Many parents just like myself thought things are complicated when it comes to toilet training a toddler. As time goes by and Laia’s school days are coming in January 2019. I am getting anxious about her being clean outside, without nappies and saying I have to pee or poop to her teacher. I made a lot of attempts for her to start. But then I realized so many factors that are hindering the success of potty training, my daughter. Mistakes are totally normal, this way you get better for the future. The same thing with other important milestones of your child. It is not easy for me, thinking that when we show a colourful toy like a mini toilet to my daughter would make her sit on it and the rest is history. It takes effort, patience and understanding to succeed with potty training.

Mistakes I Made with Potty Training

Totally acceptable and learned for the future. I saw myself nagging my days whether my little one would be sitting on her potty for today. I discovered that I should not, but hey it is part of the experience so here are the things has happened to me while potty training Laia.

Hurrying it up

When Laia is 24 months, I figured I will then show her little things to start our potty training, like buying new sets of underwear for her will not let her sit on the potty and pee just I wanted it. It was a struggle because I am hurrying things up. Instead, I should introduce her slowly but surely to the world of potty, toilet and pee! After realizing that I am in a hurry with all this potty training. I started listening to my little one. Observe how she takes things while I am introducing her to the training.

I took time listening to her body rhythm. When is she most likely going to do her daily poop and taking note of the amount of liquid I am giving her will count as when she will pee. Also, it is important to know when she is ready. That time she can hold herself for hours before she gets to pee.

Unprepared 

I wanted it to happen now! So, I only have a potty and a bunch of underwears with me without knowing what leads me ahead. I started looking up other Mom experience preparing for potty training.

I prepared the following:

• All purpose cleaner spray-this works magic without wiping all your living room again and again. After absorbing the pee with a kitchen towel, spray loads of this to avoid loads of work. Then, your floor keeps sanitized and smell free.
• Kitchen towels-lots of this, this has saved my life from washing so many towel clothes.
• Clean baby towels– I have them in white and for a day my living room is towelled, the area where Laia should play and stay.  I made her a corner where she can play with all her toys, plus the little potty on the side.
• Panties- bought her Peppa Pig underwear, her favourite and I have also to deal with hiding the diapers for a day and explaining, we will only put diaper when you sleep, or in the car when we go out.
• Pull-up diapers– this is a lifesaver, effort saver and time saver. Plus, Laia has the impression when she has to use the diaper that it is worn as panties being it is pulled up!
• The Potty-honestly we used this for a while after she has chosen to sit on the adult toilet with a lunette de toilets/verkleiner, to make her seat comfortably with the normal toilet.

Stressing too much

It was a fight every day, whether she’d sit or not. The hint that she is not ready, she will not sit on it. I did not listen and instead insisted which has cost me loads of stress. The only thing I should work on are the following:

• Let her see the potty and get familiar with it.
• Show her what I do as an adult in the toilet, let her understand that we should be doing the same thing, by repetition.
• and repeat, constant repetition and patience will bring you to the success of potty training your child, if so accept the hard situation as it is part of it, then enjoy the rest of it.

Now, my daughter can go to the toilet alone, with her one step ladder in the toilet with toilet trainer sit she has. The only thing we struggle are:

• She can be late to say she wants to poop. Not a big deal, it is part of the training still. So, have your patience ready for this will be with it and your little one will outgrow it.
• She can sometimes pee outside. ACCEPTABLE, bring a travel toilet training potty with you and extra clothes for you and your little one, always be prepared.
• She can pee sometimes without saying it or being late again to go to the toilet location-AGAIN ACCEPTABLE, part of growing up is learning both together with your little one. Constant guide, repetition is the key. Do not get tired explaining. In fact, just last night Laia peed on the couch we were on the panic. She is too cold she says that she pee. Learn to observe your little one if she is asking for attention in another way, like this.
• She can pee on her bed– get your baby waterproof linen that you can usually get out the market, I got two and this is very useful, embrace it, it is part of it!

All of the above experience has happened earlier this year after Laia’s birthday last June. But then I started to get too much of the potty training. I said I will let it go until we are done with our Philippines holiday for a month. We were back September, it was like a miracle when Laia is totally ready, saying I would pee mama, sitting on the toilet just like I did not stress the past months! It was a nice feeling seeing her going to the toilet. That’s how we did it!