Planting The Seed

Say your child isn’t old enough to start potty training yet but they’re showing some interest, or say you just KNOW your child is showing readiness signs but they have ZERO interest in starting the process!

There are always things you can do to help your child prepare for this big milestone! Children thrive when they know what is coming next. Exposing children to all things that are potty trained themed before we actually ask them to start going potty in the toilet, will help to prepare them mentally and physically for this big change!

I have many parents message me and ask me how to get their children ready for potty training, and also how they can encourage their children, who are age appropriate for potty training to display more readiness signs.

So, what do you do?! PLANT THE SEED!

Here are a few tips on planting the potty training seed to help prepare your kiddo:

Potty themed book – Replace one or two books per day with a potty themed book! This will casually start a positive connection and awareness in relation to potty training for your child, without making it too obvious. Read these books when you would normally be reading other favorite books in a casual, and positive setting. This will begin a positive association to the concept of potty training, before you actually begin!

TV Shows – Replace a TV show that your child normally watches with a potty themed show. (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood has an entire episode dedicated to potty training!) Have you ever had your child come to you and tell you that they need a product that was advertised on the TV? Or has your child ever pretended to be a character on their favorite TV show while playing? Well, watching potty themed TV shows can also encourage your children to imitate and even want to be like the children they are seeing on the TV who are going through the potty training process! This is a great way to help prepare your child and encourage independent interest in the toilet!

Play – Play “potty time” with your child’s dolls/toys! Children learn immensely better through play. Pretending to have your child’s dolls, dinosaurs, or stuffed animals go to the potty is a wonderful way to expose your child to the concept of potty training as well as prepare them for what it will look like when they begin to potty train themselves.  

Basically, the idea is to begin integrating the idea and concept of potty training in a subtle, positive, and fun way. This way when it is time to begin the process, your child will have an understanding and awareness of what this new transition will look like!

Have you ever watched a baking video and thought to yourself, “Wow, that looks so cool, I need to make that!”, and then you go and get all of the ingredients and make it yourself? Much like this, children’s interest in potty training can grow and develop by being exposed to it in a low-pressure atmosphere over time.

Kids love knowing what to expect as well as consistency! Planting the potty training seed is a wonderful way to communicate what is coming next in a lighthearted way!

Remember, there is no “one size fits all” method or route to successfully potty training your child. Every child is different and different things work for different families! Do what works best for you and your child!

Happy potty training!

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