Three-day potty training – Yes you can do It!

Of all the memorable early childhood milestones, potty training is one of the most stressful. There are countless methods out there, including the promise of a three-day potty training. Doesn’t that sound amazing? But is it possible to get your kid out of diapers in the duration of a long weekend?

The experts weigh in on how to potty train in a mere three days. There’s no denying the grand allure of getting your little one out of diapers in that short of a time. When it works, the benefits are aplenty: If you use disposable diapers, you’ll save a lot of money in the process and cut down on landfill-bound waste; if you still use the cloth type you’ll get to do way less laundry.

One thing that all experts do agree on is that potty training should be a pleasant, positive experience, free from any scolding or punishment. There will be accidents, they will get messy and while you can redirect your child, perhaps even carry them to the potty and remind them that that is where the pee/poop goes, yelling or shaming them about making a mess will only create problems.

Here is how you get started:

Prepare yourself:

Day 1 of three-day potty training is the most intense since you’re meant to keep your eyes on your child the entire day. There is no leaving the house, no running to the grocery store, no walking the dog is likely to happen that day. It is time to put the phone away and entirely focus.

Take off their layers:

The potty-training practitioners recommend having your kiddo go bottomless for at least the first day. If it’s cold, they can wear a sweater / and or socks. Simply skip the underwear or pants.

Watch your little one like a hawk:

Keep a close eye on your child, learn their signs and “catch” them as they start to pee or poop. The minute you notice it happening, the experts suggest picking them up, bringing them to the bathroom and saying, “the pee pee/ poo poo goes in the potty.” The slightly messy trick to this method is to wait all the way until the child has started to pee. This lets the child mentally connect the feeling of a full bladder with the sensation of the pee running down their leg. We mentioned this would be one messy weekend, didn’t we?

Celebrate:

For every time they get even a drop of pee in the potty, you need to make a big deal out of it. An enthusiastic (albeit odd looking but that is neither here nor there) potty dance any time anyone in the household (adult or sibling) uses the bathroom during this period is a way to draw the child’s attention to the grown-up’s bathroom rituals. The point is to make it exciting.

Evaluate if it’s working:

By the time your child has gotten a little pee in the designated potty 10 to 12 times with adult help, they’ll usually start initiating it themselves. If accidents continue and your little one also seems oblivious to them, it’s likely their bodies aren’t ready yet. The last thing we want is parents wasting their time and getting frustrated in the process. If this is the case, don’t make a big deal of the failure but cut your losses and try again in one to three months. Good luck!