According to the author of 3 Day Potty Training, Lora Jensen, kids are ready to be potty trained much earlier than you think. Lora, who is also a mother of six, says that kids can be trained to use the bathroom as early as 22-months-old. She goes on to add that children are very curious and can respond to the right cues.
In an interview with ABC 6, Lora provided three tricks to help with the potty training process.
1. Get Rid Of Distractions
When you’re pottying training a child, make sure to focus all of your attention on the task at hand.
That means getting rid of any and all distractions, staying home and making potty training your full-time job, so to speak.
You can put down your phone, turn off the TV, and even set aside your Fitbit for three days. In the grand scheme of things, three days is just that—a short blip in your life.
“It really means staying home and doing nothing. Just focusing all your time on that child for three days,” Jensen says.
When you dedicate 100% of your attention to getting your child potty trained it will be a lot easier and less stressful in the long run. In her e-book, Jensen suggests making potty training a special bonding time for your child—make this a nurturing experience, not a stressful one.
So, you work full time. What does this mean for you? Consider taking a Friday or a Monday off so that you can tack an extra day onto your weekend.
2. Give Them The Control
Another crucial component of successful potty training is teaching your kids to take control. They need to tell you when they have to go.
Up until potty training starts, kids have always had a built in bathroom so there was never reason for them to say anything to you. Reminding children that they need to go to the bathroom isn’t always effective. Instead, give them the reins and encourage them to tell you when they need to go themselves.
Self-awareness empowers them to make the decision themselves. Jensen also suggests praising your kids and giving them small rewards each time they use the toilet.
Jensen also shares tips in her book for getting your daycare provider on board with the training and tips for traveling, swim days and public restrooms.
“If the child feels that they have control over the process, they’re not going to fight it,” Jensen says.
3. Stop Using The Backups (Diapers And Pull-Ups)
Get rid of all the diapers and pull-ups. This prevents any excuses and helps the parents focus and the kids quickly learn.
If you want some real proof, look at what this reader posted on Lora’s Facebook page:
“Used your method with my oldest son and it worked. Thought it was maybe just lucky. A year later I used it with my second son and again it worked and thought that maybe it was a fluke. This past weekend I trained my boy/girl twins and it worked again so I must give credit where credit is due, you are amazing. Thank you for writing this book and thanks for always being there to give me the support that I need. I KNOW that I couldn’t have done this without you. Everyone is always shocked that my kids are fully potty trained by the time they are two years old and in such a fast manner. I’m your biggest fan.”
Though Jensen’s method has plenty of fans, it’s definitely not a guarantee. But, even if it can shorten the amount of time it takes for your child to be fully potty trained, it’s worth a shot, right? Jensen says that even if you’ve already started potty training, her method will cut down the time your training takes.
“I cannot guarantee that your child will be potty trained at the conclusion of the 3 days, but together we can make a valiant go of it,” Jensen says on her website.
Here’s the full interview she did with ABC6:
