Potty Training in a Day - or Almost!

“Potty training” and “in a day” — those two phrases hardly seem to go together. Is it really possible? Kansas City Parent magazine spent some time talking with three local mothers, all of whom had success potty training their children in just a day or two. Becky Bruza from Paolo trained her daughters in one day in addition to assisting many other children at her in-home day care. Overland Park mom Crysta Stark trained both of her boys, and Jessica Fisher of Olathe did the same with two of her four children. All three moms used a similar technique with comparable success. Here are some of the details:

Potty training in a day! Is that really possible?

Crysta says, “Yes. That’s not to say there won’t be accidents, but we found that having one day of focused instruction did it!” Becky agrees, “All three of my children trained in a day, practically in one morning.” Jessica notes, “Once we decided to just bite the bullet, we knew we could make it happen. With the arrival of a new baby and the thought of another child in diapers, we knew it needed to happen!”

What equipment will I need?

Crysta insists, “ Toilet Training in Less Than a Day by Nathan Azrin was very helpful. Read it first. You’ll also need several pairs of loose-fitting training pants or underwear and lots of favorite snacks and drinks. Use a potty chair or start right on the toilet—whichever you prefer. A baby doll that wets is a fun way to begin the training as you educate your youngster.”

Are any other preparations necessary?

“If possible, get childcare for your other children,” suggests Becky. “You’ll want to have the time and energy to focus on one child for the day. I think the focused attention really helped with the success of the whole deal!” You may also want to plan to let the answering machine take your calls for the day. The last thing you want is to miss an opportunity for success because you found yourself on the phone with a chatty friend.

What are the basic steps for the first few hours?

“First teach the doll how to lower her pants and to use the potty. As dolly does these things, with the child’s help, she is praised heartily. The child needs to check frequently to see if dolly has dry pants. If she does, she gets a treat. If not, she must practice using the potty. Once your child understands the basics, have them lower their pants and sit on the potty. In the first few hours, ask your child about every 15 minutes to use the potty. When the child goes in the potty that first time, pour on the praise! Throughout the training, and particularly after the child clearly understands how to use the potty, the emphasis shifts to keeping dry pants. The child is asked regularly whether his pants are dry. If so, they get a treat and a drink,” suggests Crysta. Remember, lots of liquids today!

What about accidents?

Becky reminds us, “Don’t think it’s not working if your child has a few accidents; children are little and will forget at times. Be patient and calm. Have him take off his wet underwear, put them in a designated place and give him dry ones to put on. After an accident, have the child go practice what they should have done. Remind him of the upcoming dry pants check.”

What about naps and bedtime?

Jessica opted for Pull-ups for naps and bedtime until the child showed a pattern of dryness. “This may take days, weeks, or months depending on the child. Work on getting them to stay dry through their naptime first and then tackle bedtime.”

Any other tips for success ?

Crysta suggests, “Make sure they are really ready to start. I waited until my boys were closer to 3 years old. Make Potty Training Day a big deal—a rite of passage. We would talk it up for weeks. When the whole family is cheering for the trainee and their new abilities, it can actually be a positive experience.” Because she lives in Paola, Becky finds herself on the road a lot so she opted for a portable blow-up potty for the car just in case of emergencies. These can be found in the One Step Ahead catalog. Jessica concludes, “Make your child feel good about what he’s accomplished. Call grandparents, close friends and relatives in order to develop a ‘fan club.’ It’s so great to see the smile on his face when someone is praising him for what he’s learned to do!”