Your toddler is ready to begin potty training, but you arent sure whether to have him use the big ol toilet or to invest in a little potty just for him. There are several benefits to each one and you will ultimately have to make the decision.

The Potty
Lots of parents find that starting to potty train with a little potty that is toddler sized is a great way to get the process moving. Many children enjoy using their personal sized potty and know it is just for them. It makes sitting down to use the potty on their own significantly easier and they can easily push on the floor with their feet during a bowel movement. This creates a bit of independence when your child needs to use the potty because many times they can go alone because the potty is small and they can do it by themselves.

However, once your child is trained on a little potty you will have to make the transition to the big toilet at some point. Also, parents get tired of having to clean a potty when waste could easily be flushed away if the child used the big toilet.

The Toilet
The toilet is big and loud when it flushes and can easily intimidate children. However, there are some little conversion seats you can buy that make the big seat just the right size for toddlers not to mention you can avoid flushing until your child has left the room. It might take more effort to get your child toilet trained using a big toilet because it requires you helping him onto the toilet and making sure he doesnt fall. You might consider investing in a child sized stool to help him to the toilet if he wants to do it all on his own. The great thing is once you have your child trained to use the toilet he/she will be able to do so no matter where you are and you wont have to worry about taking a potty with you much less cleaning it. Not to mention that once your child learns to use the toilet there is no more training involved.

Which to Choose?
More than likely your child will choose for you! It is good to invest in a small potty that sits on the floor and can be moved to any area of the house as well as a small conversion seat for the big toilet. Introduce your child to both options, let him try them out if he likes, and more than likely he will have a preference. You might consider introducing your child to only one or the other and seeing what happens and that is fine to. However, your child might not be responsive and it will leave you wondering if the other option would work. It really is up to you and which option, the potty or the toilet, works best for your child. Just be patient and supportive of whatever method your child chooses. Potty training will be over before too long and you will be home free. That is unless you have more children!

As your baby becomes a toddler you will begin thinking about potty training. Most parents are excited about the idea of their child using the potty rather than changing diapers so frequently, but there are some stumbling blocks on the road to potty training as well. One of them is that parents frequently try to start their child too soon and this can actually delay potty training and create more problems than it is worth. So, if you are wondering if it is time to start potty training your little one consider the following signs. Your toddler may not tell you he is ready to learn to use the potty, but he will give you some good indications that he is ready.

Tells You He Needs to Go
When your son or daughter begins to inform you that he/she needs to use the potty then you can take this as a good sign that potty training can begin. This is an important step because your toddler will need to inform you that he/she needs to use the potty in order for potty training to be successful. So, when your child reaches this stage you can take it as a good sign that potty training would be successful at this point.

Likes Wearing Pretty Panties or Big Boy Underwear
Your toddler daughter or son may be dreaming of pretty panties or big boy underwear. The action figures and cartoon characters can make wearing underpants so much more enjoyable than just plain on diapers, not to mention more comfortable. So, when your daughter or son shows interest in big boy underwear or pretty panties you know that potty training might be well received by your child. Consider buying some big girl or big boy underwear around 18 months to 2 years so your child knows about them and can let you know when he/she is ready to try them out.

Doesn’t Like Being Dirty/Wet
Another great sign that potty training should begin is when your son or daughter does not like being dirty or wet. Of course, nobody likes a dirty diaper, but as children reach 2-3 years they are even more opposed to the situation and will let you know. When your child reaches this point potty training is more successful than starting sooner. That is because going to the potty before an accident occurs means there are no dirty or wet diapers. This is great motivation for many toddlers learning to potty train.

Is Curious About the Potty
At some point your daughter or son will begin asking you about the potty. Toddlers become interested in the potty itself as well as why you use the potty. Explaining that you use the potty and then flush everything down as opposed to getting dirty or wet will be well received by little ones. Of course, some children don’t like the big potty or the noise it makes when flushed. In these situations you will need to make sure your child has a training potty away from the bathroom to help build their confidence to use it.

Stays Dry Most Nights
When your toddler stays dry through the night several nights in a row, or the majority of the time, then you can consider potty training. This is an excellent sign that your little one is ready to make that step.
Finally, keep in mind that potty training takes time and won’t always go as smoothly as you might have hoped. Your child might make progress only to have several accidents in a row. Stay calm and always make your child feel confident about using the potty and never ashamed about accidents. This will help the process and before you know it your little one will be potty trained!

Now that you are in the potty training years you may have heard form various sources, books, magazines, friends, etc., that potty training boys is harder than potty training girls. There is in fact some truth to this, although it is not always the case. Regardless of whether it is harder or not you will have to do it so the best thing to do is focus on how best to teach your son to use the potty.

Start When He’s Ready
Sometimes little boys are ready to use the potty later than little girls are. However, parents are eager to potty train and might try and start their son earlier than he is ready. If this is the case it will make potty training harder and may even delay your son becoming potty trained. So, make the process easy on yourself and your son and start when he is ready. He will let you know by staying dry through the night multiple nights in a row, will ask about going to the potty, and simply be curious about it. When your son shows these signs it is a good time to begin potty training.

