I was out shopping with my three kids ages four and under (which is an endeavor on it’s own) when my 2 and a half year old announced that she had to go potty. Of course we were at the opposite end of the store with a full cart and a sleeping baby…but when a little kid is potty training you drop everything when they say they have to go.
The Five Potty Training Mistakes All Moms Make
Potty training is such an easy time for any mom to make a parenting mistake. There are so many ways a mom can (and will!) make a mistake, but some are easier than others.
1. Not taking them to the potty RIGHT AWAY
Well as you can guess, this is the number 1 mistake. It leads to the worst thing a potty training kid can experience – an accident. You can read more about the biggest potty training mistake I ever made here.
2. Starting too early
I made this mistake with Kid #1. All the experts say, start to potty train when they show the signs of readiness – interest in the potty, knowing when they have to go, etc. BUT even if they show every sign, they still might not be “ready.” Or maybe they’re just lazy.
I liked to read this Elmo potty training book with my daughters to help build their interest in potty training. They loved all the fun sounds it made.
3. Starting too late
“Say what? But you just said starting too early was a mistake.”
Yes! And the opposite is also true. Why? By waiting too long you are spending more money on Pull Ups when they could be wearing regular underwear, like these. Those things get expensive!
4. Not letting brothers and sisters help
Every kid is different, but when your younger kids watch the older ones, then learning to use the potty is just naturally easier. My younger daughter potty trained herself before she turned 2 and a half. She watched her older sister and just picked it up so much faster. Include all the kids in the potty training process even if you think they are too young.
5. Thinking you can control the process
This. Moms, no matter what you do, what you read, how hard you TRY…it will happen when it happens. The experts all say the same thing because it’s the truth – your efforts won’t mean much unless your child is ready to potty train. Don’t take it personally if they do it sooner or later. Try not to let it stress you out or frustrate you. There’s so much other stuff that can do that. If you need help putting everything in perspective, I have 20+ beautiful quotes about life and motherhood.
Here are 6 more tips on how to make Potty Training Easy.
About the Author: Kristen is a 30-something Mommy to 2 darling girls and a newborn boy. She loves reading, writing, trying new beers with her husband and binge watching series on Netflix. PracticalMommy.com is a place for women to learn short-cuts to make their lives easier. You can find her on her favorite social networks Pinterest and Faceboo
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