Prepare Yourself For Potty Training

Did you know that it's just as important to prepare YOURSELF for potty training as it is for your child? It's true!

Your child isn’t the only one who is about to be impacted by this great life change! YOU are also going to experience big changes as you help to guide your child through this potty training process!

Don’t worry, this transition won’t last for TOO long. Once you make it to the other side and your child is successfully potty trained, you will both be able to look back on this experience and be grateful for how much you both learned, and how much stronger you’ve both become!

This post is all about how YOU, the parent, caregiver, and adult can prepare yourself to enter into this potty training process. Preparing yourself both mentally and physically will help both you and your child get through this process successfully!

Here are some ways to do just that (besides starting with a strong cup of coffee!):

Read up! There are a lot of different methods and opinions (just like all other aspects of parenting!) so it’s important to not overwhelm yourself! I offer heaps of factual and useful information on this profile, and I also offer affordable courses on my website that you are welcome to use as a guide (link in bio)! I would also confidently recommend the American Academy of Pediatrics as a reliable resource.

When choosing a potty training method, it’s important to consider your child's personality, as well as the general lifestyle of your family as a whole. One single potty training method isn’t going to work for every single child. Because of this, it’s important that you know your child’s learning style as well as what your family lifestyle will be able to handle as far as schedule adjustments and time that you will be able to dedicate. Mentally prepare! Saying goodbye to diapers is just as big of a change for you as it is for your little one. Things may be a little less convenient for a bit, but if you set yourself up knowing that going in, you're more likely to stick it out. Remember, every change brings a certain level of discomfort, but it won’t last long!

Diapers in a sense are easier for parents because you can bring them anywhere you go and change your child’s diaper anywhere you are: the car, church, your friend’s house, etc. When you begin potty training you have to seek out bathrooms in advance to avoid accidents.

This can be a huge change both mentally and physically for you, and that is why it is crucial that you prepare yourself mentally for what you are about to jump into! It may be a giant inconvenience at first, but after your child is successfully potty trained, it will be a relief, I promise!Create a support system! When you're potty training, you want to surround yourself with people you can vent and complain to who will do nothing more than tell you you're doing a great job. Finding a support system of people who are unconditionally on your team, with heaps of love and moral support is also crucial, so that you do not feel alone and overwhelmed through this process!

That being said, try to distance yourself from those who share their unwanted opinions or judgment during this process, because this can have a very negative effect on your entire experience. Keep that toxicity away!

Find the ones who support unconditionally and stick to them like bread and butter!Above all, be patient with yourself. Leave all expectations good or bad at the door. You're learning too, there is no manual for parenting! (Oh and stock up on some wine...or chocolate...or both.)

You’ve got this!

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