Life

How To Potty Train Your Kid In 2 Days, Because You're Feeling Brave

by Emily Westbrooks

Just when you think your kid is about ready to potty train, that is exactly the time when you'll find your schedule fills up with events, a few flights and a very long drive. The thing about potty training is that being out and about complicates things: imagine having to rush your kid to the potty every half hour. You sort of need to stay close to home, lest you risk accidents out in the world, which is exactly why you need to know how to potty train your kid in two days, because it's actually doable.

Most veteran parents (who successfully potty trained their kid in 2 days) and parenting experts suggest ditching diapers altogether, investing in some fun undies and making sure your child is truly ready to potty train in order to make it happen in two days. First things first, you need to know the signs that your little one is actually ready to potty train, because if you don't have a willing and ready partner, you'll probably just spend the weekend standing in puddles of pee.

BabyCenter explained, "Many parents don't start potty training until their children are 2 1/2 to 3 years old, when daytime bladder control has become more reliable. And some children aren't interested in potty training until they're closer to 3, or even 4." Bladder control, or having dry diapers for several hours at a time, is a key element for potty training readiness because it means your child's bladder muscles are strong enough to keep them from peeing a little bit at a time all day long.

Disliking the feeling of having a wet or dirty diaper is another sign that your kiddo might be ready to potty train, according to BabyCenter, as well as showing an interest in other people's bathroom habits. If your kiddo can sit for a few minutes at a time and follow instructions, they could well be ready to get the potty training show on the road.

Once you know you're ready to make the leap, you need to choose a full two-day stretch when you and your toddler don't have any obligations outside the house.

You don't need much equipment for a weekend potty training marathon, but you do need a potty that your child is able and willing to use. Whether you opt for a mini potty that sits on the floor (they even make mini toilets that make a flushing noise) or a seat that goes over the regular toilet and a step that allows your kid to get up there himself, make sure you have a solution that works for you. We recently potty trained our daughter and started with both of those options. Before long, she refused to use her mini potty and only wanted to use the grown-up one. Go with what works for your kid.

The other equipment you'll need is a set of underwear for your kid, because most experts suggest getting rid of diapers — and skipping training pants altogether. "Kids can really feel when they’re wet in underwear," said Vivian Turner, executive director of the Garneau University Childcare Centre in Edmonton, in an article in Today's Parent. And feeling wet is a key step in getting potty trained ASAP.

Choose your underwear based on your kid. Some kids love a certain character so might feel motivated or excited to wear Sesame Street undies. Our daughter didn't fit into most sizes I could find, so I ordered from Tiny Undies, which doesn't offer cartoon options. She potty trained in a weekend, proving that fun undies aren't always a deal breaker but can provide an extra incentive, depending on your child.

Once you choose your undies and your two day stretch of potty training time, you need to focus on the task at hand. You can start prepping your kid by talking about all things potty. You can check books out of the library or order them up on Amazon, and there are even dolls or Sesame Street.

The Dr. Sears site suggested, "The day before, announce to baby that tomorrow is a special day: “We are going to play a special game,” and repeat “special game” over and over during that day." And that special game involves watching your child for their signs that they need to go potty, modeling how the potty works, and cleaning up messes when they do occur — after explaining what your child should do next time instead.

They also suggested employing some rewards, like stickers or M&Ms for successful use of the potty, depending on what motivates your kid. Giving them juice or lots of water throughout the day can also help speed up the process of potty training by making those educational potty trips more frequent. The more opportunities you have in those two days to teach your child how to use the potty, the more likely it is that he will be potty trained by the end of it.

Of course if your toddler or young child doesn't master the potty after 48 hours, you can decide on the fly that you're adopting the 3-day potty training method and cross your fingers.

Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.