Tips For The First Few Days Of Potty Training

Beginning the actual process of potty training can be intimidating! Where do you begin? How do I prepare? What do I need to do? Well first, we want to make sure that we are prepared to enter this new milestone! Setting up our environment and routine for success during the first few days of potty training is crucial for YOUR stress level!

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. Soon this process will be behind you and your child will be 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 closer you have grown in your relationship!

This post offers some helpful guidance on what to prepare during the days leading up to potty training. Remember, different things work for different families and these are just suggestions!

Here are a few helpful tips for you for the first few days of potty training:

1. Activities – Plan fun activities (baking, painting, games, etc.) to keep your child engaged and avoid the stress and pressure of potty training. Even though you’ll likely be super focused on your child’s body cues, and readiness signals they don’t necessarily have to know that. Spend time together having fun and enjoying each other’s company.
2. Meal prep – Heavens knows mealtime will likely be the last thing on your mind during these first few days of potty training. Plan out easy, comforting, and familiar meals that you know your child loves. This will add a safe and comforting aspect to your child’s day while they are working so hard at potty training. Butcher Box is an excellent resource to help you prepare easy, healthy meals without having to take a trip to the grocery store! This subscription meat plan delivers organic, humanely raised, high-quality meat and seafood right to your door!
3. Childcare – Get help with your other kiddos during the first couple of days (if you can!) so that you can completely focus on your potty training child! If this option is a possibility for you, it will allow you to focus 100% of your time and energy on your toddler so that they feel special and also so that you don’t miss any signs of needing to pee or poop!
4. Supplies on DECK! – Have everything you’ll need from rewards to cleaning supplies out and/or easily accessible during the first couple of days so you won’t have to scramble last minute! Accidents usually happen quickly and leave little time to grab paper towels, cleaning supplies, and a new change of underwear. Set up a little “accident station” of everything you’ll need in case your kiddo doesn’t make it to the toilet in time.

Of course, you cannot prepare for every single situation because our lovely kids surprise us and change things up ALL THE TIME! But these tips above will help you to be as prepared as possible for any and every situation that might come your way over the first few days of the potty training process!

Take each step of this process one day at a time! Keep your expectations low, and your optimism high. And remember, have confidence in your child AND in yourself!

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