How to Make Your Toddler Interested in Toilet Training

“My child is 3 (or 2, or 4…….) years old and shows no interest in using the potty!” I hear this phrase from parents over and over (and over) again. Is there some toddler conspiracy happening that we parents are not aware of? Are parents misinterpreting their children’s intentions? The answer is no – parents are simply missing out on a great window of opportunity that exists while their child is still very young.

The Reason Your Child Has No Interest in Potty Training

Picture this scenario: You are three years old. For your entire life you wake up, you eat, you play, you nap, and you go about your day with absolutely NO thought about your bodily functions. You don’t need to pay attention to your bladder or your gut because whatever comes out seems to just happen without any thought or conscious effort on your part. Somebody is always there to clean you up and send you on your way. You have no idea what that big white thing in the bathroom is… but it is sure fun to play with – and the toilet paper can be turned into a giant fluffy (and shredded) pile! What fun!  One day your world comes to a screeching halt. Your life is turned topsy-turvy. The reason?   Your mommy and daddy have changed the rules – and without any input from you! You are told that pee and poop belong somewhere other than your pants! To top that off, you are supposed to stop what you are doing, disrupt your playtime, and actually take responsibility for keeping yourself clean! Put yourself in your child’s position, and you will understand why many toddlers reply to this invasion of their day with a skeptical and confused “Huh?!?”

The Story of Lindsay

A friend of mine was considering toilet training her 19 month old daughter. For months, Lindsey had played with her potty, pretended to “use” her potty, and was very familiar with how the whole process worked. My friend told the other mothers at her playgroup that she was about to begin potty training and most of them looked at her like she was crazy. Some of them were envious or slightly jealous – thinking to themselves that they wished their child would show some interest in using the potty!

My friend then set upon toilet training her daughter. She chose a method (such as The Potty Boot Camp) and set aside a few days for training. She followed the instructions given to her in the training manual….and lo and behold Lindsay was reliably using the potty in a matter of days! When my friend next saw her playgroup she was able to report that Lindsay was officially “potty trained!” Frankly, the other mothers were in a bit of shock that she was able to pull it off. I’m sure many of them secretly hoped she would fail! Fortunately my friend (with a potty trained 19 month old) had bragging rights!

Creating Your Own Success Story

Nearly every parent can have a success story like Lindsay’s. The best part is that it takes virtually no time or effort on your part to create the same result! The method is not complicated and is so simple I will be able to explain everything to you in just a few sentences. (Don’t blink or you might miss it!)

The trick to create potty-training interest and motivation in your toddler is to start “training” months before you start training! The premise behind this technique is to create familiarity with the toileting process long before you begin to ask your child to actually use the potty. 

Optimally, parents should start familiarizing their child with the potty as soon as the child learns how to walk.  Buy a child’s potty. Buy potty training books and/or DVDs. Let your child play with the potty – even if playtime involves putting it on their head and wearing it as a helmet! Let your toddler follow you and other family members into the toilet, and in a very matter-of-fact manner explain what you are doing. At diaper changes, take the naked child to the potty and sit. Read books and sing songs. Have “playtime” on the potty. (If they happen to actually use the potty, cheer loudly). Teach your child how to wipe.

That’s it. Start early, keep it low-key, and make the potty a normal part of your child’s every day routine. Before you know it, your toddler just might be pressuring YOU to begin toilet training!