For most parents the thought of potty training can be a little overwhelming to say the least. It’s hard to know where to start if you’ve never done this before. You may feel as if you have tried everything under the sun and nothing is working. Don’t worry, they will get the hang of it, it just may take a little time.
I started potty training Logan when he was about two and a half, but when we got divorced he reverted back to diapers within a week or two. This is normal, but after a month or two I decided to start trying again. Logan quickly caught on again and was doing great…except for one thing, he refused to go number 2 on the potty. We tried everything. I had a potty chart with cool stickers he could put on, I offered him incentive after incentive; he didn’t care, he was not going to do it. Anytime he had to go he simply would go get a diaper and ask me to put it on. This went on for about a year. By his fourth birthday I was getting a little frustrated. I finally told him it was time to throw out all the diapers. He was a big boy, it was time he started going on the potty like one. Needless to say he wasn’t very happy with me for a while, but since he didn’t have a choice he started going on the potty. I still gave him lots of incentives to make him excited about it, but he needed to know that he didn’t have a choice anymore.
Lots of kids struggle with different aspects of potty training. They may not want to go potty unless they are at home, but you can’t stay home forever. Try putting a portable potty in the trunk of your car. Your toddler is afraid of falling in the potty? Try getting a seat that fits right on top. It keeps them from falling in and they have lots of different kinds to choose from. If that doesn’t work, try sitting your child on the potty backwards. It helps them feel more secure and they don’t have to worry about aiming because it naturally aims for them.
Be consistent. Talk to your ex about your potty training plan. Let him know what is working and what isn’t. The more consistent things are between houses the more easily your child will get the hang of things. Work together to make it a good experience for you and your child. Potty training really isn’t as scary as it sounds, you just have to be patient and keep trying!