Aaira’s Potty training journey

Potty training is a significant milestone in a toddler’s life, and every parent knows that the journey comes with its own set of challenges and triumphs. In this blog post, we’ll delve into Aaira’s potty training adventure, highlighting the twists and turns that made the process unique and rewarding.

The Early Signs:

Aaira began showing signs of readiness for potty training shortly before she turned two. However, due to a combination of India travel and constipation issues, we found ourselves delaying the process until she was around 2.5 years old. Recognizing the signs of readiness is crucial, but life’s unexpected hurdles sometimes dictate the timeline. However, we still used to talk to her about going to the toilet when we need to pee/poop, however it only really starts when you actually start the training.

Summer Start:

Embarking on the potty training journey during the summer seemed like a logical choice, given her age and readiness. However, living in Minneapolis meant a short summer season, and we were hesitant to miss out on outdoor activities. Despite this, we decided to start the process at home on a weekend, knowing that it’ll come with some challenges.

We went to Target with her and bought a Paw Patrol potty to make her excited and be engaged in the planning process. We ordered these Potty bags on Amazon. You can obvious just choose to use a Toddler toilet seat over your regular Toilet seat. We actually only used the Paw Patrol potty for about a month and then she started preferring our regular toilet seat wit the Toddler cover. Linking some of these products here- Toddler Potty Training Essentials

On a Saturday morning, we put her in the underwear (just regular cotton undies and not the potty training ones as they may confuse them) and took her to the toilet every 30 minutes or so (you can set alarms). We obviously had accidents but continued the day at home constantly talking about when she gets the feeling down there, we have to go to the toilet. We put her in the diaper while sleeping and started the same routine next day. There was obviously a learning curve for both Aaira and us.

School Integration:

As the weekend of at-home training progressed, we faced a decision about sending Aaira to school in underwear. Her school had a policy of allowing three accidents before resorting to diapers. Despite the uncertainty, we took the chance, not wanting to disrupt the progress made during the weekend. This decision proved to be a game-changer. Aaira’s teachers played a crucial role in reinforcing the potty training routine. The presence of older classmates who confidently used the toilet served as a positive influence on her. The combination of reminders from teachers and the example set by her peers created a supportive environment that facilitated her successful transition to using the toilet. They still use diapers/pull ups during Afternoon nap time in the School.

Outings & Accidents:

Managing the timing and understanding her cues required patience and persistence. Like many parents, we experienced a few accidents but remained committed to the process. In the beginning, we even found ourselves putting a diaper on her during outings to avoid any undue stress but eventually, we knew we had to stop that and take the chance. To make sure we’re never unprepared for accidents, we carried a couple of towels in the car, wet wipes, extra poly bags for dirty clothes and 2-3 extra change of clothes. Road trips can be challenging in the initial days, so I recommend avoiding that when choosing the time to potty train. It took us about a week (at home & in School) to train her and we had a very few accidents in the first 3-4 months and now she is fully potty trained. We still put her in a pull up during sleep time and sometimes its wet but mostly dry.

Aaira’s potty training journey exemplifies the importance of adapting the process to the unique circumstances of each child. While the initial stages may present challenges, strategic decisions and a supportive environment can lead to a successful outcome. Every child is different, and recognizing their individual needs is key to navigating the potty training journey with patience and positivity. Hope this helps <3 Feel free to message us on Instagram or comment below for any questions.

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