Chances are if you have found this post it is because you are searching for ways to help potty train your little one – without both of you losing your minds! It is true that potty training can seem like one of the toughest aspects of raising a child, but it doesn’t have to be.
I have managed to successfully potty train three children in my lifetime – and only have a couple gray hairs to show for it. Naturally every one of my children have very different personalities, which loosely translates into me having to use a different strategy all three times.
For example, my older daughter is independent and busy, my younger daughter is laid back and takes her time, while my son is excited about everything. Since they have different personalities and different temperaments, what works for one child often won’t work for the next.
Our little ones all have different quirks and behaviors. And potty training is definitely not one-size-fits-all, so something that may have worked for your friends and their children may not work for you and yours. That’s why it’s so important to work with your child’s personality instead of against it, and why Pull-Ups® introduced a whole new way to potty train that’s all based on your child’s unique personality and how they learn. Through the Potty Partnership, you can take a potty personality quiz to discover which potty personality your child is – a Squirrel, Bear Cub, Puppy, Owl or Turtle. Once you know which potty personality your child resembles most, Pull-Ups provides customized tips and advice that will make the entire potty training journey more specific and beneficial to your child.
And now you’re probably reading this wondering how I survived potty training 3 kids with 3 different personalities. Thankfully, I realized that since the kids were all so different, I’d need different strategies for potty training each. My little boy has a Puppy Potty Personality and because he’s eager to please and to learn new things, he was excited about doing a good job and using the “big boy” potty. My older daughter was a Squirrel, always too busy to slow down so she needed to be engaged with praise and games. My younger daughter was a Turtle, who needed a little time to adjust to changes but was persistent and slowly but surely got there.
Knowing and understanding your child’s potty personality will allow you to bring your child into the journey as a true partner and will mark one of the most significant bonding moments that sets the tone for your parent and child relationship. When you know the best way your child will learn based on their potty personality, you can work with his or her strengths, instead of against them.
Still not convinced? Pull-Ups worked with Dr. Heather Wittenberg, a child development expert, to create the Potty Partnership based on research and observation of personality types in young children. Not only does she have clinical experience, but Dr. Heather has four little ones of her own, so she knows how trying potty training can be for both children and parents. She helped create all kinds of tools and resources to help make potty training more fun for everyone involved. Pull-Ups even offers fun potty charts, stickers, and games to keep your child engaged and excited. The Potty Partnership is truly changing the way parents approach potty training all over the country.
I thought this video by Dr. Heather was interesting because even though I was confident in my potty training of the girls, I realized there were a few new questions that came along with potty training a boy, like whether or not my little guy should stand or sit while peeing.
One of the things I also found interesting was the timing of each of my children wanting to potty train. There is a myth that girls always potty train faster than boys, but having successfully potty trained both, I can say that is not always true. My oldest is a girl and was in no hurry to train, while my two youngest – both a boy and a girl – were much more eager, maybe from seeing their older siblings use the potty like “big kids.” Dr. Heather has a great video that answers the question about whether girls potty-train faster than boys:
Pull-Ups® Training Pants along with the Potty Partnership can help you successfully potty train your little one with as little stress as possible. Pull-Ups slide up and down like underwear to help your child learn potty training skills that diapers simply cannot, and they have easy open sides so you can avoid the mess in case of an accident. I remember the first time I put my oldest in Pull-Ups – we made such a huge deal about getting out of diapers she thought it was her birthday. 🙂 Potty training is such a symbolic moment in your toddler’s life, and it should be treated like that! As much as we sometimes wish we could make them stay little forever, they do eventually become toddlers and boy are they excited for it! I wish I had had this Congratulations Certificate back then!
Check out Pull-Ups.com for all of the tools and resources you need for potty training, including helpful info, tips, and great potty training incentives!
Sara Zielinski says
Potty training is difficult, these will make it more fun.
Edye says
Potty training isn’t always easy! Patience is always good to have 🙂
Holly Thomas says
It takes a lot of patience, every kid is different.
Jennifer Bellotti says
Potty Training can be difficult but all you need is patience and time.
tiffany dayton says
My daughter is 18. So it has been awhile . You definitely need patience.
Nancy says
I think it is easier to potty train during warm weather!
Rita M says
My granddaughter was extremely easy to potty train – no hassle whatsoever! I think the idea of “big girl panties” was a big help.
Shawna says
My kids were all very different in terms of potty training. I found that using a reward system helped a lot. Thank goodness for pull-ups which makes it easier too!
Mary Gardner says
Potty training takes lots of patience and each child is different. Out of my 5 children 2 were trained by 2 and the other 3 were 2 1/2 to 3 years old. Lots of encouragement can work wonders.
Yvonne Delgado says
Potty training was hard, well at least for 3 of my 4 kids ( the boys) my daughter pretty much trained herself (self will) But the boys did like these pull ups and rewards
Debra Oliver says
MY SON WAS A BREEZE. SEEMED TO BE READY AT 3 AND LEARNED IN ONE DAY ADN NEVER EVEN USED PULL UPS. MY DAUGHTER, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY. TOOK US A FULL YEAR OF POTTY TRAINING. WE USED PULL UPS AT NIGHT FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR. KEY IS NOT MAKIGN YOUR KIDS FEEL BAD FOR NOT BEING POTTY TRAINED OR HAVING ACCIDENTS. IT TOOK A LOT OF PATIENCE WITH MY DAUGHTER BUT IN DUE TIME, SHE PREVAILED!
Hesper Fry says
I took the quiz and found out my daughter is an “owl” potty personality.
claudia davis says
Patience is a must with potty training.
Caryn Coates says
Definitely need a a lot of Patience for Potty Training. I find my boys took a lot longer than my girls
Jessica C says
Very interesting read. Both my kids were very different when it came to potty training. My son caught on very quick my daughter took a little more time. Just needed to be patient. She got there 🙂
Tara Gauthier says
My kids are 14 and 8 so it’s been a while but each kid is definitely different, so finding out what works best for your child and going with that plus having lots of patience is key!
Christian Alejandro says
We’re right at this phase of the adventure!
Lana simanovicki says
I gotta remember these things for my grandchildren they will be getting to this stage
Dana Matthews says
Things are much different now than when I potty trained my child. So much support and encouragement available now!