You can make yourself ready. You cannot make your child ready to be potty trained in a day.
Let's look at each of these factors as you decide whether or not you want to attempt to potty train your little one in a day.
Potty training in a day - is your child ready?
No child ever gets potty trained simply because mom or dad decides it's time. You can decide it's time, and if your child is ready, he or she will probably train quickly.
But if your toddler is not ready to be potty trained in a day or otherwise, you'll set up a power struggle that will last for months, even years. (I know. I've experienced this in my own home.)
Readiness for being toilet trained may show up as the following cues:
Kids are generally physically and emotionally ready to be toilet trained between the ages of 2 and 3. Remember, this is the average age when children in the western world are potty trained. Your child could show signs earlier or later.
Able to listen to and obey simple commands.
A strong desire to please and cooperate with you.
Go to our potty training readiness page for more cues your child might show when she is ready to be potty trained - in a day or longer.
Potty train in a day - are YOU ready?
Your attitude, mom or dad, makes all the difference in whether or not your child is potty trained in a day, a month, or a year. Believe me, after potty training four children (two boys and two girls) I have seen a bit of everything.
And if I could go back and change anything, it would be my attitude.
I would
have more patience. Not just for the day of training, but for the weeks and months of practicing potty training that will follow.
Have lower expectations. Lower for the day of training and the weeks that follow, understanding that my child is learning an important and hugely complex new skill. Sort of like an adult learning to master a new sport, only without really understanding how to play the sport.
In other words, your child is going into potty training blind, not really understanding what they need to do. This is a lifelong skill you are asking them to "get" in a day.
Yah. I would have had more patience and lower expectations.
If you can definitely see that your child is showing multiple signs of toilet training readiness and you have a patient, positive attitude with the full understanding that while you may "train" - teach - your child the basics of potty training in one day, he or she may need weeks and months of practice, then go ahead.
Sounds like all potty training systems are GO!
Potty train in a day - assemble equipment.
Absolutely simplest way to potty train a day is to get a guide that walks you through the process and tells you everything you need. Because one size generally does not fit all, I have found two different guides for you to choose from.
Potty Training Secrets Exposed is an audio (mp3) guide written by Dr. Wayne Jensen. He explains a LOT about potty training on his site; rather than me repeating what he says, if you're interested you should click here and go read for yourself what the guide contains.
He also offers some useful bonuses and, of course, a money-back guarantee. (On potty training? Get out of town!)
Or, if you prefer a video option, Potty Training in One Day - a complete book and DVD set that walks you through the entire process of potty training in a day. Makes some pretty impressive claims. Here's a video to give you an idea of the process.
Besides a complete guide, you'll need some or all of the following for your potty training in a day adventure (check the potty training a day package you purchase; some of these items might come with your training package).
A potty chair; more than one if you don't want to haul a potty from room to room. For example; are you going to train solely in the bathroom? Or are you going to keep up with your toddler on the fly from room to room? For more info on specific potty chairs, see my potty training chairs page.
Wipes, underwear (cartoons? plain? thick? thin? or naked? So many choices!), clean clothes, fluids, hugs.
Potty training rewards. Whether you think it's a good idea or a bad one to motivate potty training through the use of candy or treats, you'll want to be ready with SOMETHING. Chances are huge, that at some time in the potty training day/process, your sweet little one will balk - big time. And you'll need some sort of motivator or reward to help move him along.
A totally free day. You honestly don't think you can engage in potty training in a day and be focused on anything else, do you? If you do, you are not ready. See point above.
Potty training aids. You may not need these for the day of training. I would keep these things in mind for later on, if you need anything extra. Toilet training helps like potty training dolls or action figures. Whether you potty train using a potty Elmo or potty training targets, or aim for fun stuff like the Charmin potty training kit (which I understand was so popular it ran out quickly), you need to have your training stuff ready to go to work!
A wrap up on potty training in a day.
Check your child's potty training readiness signs.
Check your own potty training readiness signs!!
Assemble guide and equipment to potty train in a day
Remember there might be toilet training issues that will rear their heads...
What? We haven't talked about that last one!
Simply put, remember that while you may - or may not- potty train in a day, you are training - successfully - over time. Your toddler WILL get the idea. Maybe all at once. Maybe over the course of many weeks.
Maybe he'll love the feeling of being grown-up and successful in his training and adopt it right away. Maybe she'll get the idea of it, but then the newness will wear off and she'll miss the cuddly time of diaper changes.
Regression happens in toilet training. So expect it and be matter-of-fact when it comes along. If you fight it, your child will fight back.
Potty training in a day? Yah, it's possible. Just remember, it's one day leading into a new season of accepting this grown-up responsiblity in your child's life. Your child is going to need you to lead the way on this one. He's going to take his cues from you.
Popular potty training topics.
Potty Training Child
A list of all of our articles to help you while potty training your child.
Toilet Training Tips
Many times just one new piece of toilet training advice that I hadn't considered before was just the help I needed to help my child over a potty training hump.
Potty Training Boy
Additional tips to help if you are potty training a boy (I've trained two boys myself).
Potty Training Girls
Specific tips to help potty training for girls move smoothly (I've trained two girls myself).
Colleen Langenfeld is a mother with over 29 years of parenting experience and helps other busy moms around the globe at www.paintedgold.com.
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