Truth And Lies About Potty Training

I have 3 kids, and even though I used the same strategies for potty training each of them, the experience, and their mastery of the skills were very different. My daughter took to it like a duck to water, while my two sons were much more of a challenge.

As frustrating as it may be at times, it helps to have a good, solid plan and stick to it! The only problem is, there’s so much information out there it can feel overwhelming, especially when the information contradicts itself.

There are many different philosophies, but some popular advice just flat out hinders progress. Here are 3 common “lies” about potty training that I wanted to address:

1. Pull-ups will help with the transition from diapers.

Nope. In fact, Pull-ups basically ARE diapers, but with a fancier design and clever marketing. They prolong the process, are very expensive and can be confusing to the child.

It doesn’t help that Pull-ups are targeted toward parents to suggest that somehow kids will use them like “big kid” underwear and simply pull them down when they need to use the potty. Countless parents will tell you that most kids just comfortably continue to go to the bathroom in their Pull-ups, just like they did in their diapers. And why not? It’s easier and more familiar to them.

Pull-ups are a valuable tool only if your child is having trouble staying dry at night or on long trips. Otherwise, they just put off what needs to happen eventually. Sooner or later, your child will have to learn to use the toilet. Why not sooner?

2. My Child isn’t successfully trained until he can stay dry at night.

Absolutely not. Bedwetting is a whole other ballgame, and even if your child keeps wetting the bed for months after potty training, yet manages to stay dry during the day, you can consider him successfully trained.

Children are all so different. Some, like our daughter, never had a problem with bedwetting. Others just can’t seem to stay dry at night even if parents do everything they can to help: encouraging their toddler to pee right before bed, limiting fluids at night and even waking their child up to go to the bathroom.

These kids just need more time for their neurological development to take place. Their bladders simply aren’t communicating the message to their brain that they need to wake up. Time (and rubber sheets!) is the only solution to that problem.

But this doesn’t mean your child can’t celebrate his success with daytime training. And he will need extra encouragement so he doesn’t start to feel like he’s failing potty training because of his nighttime accidents. He needs to be reassured that he’s doing a great job.

3. You can potty train your child in one day.

If only it were that easy! No, you can’t complete training in one day. But you CAN and should be diaper free in just one day. That first day is a turning point. It’s a day to really focus on your child and drive home the fact that things will be different, and that she will be expected to use the potty from now on. That expectation is important, but because it’s such a new concept, the child will need things like fun rewards, lots of praise, and many, many reminders.

Learning to use the toilet and gain potty independence is a skill just like any other. You won’t expect your child to master the art of reading or swimming after one day, but you can show her the basics and continue to encourage her every day until she gets the hang of it.

Free Download: The Five BIGGEST Myths About Potty Training

Looking for even more advice on potty training your little one? A great place to start is by downloading “The Five Biggest Myths About Potty Training” which can you get (for free) by going here:

No-Sweat Potty Training (Free Download)