How to Potty Train a 3 Year-old

Potty training can be one of the most rewarding and the most frustrating times in child-rearing. The frustration lies on both sides of the equations as the parents want the child out of diapers and the child wants to maintain the consistency he/she has known since birth.

Things You'll Need

• training potty
• training pants/pull-ups
• child who can walk without assistance
• patience

Instructions

1. GET USED TO POTTY. When you go to the bathroom, take your child with you and have them sit on their potty while you sit on yours. This will get them used to the idea of the potty.

2. WATCH FOR SIGNS THEY NEED THE POTTY. Watch for when your child is straining to poop. When you see this, ask them if they are pooping and then take them to the potty to finish the job. After two or three times of this, they should get the idea. (It may take more or less times depending on the child.)

3. USE THE POTTY FREQUENTLY. Once they understand what the potty is for, ask them regularly if they need to go potty. (Determine regularity by setting a kitchen timer for 1 hour and ask them every time it goes off.)

4. GET READY FOR BED. Take the child to the potty before bed and limit his/her liquid intake within an hour or so before bed. Make sure that as soon as your child awakens that you take him/her to the potty as they will have gone several hours without using the bathroom and will need to.

5. DEALING WITH REGRESSION. If your child starts having frequent accidents when he/she has shown aptitude with the potty training, this could be a sign of regression. Take toys away and/or give them an earlier bedtime explaining that he/she can earn the toys back and the later bedtime back when they show that they are big boys/girls. (NOTE: This is not for the occasional wet/dirty pants. That happens and is accidental.)

Tips & Warnings

• If the child says they do not have to go, but still wet/dirty themselves frequently, stop asking and just take them to the potty once an hour.

• Use the training pants/pull-ups as a transition tool. They are designed to keep the mess minimal, but make the child want to be clean and dry.

• With work from the parents, a child can be potty trained by the time he/she is two.

• Since nighttime is the hardest time to potty train, make sure the child is comfortable with using the potty during the day before you worry about the night.

• Do not scold your child for accidents. Explain why you want them to learn, but tell them that accidents happen.

• Do not beg and plead with a 3 y/o... Explain what you want done and tell them the that they should do it because it is something a 3 y/o should be doing.

Resources

• Parent's Magazine - Potty Training