Toilet training in less than a day? 3 mistakes parents make.
Is toilet training in less than a day even possible? Or more important, is it the best way to potty train your child?
While with specific potty training preparations, a toddler who shows signs of toilet training readiness, AND a parent with gobs of patience and accurate training expectations, a child can make huge strides in just a day in learning about potty training.
I have to tell you, from someone who has potty trained four children (two boys and two girls, including strong willed and compliant kids), the idea of toilet training in less than a day makes me very suspicious. Having said that, let's go over the three biggest mistakes parents make who really want this potty training in a day thing to work.
Toilet training in less than a day mistakes
Not checking for signs of potty training readiness in their child.
That's like deciding you want to loose weight and then ignoring the facts that you just bought a kitchen full of (your favorite) junk food, you have three stressful projects hanging over your head at work, and you know you hate exercise and have no immediate plans to start.
(I'll give you a hint. The number one readiness sign that gets ignored is simply being too immature. Most children in the western world are physically and emotionally ready to toilet train between 2 and 3 years old. Some older or younger, of course. That's where the rest of the readiness signs come in.)
Not preparing themselves to be excellent potty trainers.Toilet training - in less than a day or in a year - is not rocket science. Nevertheless, your child is going to take nearly all his cues from you on this little endeavor. While you cannot MAKE your child potty train - you DO have tremendous influence over his attitude.
And his attitude determines how long he cooperates with you, how long he tries when he's confused, how long he agrees to stay in the potty training game with you when he's bored with this game and REALLY wants to do something else. When he gets downright mad at you for insisting he play this game over and over.
See how easy it could be to set yourself up for failure when you attempt something like toilet training in a day or less?
Instead, set yourself up for success for toilet training in less than a day.
Think of yourself as your child's potty coach. You'll have to explain in a variety of clever ways what you want - until she understands, even a little.
You'll have to be able to demonstrate the wanted procedure. (smile)
You'll need to stay super-positive and matter-of-fact when you don't feel either of those things.
You'll need to know when to press a bit harder and when to back off for a break.
And you'll need to recognize that even though you may actually get most of the toilet training done in a day or less, you'll have follow-up potty practice for months to deeply ingrain these new lifelong habits.
That means accidents. Maybe a few. Probably a lot.
Remember that bit about patience and being matter-of-fact?
Here's a potty training guide you can get that will make sure you know exactly what to do and when to do it if you're going to do toilet training in less than a day.
Look, you can do this. I know you can. But if you're serious about attempting toilet training in less than a day, you'll get serious about prepping both your child and yourself.
The next mistake many parents make when they attempt less-than-a-day toilet training is...
Not understanding you may need a variety of methods to get your training across. Especially in such a condensed training time.
You can use super elegant potty training seats or sing potty songs (we've done that one) or use potty Elmo or use a little mommy potty training doll or use a free potty training chart or watch videos or watch dvd potty training videos or wear big boy/big girl underwear or use a potty watch or any other creative ideas that pop into your head as you try to toilet train your toddler. The truth is you'll probably need to use many of these ideas and some ones not listed here.
That's okay. Stay positive and matter-of-fact. You don't want to start any power struggles here and truthfully, potty training is full of potential power struggles.
Just knowing that will help you understand that you need a variety of potty training methods ready and waiting for you to grab when the last one runs out of steam.
That's how you will keep your toilet training cool. Remember, your beautiful toddler is taking her cues from you, especially when you attempt toilet training in less than a day.
Popular potty training topics.
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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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