If you’re standing at the edge of the great potty training cliff, wondering if you’re about to soar or crash and burn, welcome, friend. Grab a coffee (or something stronger) and let’s talk about the wild ride that is teaching a tiny human how to use the toilet.
First, let’s just acknowledge it: potty training is not glamorous. It’s messy. It’s confusing. It often involves tears — sometimes theirs, sometimes yours. But it can also be hilarious and heartwarming, a tiny milestone that feels like scaling Everest.
Here’s what I learned from the trenches:
Table of Contents
1. Timing Is Everything (But So Is Your Sanity)
There’s a lot of pressure to start potty training at just the right moment. But honestly? The “right time” is when you and your child are ready. According to the NHS, most children start to show signs of readiness between 18 months and 3 years — but it’s perfectly normal to be earlier or later. If your toddler shows zero interest and legs it at the mere mention of ‘big boy pants’, it’s fine to wait. Trust your instincts (and your ever-growing laundry pile).
Signs of readiness include:
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Staying dry for an hour or two
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Showing an interest in using the toilet
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Telling you when they are wet or dirty
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Hiding to poo (classic)
2. Gear Up Like a Pro
Tiny potties, fun underwear, a sticker chart that would make a kindergarten teacher weep with pride — whatever gets your kid excited, go for it. We even let our toddler pick out their own “special” potty seat, and you’d think we handed them a golden throne.
Research from ERIC (The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity) suggests that involving children in choosing their potty or toilet seat can actually speed up the training process, because it makes them feel more independent and in control.
Photo by Jan Antonin Kolar on Unsplash
3. Celebrate Like It’s 1999
Research from ERIC (The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity) suggests that involving children in choosing their potty or toilet seat can actually speed up the training process, because it makes them feel more independent and in control.
Every successful attempt? CHEER. High fives, dances, songs — go full party mode. When my toddler peed on the potty for the first time, we threw an impromptu living room rave. It was dramatic. It was ridiculous. It worked.
4. Accidents Happen (Bring Wine)
There will be messes. There will be accidents at the worst possible moments — like 10 minutes into a “quick” grocery store trip. Breathe. Laugh if you can. Know that it’s all part of the process. Keep an emergency change of clothes in your car, in your bag, and possibly hidden in the neighbor’s bushes. (Kidding. Mostly.)
According to the NHS, even once potty trained, accidents are normal up to around the age of 5 — especially at night. It’s part of their development, not a sign you’ve failed. (Good news for your carpet. Bad news for your patience.)
Pro tip: Keep an emergency change of clothes in your car, your bag, and maybe hidden in every jacket pocket you own.
Quick story:
One Saturday afternoon, midway through training, I was feeling very smug about our progress. We popped to Sainsbury’s for a ‘quick’ shop, when my kid proudly announced they needed a wee. Brilliant, I thought. Until, right there in the middle of the biscuits aisle, they celebrated their newfound skill by stripping completely starkers. Nappy, trousers, top — off. There I was, clutching a pack of digestives and a rogue pair of Peppa Pig pants, questioning every life choice that led me here. A lovely pensioner gave us a round of applause. I still think about her sometimes.
5. Patience = Perfection
Some days will feel like a huge win. Others will feel like you’re starring in a slapstick sitcom. Progress isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Celebrate the small victories, and don’t sweat the setbacks. ERIC notes that positive reinforcement (celebrating attempts rather than only successes) builds confidence and helps children master the skill faster. So even when it all goes a bit wrong? Celebrate the try.
At the end of the day, potty training isn’t just about teaching your toddler a life skill — it’s about learning to let go a little, embrace the chaos, and find joy in the tiny, ridiculous victories. You’ve got this. And if not? Well, there’s always tomorrow. And carpet cleaner.
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