How I Taught My Child to Use the Potty on Three Dirty Days
In my parenting career, I can boast of very few unsullied victories, namely: making my daughter believe frozen grapes are a perfectly acceptable dessert, teaching her to love Swiffer-ing, and potty training her in three days. The latter was my biggest surprise success, as I was fully prepared for a protracted death.
I heard about the mythical three-day potty training method in my Facebook mom groups, but it sounded too good to be true. Three days? Are you saying that in just 72 hours you can go from a life with bulky diaper bags, messy accidents and stressful searches for a fucking changing table to a life without diapers? It took longer to deliver my batches of Huggies. But when my daughter was two and a half years old and she fully understood the concept of using the toilet (I always asked her if she wanted to try and she always answered, “Not today, Mom”), I decided to give him a chance.
Spoiler alert: worked! The day we started training, my husband left for work that morning, and when he returned 10 hours or so later, the child was mostly potty trained, only here and there had an accident. On the fourth day, she confidently entered her kindergarten in Minnie Mouse underwear (and in clothes). I could not believe it. Now, when my parents ask me more about these three days, I am happy to share the whole story.
How to actually potty train a child in three days maybe
Please note that this is our story and I do not believe that one method will work for every child. You can find a wealth of information about potty training online, at a bookstore, or even better by talking to your pediatrician. There is a dizzying assortment of techniques, from the popular Oh Crap! plan to allow the low pressure Wait-and-Pee process , to a gradual transition of training-pants-on-underwear. You must choose what is convenient for you.
3 Day Potty Training is a cold turkey method that requires you to get rid of all the diapers in the house and trust the process. Overall, I followed the plan outlined in Laura Jensen’s e-book Three Days of Potty Training, but with 50 pages of guidelines, it’s extremely specific and I can’t say I did it exactly the way she did. Here’s what I did and what I recommend for those planning to embark on this messy, grueling, but hopefully effective journey.
Plan it like a big deal.
Find three consecutive days on your calendar – at least one week after you decide to switch to the three-day method (Jensen recommends a full month) – when you can devote 100 percent to your child’s bladder and bowels. (I know this can be tricky for full-time parents. If you can’t take the day off, you might have to do it while on vacation, which literally sucks, but look out for the prize: Diapers-Free liberation!) Mark these days as potty training days and cancel anything that happens to you, including mundane things like grocery shopping. You kind of have to imagine yourself trapped in a bunker.
Say goodbye to diapers – forever
About a week before The Big Three Days, I told my daughter that we were going to give all of her diapers to Baby Jeremy, the one-year-old friend we knew. She was on board. I reminded her of this every day before starting her workout. When the time finally came, I asked her to help collect all the diapers in our house and put them in a large bag with Jeremiah’s name on it. We said goodbye to them. This did not upset anyone.
Prepare and stock your home for a-poo-calpyse
Here’s what you need to train:
- Baby potty if you want to use it. We love BabyBjörn . You can dispense with it and use a regular toilet by placing your child to the side of the seat.
- Children’s underwear (20-30 pairs). Check out the dollar store.
- High-fiber liquids and snacks for feeding your baby. (During potty training, the child should drink more than usual, but do not force him.)
- Small promotions and rewards, such as stickers or tiny treats.
- Extra sheets in case of nighttime incidents.
- Ready meals that can be easily reheated in the microwave (or a partner or helper will prepare for you).
- Towels or paper towels for the inevitable mess.
- What to do with your child indoors. (At least for the first day or so, you’ll want to stay close to the bathroom.)
If you have any pretty vintage rugs (why would you need that? You have a toddler), you probably want to put them away. Potty training is best on a hard, easy-to-wipe floor, but of course this is not always possible.
How to start the 3-day potty training method
On the first day, you should rest and feed. Your child should only be wearing a T-shirt and underwear. (Some parents prefer their kids to walk with bare soles, but I think the new underwear makes them feel big and special. Also, they can feel the moisture from accidents when they happen. Also, I don’t like butts. commando on the couch.)
The three-day potty training method basically requires you to do two things: 1) tell your child “Tell me if you need to use the potty” all day, for example 100 times a day, and 2) watch your child like a hawk. …
In addition, you and your child can go about your normal activities. Color, solve puzzles, watch TV shows. But keep saying, “Tell me if you need to use the potty.” Say this every five or 10 minutes. “Tell me if you need a pot. Tell me if you need a potty. Tell me if you need a pot. ” You will get tired of your own voice. Continue. Don’t ask, “Do you need to use the pot?” – they will always say no.
Watch and run
Then, as soon as you see pee or poop, grab the baby and (safely) run to the bathroom. Take off their underwear and slap them onto the pot or toilet. If only one drop gets inside, go crazy. Have fun like crazy. Jump up and down. Tell them they are big kids. Call grandmother. Give them a little reward. They will be really proud of themselves.
Repeat this every time. On the first day, my daughter had four or five accidents before it all happened. After that, when I said, “Tell me if you need to use the potty,” she might say “yes” or “no.”
After these three days there were several accidents, but overall the method was a resounding success. I was so amazed that all I needed to do was get rid of the diapers to potty train the baby, I had a philosophical moment when I posted on Facebook after Day 2: “I just keep thinking what diapers are in our life. , protective nets. do we use what prevents us from experiencing naked freedom? “
For more information on the method, including troubleshooting tips, see Jensen’s book and this parenting magazine article . Remember that every child is different – be patient with whatever process you choose. And be sure to keep some of these treats for yourself.
This story was originally published in 2017 and has been updated to reflect the current Lifehacker style on June 15, 2021.