For the first two years of my daughter’s life, I tried not to think about the inevitable days/weeks/months of potty training that were in store for us. It seemed likely that we would have a challenging time, given her track record on everything else up until that point. Breastfeeding, solid food, daycare... She had taken her time embracing all of these things. Naturally, we couldn’t expect any less for this major milestone. We were going to need all the potty training tips that actually work out there.
Sure enough, she showed very little interest in even acknowledging the toilet seat when we brought it home. I asked her every day if she wanted to try using the potty. Everyday she said, “No, thanks.” We got her books about going to the potty, which she loved to read, but didn’t convince her to go on it herself. We bought a different style of potty, so she could sit on it and watch television. Nothing. We instituted a reward system, which worked and then didn’t and then worked again, and then stopped working for good.
All of this isn’t meant to discourage you if you’re deep in the throes of potty training. In fact, I’m writing this, so you’ll you can know you’re not alone. It took us trying lots of different ways, to unlock the key to our daughter finally going to the bathroom on an actual toilet. And every kid has a different lock. Read through this list for a fresh set of ideas on how to approach this monumental task with your own child.