A Potty Training Journey #PottyPartnership

I’ve been talking about potty training for a good while now it seems! Despite showing signs that he was ready, months later, Baby Boy is back in his diapers. There seems to be no end in sight either! He gleefully smiles once he has pooped in his diaper, but then will occasionally goes to the potty on his own, seemingly at random. There seems to be no real pattern with him, and I am getting frustrated with the entire process. Recently, I was invited by Pull-Ups to chat with parenting expert Alyson Schafer and given my dire need for help, Baby Boy and I joined the Potty Partnership.

Disclosure : This post is in partnership with Huggies Pull-Ups but, as always, opinions are totally ours.

I was shocked to learn that, on average, it takes eight months to potty train a child. Some turtles, like Baby Boy, can take even longer! We keep hearing that each child is unique and despite me thinking that Baby Boy would be trained rather quickly, like his big sister, it definitely does seem that he has own plans! The Potty Partnership is a program that accounts for these unique personalities and is there to help kids and parents work as a team  in the potty training journey.

I totally love that the Potty Partnership program enables parents and kids understand each other. We’re so in tune to the every day clues our children give us yet when it comes to potty training, we fail to realize that different personalities require different tactics. Puppies  are eager to please and motivated by rewards (click here for a great downloadable chart!), while  Turtles are resistant to change and Squirrels are way too busy to notice what’s happening. Owls are your type A personalities who know exactly what needs to be done and when. Bear Cubs are your easy going Baloos. As you can imagine, each personality reacts differently, and you need to know which motivators will work best for your child.

We’ve been oscillating between underwear (which he wears on his head thanks an idea he picked up from the Little Monkey!) and regular diapers because there are weeks where he wants the “big boy undies” and then there are times where he’s soiling ten diapers a day. So frustrating! The switcharoo back and forth is definitely NOT the right thing to do, as it confuses the child. Luckily Pull-Ups not only allow Baby Boy to slip them on like real underwear, they also have easy open sides that allow for quick changes when needed. There’s also a cooling sensation version (Cool & Learn) and one where the design disappears when they become wet (Learning Designs). Once you’re ready for the switch, stick to it and persevere through the mistakes, because it’s through the mistakes that we learn, according to Alyson.

Here’s some potty training tips and resources I picked up at the event 

• Take this quiz to see if your child is READY to potty train.
• Each child is unique and knowing their potty personality will enable you to successfully train and provide the right incentives for them. Click here to learn about your child’s potty personality. Baby Boy is a turtle who is resistant to change (lucky me) and needs to get comfortable with each and every step. The Pull-Ups Disney designs are definitely a benefit with him!
• Test out different potty types to see which works best for your child. The inserts have been a favourite in this household and we also have a footstool because Baby Boy likes to have his feet “on the ground”.
• Be consistent. Don’t switch in and out, even during your travels. Bring a fold-able travel potty and plan for numerous stops.
• Teach kids to recognize sensations and connect the sensation with the experience of sitting on the potty.
• Mistakes happen – don’t get angry or frustrated with your child. Talk about what happened and focus on learning from the mistake.
• Talk about poop, pee and potties on a regular basis and let your child be your guide.

Check out this list of things to keep in mind as you embark on your potty journey  – yes it totally is a journey! If you’re about to start potty training, I highly encourage you to explore the various potty training personalities because it really did help me understand Baby Boy’s method and requirements a lot more. I’ve been following the Potty Partnership guidance for the last two  months and despite not being anywhere near the end of our journey, it’s helped me reduce the frustrated feelings!