* Reprinted from an article I wrote back in 2013 for BabyCenter.com, which is a reprint from an article I wrote for the Tracy Press within my Steph and Sensibility newspaper column. *

 

 

How To Potty Train In One Day

Stephanie O’Dea

author of  Slow Living; Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

 

A hundred million years ago, and before I had children of my own, I ran preschool centers for underprivileged children. One of these centers was located in a transitional housing facility for homeless families. Many of the children left in my care had not been potty trained – it’s difficult to toilet train a small child who does not have consistent access to restroom facilities.

Because of this I got very good at potty training. I developed a one-day potty training boot camp, and it’s perfect for the older toddler or young preschooler who is ready to ditch the diapers for good.

 

Getting started:

 

Make sure your child is physically and cognitively ready to potty train. For most children, this is after age 2-and-a-half, although there are certainly exceptions to this age range. Your child should be able to dress him/herself with a bit of assistance, and should be able to verbalize when he/she has to “go.”

Set aside an entire day to focus just on potty training. Try not to schedule any appointments or any activities that will require you to leave the house.

If possible, have a neighbor or spouse occupy any siblings.

Have lots of snacks and liquids on hand to aid in potty training (pretzels, chips, juice boxes, Popsicles).

Stock some board books, coloring books, and small toys in the bathroom. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in there!

Put away your phone, laptop, or any other personal device.

 

Today is all about your child, and he/she needs to feel your undivided attention. It’s only one day—tik tok and instagram can wait.

Dig out an old baby gate or something similar to block off doorways.

 

Ready, Set, Go!

 

Explain to your child that today is a special potty training day, and that the two of you are going to have a lot of fun together. Sit him/her on the toilet (big or small; your choice) undressed from the waist down. Hand over a juice box. 

[a note about young boys: I train boys sitting down. I find this is both easier and tidier. Once your son is fully-trained as a sitter, let him experiment with standing in a public facility—not your home. Your bathmat, wall, and future daughter-in-law will thank you!]

 

Now it’s time to wait. Use this time to read stories, sing songs, and drink lots of liquids. When your child finally “goes,” make sure to clap and dance and make a big deal out of his accomplishment.

And then repeat!

 

When you feel your son or daughter is ready to move on to the next step, let your child play undressed from the waist down in the bathroom while you continue to play and read stories. After another successful potty trip, you may begin to make your bathroom bigger by encompassing the adjacent hallway or small room. This is where the baby gate comes in handy, if you happen to have one.

Continue in this fashion until your child feels comfortable running back into the bathroom when the urge to eliminate occurs. Keep making the bathroom area bigger until most of the house is utilized.

Accidents happen. Don’t scold, but instead ask your child to help you wipe up the mess with paper towels and disinfectant wipes. The slower you add on rooms of the house, the less likely accidents will occur. Although it may be tempting to potty train in 3 to 4 hours, you’ll have better results if you do use the entire day.

 

Extra Tips:

Use a song to help trigger urination. Many children (and adults!) have a hard time relaxing when using public or new toilets. Singing the same song each time your child sits to use the potty will help him or her relax in new potty situations, and help with mind-body connection.

Don’t use a common song such as the ABC song, but a slightly obscure one. Our family potty song is “I Had a Little Turtle, His Name is Tiny Tim” and my eleven-year-old still hums it to herself when in the bathroom!

–> I have gotten some requests for the lyrics to “I Have a Little Turtle”<–

Here  you go:

I have a little turtle, his name is Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim
He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap
Now he’s home in bed, with bubbles in his throat
HIC-UP!

 

Don’t expect overnight or naptime success right away. Continue to use Pull-Ups or diapers during this time to help protect your bedding. I suggest putting the Pull-Up or diaper on over the underwear, though, so your child can still feel the wetness.

It is helpful to keep your child in underwear or training pants only while at home for the first week or so after potty training for quick undressing in the bathroom.

While out of the house or in the car, put a Pull-Up on top of the underwear. This will still allow wetness to alert your child of an accident, but will save your upholstery and keep you from being embarrassed at the supermarket.

I hope this helps a bit!
LMK your thoughts and if this method has worked for you!
lots of love, xoxo steph