How To Potty Train Your Toddler? The Five Potty Training Methods
By: Narmin Parpia
There are many different ways to potty train your toddler. Based on my research and understanding, I break them down into the following five categories:
- Infant Potty Training
- It's potty time!! - practice until you get it right
- The Potty Training in One Day Method
- He will go potty when the time is right
- The Naked & $75 method
The Infant Potty Training Method:
- Most used potty training method in underdeveloped nations around the world and probably the least used potty training method in North America
- It basically involves holding the infant over a potty to catch the eliminations.
- It basically works by having the mom learn the infant's rhythms and infant learns to recognize physical sensations that precede elimination.
- This is very effective when the disposable diaper use is minimal or nonexistent.
- Infants can learn to signal when they need to relieve themselves.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Promotes parent child bonding | Time consuming; nearly impossible for working mothers |
| Start early, finish early | Have to stay on top of it and stick with it until child can potty independently |
| Wetting and soiling are not likely to become entrenched habits | Accidents and accident clean up |
Limited use of diapers results in:
|
It's potty time!! -Practice until you get it right potty training method:
- Introduce the potty to your child
- Have potty be accessible
- And then gradually teach him/her to use it.
- This will include:
- holding regular practice sessions
- rewarding child with things such as stickers or candy or whatever works for you child
- charting progress
- gradually transitioning from diapers to potty to underwear.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This method can easily fit into a today's family's busy schedules | Sticking to the structure and schedule until the toddler is potty trained |
| With some planning, some structure can be created around the practice sessions i.e. in the morning and in the evening | Could take anywhere from a weekend to a few months depending on the child's maturity level, temperament and readiness |
| Is done gradually over time | May not learn to initiate him/herself, because parent always initiates |
| Very limited accidents, if any | Keeping the curios toddler interested long enough to sit on the potty and relax, so s/he is able to eliminate |
The Potty Training in One Day Method:
Based on two simple concepts:
- Best way to learn something is to teach it.
- Use a potty training doll to model the appropriate potty training behavior for your child
- Behavior is shaped by consequence
- Use consequences for action - logical and natural.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Quick - can be done in less than one day to a maximum of 2 weeks | Takes planning and preparation |
| Is a structured method | Is a structured method |
| Tools are now available | Requires follow through by parents |
| Made popular by Dr. Phil | Made to look easier than it is |
He will go potty when the time is right method:
- This method is recommended by Dr Terry Brazelton and is also adopted by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- This is probably the most used method in North America .
- The premise of the method is that since potty training is a developmental milestone in your child's life (such as walking, talking, eating etc), your task as the parent is to introduce the potty and all the related tasks to your child.
- Then when your child is ready, s/he will decide to use the potty and in effect will train themselves.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very easy to fit into our busy lifestyle | Could take anywhere between 1-6 months or longer in many cases |
| Very little preparation required on the part of the parent | Child may quite old before s/he is ready. The average age for potty training is going up every year |
| Does not require a large time commitment or consistency from parent; therefore ideal for working parents | Wetting and soiling can become entrenched habits for children |
| Great in concept, but not working well in reality - especially in a society where we are so dependent on the disposable diaper |
The Naked & $75 method
- Children 24 to 30 months of age
- Parents spend three to five consecutive days on the training.
- The child is allowed to be naked all day, with a potty available at all times.
- It is important to note that experts disagree with Rosemond's approach.
- By the way, the $75 is for the inevitable carpet cleaning.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple, easy and inexpensive | Not supported by experts |
| Quick - 3-5 days | Messy |
Narmin Parpia, inventor of the Potty Scotty® and Potty Patty® potty training dolls and Potty Training in One Day: The Complete System for Girls and for Boys. Narmin has been dispensing products, information and advice online at http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/. Narmin's products have been featured on the Today Show, in Time Magazine, The Plain Dealer and on Mr Dad - Armin Brott talk show.