12 Potty Training Tips for Confused Moms

There are lots of tips out there for potty training your toddler. Let me help you sort through the confusing mess and make life much easier for you and your offspring.

My top 12 Tips:

1. Potty train in the Summer- If you potty train your bambino in the summer, you can just let him be naked outside all day long. No worrying about leaks and accidents and spills. After all, it’s nature!

2.    Do not potty train in the summer- children running around naked?! While it seems like a good idea in theory, it’s really pretty terrible. Toddlers fall a lot. Sidewalks can hurt WITH clothes on, so just imagine what it’d be like if you fell on the sidewalk while you were running as fast as you can after a blowing leaf…while naked!

3. Let your child be naked from the waist down while at home- It’s important for your toddler to know when he or she is going pee. If you put on pull-ups or even underwear, it may hinder them from feeling the pee.

4. Don’t let your toddler run around naked, even at home- Put on underwear so that your toddler will be uncomfortable in wet undies, should he or she have an accident. It will help them realize that pee pee goes in the potty, not in their pants.

5. Don’t use a timer to make your child go to the bathroom every 15-30 minutes- This will only cause your child to be annoyed with the potty and have no desire for it whatsoever!

6. Use a timer to take your child to the bathroom every 15-30 minutes- For one thing, YOU may need a reminder to take your child to the potty. Plus, if you give your kiddo ample opportunities to use the potty, they will get the concept quicker

7. Give your toddler lots of juice- If you fill up your tyke with lots and lots of fluids, he or she will have to go to the bathroom often. This is great because they will have many chances to try to get the pee pee in the potty! The more often that they are using it, the more likely they are to grasp the concept.

8. Do not overdue the drinks- Kids learn better when they are doing things naturally. It’s not natural for them to have to use the potty every 15 minutes. And really, it’s just annoying to have to go the bathroom that often. This approach will quickly make your toddler resent the potty.

9. Use Bribes- Do what you can to make the potty fun and exciting for your precious one. Use candy, stickers, bubbles, whatever your kids favorite thing is…use that! Bribery works wonders to get kids to use the potty!

10.  Do not bribe your kids- Your child will use the potty when he or she wants to. Bribery only causes more problems in the long run.

11.  Don’t start too early- Your toddler will learn to use the potty when he or she is ready. All the coaxing, bribing and excitement you can bring to the whole experience won’t do a darn thing if your kid isn’t ready!

12.  Start when you want to- Potty training is like any other kind of training. Your kid will learn as you teach him or her. The same with learning to use utensils, learning to tie shoes or ride a bike. We don’t stop teaching them when they don’t do it right the first few times. Learning takes time and patience.

I hope that helped clear up a few things for you. The internets, with its gamut of information can be overwhelming to a mommy as she’s trying to figure out this whole potty training thing.

And relax! This was meant as a joke. We are all just as confused as the next mom. So when one of these tips isn't working, try the opposite approach. I'm certain your precious tyke will eventually be potty trained. And if not...well then count your blessings because you will get to have your kid/teenager/adult at home with you forever!

Here's my own potty training story with Miss Fits. And when you do find yourself in full blown potty training mode, don't forget to have some fun (and write down the many many funny stories!)