establish how often your child goes for a wee. Set an egg timer for 20-30 mins, put them on the potty, if they do a wee great, if not reset the timer, if they have an accident in between then you know to set the timer for around the same total time again. The buzzer will trigger you to remember to ask your child if they need a wee, and eventually your child will associate the timer with going to the toilet, distracting them from play and reminding them they have no nappy on.

  14. Stick with a plan don’t keep changing things or you little one will get confused, but ultimitley they will do it when they are ready .x

  15. I don’t have any children but would love to win this prize to donate to charity, to go to Romania.

  16. we used to lift darlin onto her pot when we went to bed,she continued to sleep,and became dry at night really quickly,obviously we stopped doing this eventually!

  17. dont rush it, they will do it in their own time, try to start it on a week when you are at home so it will be stress free

  18. I started on a Monday so that the worst/messiest of it was handled by my son’s nursery!! By Friday he was a lot better so there were no massive accidents over the weekend!! Lazy Mummy!

  19. I sat on one once when my little girl was little, to show her how much fun it was & fell off, she thought it was funny & sat on it to teach mummy how to do it!

  20. My daughter sits her dinosaur on the potty… but not herself – at least not when she needs t go. I guess, she is not quite ready.

  21. I would say watch for the child’s development, and maybe interest in hygiene and toileting. They are so observant and want to grow up. Though need assistance to begin with. Remember to Praise good Behaviour. Be kind and patient with the child as they progress at their own pace.

  22. Potty training in summer so they can run around the garden with knickers on so no accidents inside the house.

  23. Just take it one day at a time, there will always be little accidents now and then, try not to get too stressed about it x

  24. I’m quite nervous of potty training my little boy! I was recently told that with boys – if they can jump up with two feet then they are ready to train as it’s the same muscle they use for telling them they need a wee!

  25. make use of the summer and take the nappy off so they get used to it. Make sure you’re outside and it doesn’t matter!

  26. have patience and wherever possible (indoors preferably) let them wear cotton pants, I found with my older daughter that if she had an accident, actually feeling wet made her realize what had happened and she didn’t like it

  27. Be patient and persistant and don’t do it until you feel they are ready, its much easier then. Do the daytime first and leave the nights until later on, one thing at a time.

  28. leave the potty out from a young age so their familiar with it and it doesnt seem scary come the time start using it

  29. Don’t expect to do it in a couple of days. My little girl started really well but then regressed after a few weeks. We’ve found ignoring the accidents but praising the successes has worked for us.

  30. Reward and give lots of praise when they’ve used the potty so they feel like it’s a big achievement 🙂 x

  31. I’m a believer in letting the child learn at their own pace, and rewarding every time they pee or poop in their potty with a well done, or a hand clap etc and try gaging when theyre most likely to need their potty

  32. Thanks for these helpful comments! I am currently trying to train my little boy who is just over 2.5. One week he will be excited about suceeding then he won’t want to use the potty at all for weeks and get upset at even the suggestion! He is such a clever kid, he speaks really well, counts to 20, does his alphabet and can even spell his name. But he just can’t grasp toilet training and it’s been worrying me. I have been encouraging, given rewards and not forced him. I guess it will just be a case of waiting it out…

  33. Although it may seem frustrating they will do it all in their own time, every child is different and will do it when they feel ready.

  34. never get stressed as they pick up on it and it scares them of the potty but if they don’t like the potty at all get a soft toilet seat inner that they can sit on happily and give them a book to look at to keep them calm whilst getting used to using it

  35. I’ve not tried potty training my daughter yet but she’s only 15 months but the advice i’ve been given is to take it at their pace, and the brave ones to spend two or three days intensively at home without bottoms or nappy on!

  36. reassuring advice, my LG is 26 months but not really showing much of an interest so think we’ll leave it for a while!

  37. Just remember that staying dry will probably happen sooner than not soiling themselves, youngest in the habit of waiting until a night time nappy was put on – transpired the thought of flushing the poo down the toilet was too sad!

  38. Potty train in Summer if possible less clothes and be very patient with accidents. A reward chart is good

  39. Make sitting on the potty a fun experience, sit with them, sing songs, look at a book and above all no pressure and HUGE praising when they do something or even just sit still for a little while.

  40. My daughter done potty training when she was ready. Three and a half. She was dry from day one. It was stressful and emotional doing it before. So be patient and wait until they are ready. Not sure how long it will take my son though – three in September and not talking yet. Wish me luck! Reward chart with stickers worked for us, with a toy when she filled the chart!

  41. Not yet we havent started potty training yet but reading everyones tips have been helpful.

  42. I make sure I stop the bedtime milk at a young age and give it about an hour beforehand. That way, when it comes to potty training it’s much easier to get the little ones dry at night.

  43. You HAVE to have patience. Take it at the childs pace and don’t get angry if they make mistakes. Just explain why its better to use the potty / toilet etc.

  44. My little one did a wee in the potty on the very first go and we were so pleased! First and last time so far! Still keeping it around the house just so it becomes part of every day life.

  45. A themed potty i found helped of their favourite character and letting them take their cuddly toy on the potty with them also helped but above all don’t force the child and have a lot of patience and they will get there 🙂 X x

  46. With my first son i found it easier to wait until i could communicate with him well enough

  47. Have patience, offer the potty after meals & drinks, if they don’t get it within a couple of days. Just leave it a few more weeks before trying again

  48. I’m potty training my 2 year old at the moment, she has a habit of doing ‘her business’ and then tipping it in the floor! Nightmare ?

  49. at the child’s own pace is a must!!! I want my child to feel as comfortable as possible and absolutely no pressure.

  50. Dont push them. They let u know when they are ready. Always take spare trousers and pants out

  51. Keep the potty in the bathroom. If that’s upstairs, keep another potty downstairs so your child can reach the potty easily wherever they are

  52. Each child is different leave the potty in a place your child can always find praise when its used but dont make a big deal of accidents

  53. Don’t pressure the child they will do it when they are ready and highly praise and reward them when they use potty and toilet.

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