How We Started Potty Training
We picked a long weekend, cleared our plans, and focused on one goal — helping our toddler start his potty journey with calm and confidence.
After reading guides and hearing advice from school and friends, we decided to start potty training during a long weekend with no distractions — just staying home and supporting our son through the process. For us, that turned out to be the 4th of July weekend. It gave us the time and space to focus fully on him, and more importantly, on building a routine.
The first morning: saying goodbye to diapers
We began by removing the diaper and asking our son to wave goodbye as we threw it in the trash. It became a symbolic start — a little ritual that made him feel part of the moment. Then we reminded him, just like in the potty book we had read together, that from now on he’d use the toilet. We told him that by the end of the weekend, he would be wearing underwear.
From that moment, he was butt naked for the rest of the weekend. Every 15–20 minutes, we’d say, “Time to go potty!” and walk with him to his small portable toilet. Sometimes he peed, sometimes he didn’t — either way, we celebrated the effort. When he did pee, he got a sticker and a big cheer.
Our thoughts on rewards
There’s mixed advice out there about rewards. Some guides suggest avoiding them, since using rewards can sometimes backfire or make the potty a “transaction.” We understood that point — but for our son, a simple sticker reward helped him feel proud. Every child is different. You know your child best, and you’ll know whether a small reward helps or hurts your process.
The key, for us, was to keep everything positive and light. Even when there were accidents (and there were many), we stayed supportive and calm. Each accident was just another reminder to try again next time.
The ups and downs of the first three days
Day 1 felt like a success. He sat on the potty willingly, we celebrated every effort, and he seemed to enjoy the new routine.
Day 2 started even better — he was walking to the toilet on his own and asking to go. But by evening, he was bored, frustrated, and clearly tired of the process. The novelty had worn off.
Day 3 was pure regression — more accidents, less interest, and growing resistance. We also realized that while peeing had clicked, pooping was another story. He either had accidents or needed lots of encouragement (and patience) to stay seated long enough. By then, we knew number two was going to take longer.
Staying consistent — the real key
As the weekend ended and daycare loomed, we felt unsure. But we decided to stay consistent. He had already shown he could do it, and that meant it was more about confidence than capability.
So we kept reminding him — gently — how great it felt to be a “big kid,” to wear underwear, and to go to the toilet on his own. Slowly, over the next few weeks, everything started to click.