This confinement might be the perfect time to work through new changes with your kids. One of the big things we did 6 months ago was potty training. I was really putting this off and dreading the process, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  We started a little before my son was 2.5 years old. I think the biggest factor was that I finally felt motivated to do it.  I used the book Oh Crap Potty Training Method.  I enjoy having some recommendations when starting a new task that I know nothing about. The method involves giving your kid 100 percent of your time and energy for about a week which they already have so much of during confinement! It was ROUGH for about a week, then I really did see tons of improvements in what seemed like overnight! It has also saved us a ton on diapers. We still need to go through the sleep training portion of the book.

TIPS ON POTTY TRAINING YOUR TWO YEAR OLD!

Potty Training Method: Oh Crap Potty Training

This book has a lot of free information online in the form of youtube videos, but I enjoyed just reading most of the book and getting started. They have a lot of specific practical tips, and specific things to tell your toddler when starting off. Here’s the book Oh Crap Potty Training link on Amazon. 

The Potty

A simple potty chair has worked well for us. It is easy to clean and move. It doesn’t have a lot of extras to distract your kid.

I think the book recommended this potty, which is very similar. We had the OXO potty was given to us at our baby shower, and it is also cheaper.

Don’t put the Potty Out before you start training!

You can’t just set the potty out and expect the kids to know how to use it. They really have to be trained. Trust me, I had it sitting out for a year before we got anywhere!

Don’t Bribe too Much

You can’t always tell your kid that they get candy if they use the potty. It is not good for them and they begin to expect it.

Don’t Ask your kids “Do you need to Potty?”

In those early stages, say “it’s time to try to use the potty!” I usually tell my son that we have to “try to potty” before going on our walk or playing outside, or even before taking a bath! It is so easy to fall into the parent constantly asking if your kid needs to potty, and they almost always say no even if they need to! I started to annoy myself asking do you need to potty all the time!

Your Kid is ready!

If your kid understands what you are saying then they can understand about using the potty. This is usually between one and two years old!  Everyone was telling me that toddlers will do it when they are ready, but they have to be taught once they are able to understand.  The people who have a super easy experience are the exception, not the rule! If you believe in your toddler, it makes all the difference. They will believe in themselves, and you can both celebrate by saying “You did it!” *High Fives all around*

Consistency is Key!

Routine and sticking with it makes all the difference!

No diapers!

This is probably the worse part.  Your kid has to realize he doesn’t have a diaper on. For the first week or two, my son had no pants, then no underwear!  If they have a diaper, then you and the child will never make the connection that pee goes in the potty. This makes for a long week of cleaning up pee! It is worth it though! Keep them in areas you are okay with cleaning pee off of, because it is inevitable.

The Toilet Seat Cover

My Son also likes to use the big potty sometimes, depending on where we are in the house (we have an upstairs and downstairs). When he uses the big potty, we just a toilet seat cover. I like this toddler toilet cover. 

Squatty Potty

We already had a squatty potty at our house, but the Oh Crap Potty Training book recommended it for toddlers. I was surprised how my small 2.5 year old is able to use it to pee/poop in the big potty without a cover on his own with it!  I still feel nervous he could fall in. He holds onto the toilet paper holder with no toilet paper on it.  Squatty Potties are supposed to be great for adults to prop up their legs on when going number two, as well.

Honestly, once he was potty trained, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  He still isn’t perfect, but I am happy with the training experience, and I will try to do it even sooner if I ever had a second child.