How to Start?
This takes some ingenuity on the part of the parents many times to develop a potty training plan that works best for their son. The best advice is to be hopeful, yet don’t expect there to be no accidents because there will be. This is very normal and you will just have to get through this stage. It might take days, weeks, or in rare cases months to potty train your son, but with diligence and patience it will happen.

There are many tips to teach your son to use the potty, some may work for you while others won’t. You may find that teaching your son to use the potty while sitting down works better than standing up at first. When standing up the little boy also has to worry about aim and sometimes this is too much when learning to use the potty. You can place some colored tissue paper in the toilet as a target if you insist your son stands up to potty, but early on there is no problem with your son sitting down on the toilet. It might be easier for both of you, in fact.

Keep in mind that a training potty will be very helpful during potty training because it is small and more interesting to your son. A big potty that flushes loudly might scare or intimidate your son, so try and avoid this.

Some boys may be harder to potty train than girls, however with a good plan and plenty of patience you will certainly accomplish potty training your son with as little stress and as few accidents as possible.

Traveling with a potty training child can be a challenge, however it is possible if you as parents are willing to take the extra time needed and be patient. Potty training is not an easy task at home so potty training on the go may be even more difficult. Anticipate this, be ready, and above all always be patient and understanding with your toddler.

Travel With a Potty Seat

If you want to continue the potty training and reduce the amount of accidents then carrying a potty seat with you is essential. Stopping every hour or two is also important to make sure your child can use the potty without having an accident. Also, if you don’t carry the potty seat by the time your child notifies you he/she needs to potty it might be too late to find a bathroom or a private place to stop. You will save yourself more time, stress, and fewer accidents by taking a potty and stopping frequently.

Be Understanding

Traveling can be stressful and traveling with a potty training child can add to that stress. So, simply plan for more time on your trip than you would have otherwise. Also, be extremely patient with your child. Despite the best laid plans, potty chairs, and stopping as quickly as possible accidents may still occur. Don’t despair and feel like your potty training efforts are in vain or that your child is not learning. Kids might not notify you in time to actually stop and get the travel potty out and will have an accident. Don’t make your child feel at fault, instead be encouraging and positive for the next time. The more confidence your child has will make potty training easier.

Use a Pull Up

Even children who have been potty trained for a little while frequently travel with pull ups on, and this is important for your child who is learning to go to the potty. Make sure you let your child know these are big girl or big boy underwear, but if an accident happens it will make clean up much easier reducing stress for parents and child. Your potty training efforts can be outstanding and your child may be doing well, but don’t take too many chances. When traveling you may be stuck in traffic or in an area where you simply can’t get to a bathroom or even take the travel potty chair out. In these situations a pull up can really be a lifesaver even if you had hoped to never use them again.

Hit the Road

Now that you are prepared to travel with a potty training child you can begin making your travel plans. The best option is to  only travel short distances with your potty training child if that is an option. Of course, sometimes longer trips must be taken and the most important thing to keep in mind during these trips is to always be patient and understanding. That way no matter what happens everyone will be happy and in a better mood, making the trip easier and ultimately faster.

Creative Potty Training

When I was potty training my two young boys, I discovered this method of potty training that made it an enjoyable, yet very effective way to potty train toddlers.

First, make sure your child is ready for potty training, shows interest, wants “big kids pants” etc. If they show no signs of readiness, it may be best to let them mature a bit more.

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You’re getting tired of changing those diapers, aren’t you? It’s so great to be able to get your child out of diapers. But, when it comes to potty training, timing is everything. If you start when your child isn’t ready, it will just take longer. However, if you miss the right opportunity, your child may resist the process more when you try later on. So, just how do you know when to begin?

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If you’ve determined that your child is ready for potty training, it’s time to take the plunge. It’s not easy, but don’t despair, your child will master potty training some time before kindergarten. It’s important to make sure you’re ready, too, because potty training requires a lot of commitment on the part of the Mom.

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My daughter was immovable when it came to potty training: she didn’t want to go potty, and that was that! She was four and a half and still using diapers, and I was at my wit’s end. During the two years I spent trying, in one way or another, to get her to go potty, I learned four important and interesting things about potty training a strong willed child.

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I have always found the notion of toilet training a toddler to be a bit much. I didn’t feel right about pushing my girls to do something I felt would eventually come naturally. At three years old, both my girls were potty trained … not because I read books and raced them to the porcelain each time I suspected they should go. They knew what the potty was for. They knew when they had to go. They’d figure it out on their own! Well, by golly, they did!

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It is very important that you don’t make your baby feel self-conscious or fearful during potty training. It can be very difficult to potty train your baby so you have to be patient above all else.

Make sure your baby is ready for potty training. They need to be able to let you know when they need to potty and they need to be able, physically to use the facilities.

Use positive encouragement. Forcing them to sit on the potty until they go will only lead to setbacks in your baby’s potty training. If you force them, it will create negative thoughts about using the bathroom that may last a long time. You may even cause your baby to withhold letting you know they need to potty.

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