Potty Myths & Truths in association with ERIC - Why Does Potty Training Sometimes Turn Into A Battle of Wills?

If you are experiencing potty training pushback from your young children, this blog is for you!

Pottiagogo are proud to bring this ‘Potty Training Myths and Truths’ blog series to you in association with children's bowel and bladder charity, ERIC. This blog series will shed light on the topic of potting training and overcoming potty training hurdles with guidance and advice from ERIC’s team of potty training experts.

In this blog, we will explore the reasons why potty training may turn into a battle of wills and what experts would suggest to help overcome this little bump in the road.

Why Does Potty Training Sometimes Turn Into A Battle of Wills?

It’s really common for children to show all the signs of being ready to start potty training, but for some reason they stubbornly refuse to go anywhere near a potty or toilet let alone sit on it to do a wee or poo! Then there’s those little ones who were perfectly happy to sit for the first week, but all of a sudden decide that potty training isn’t for them anymore and the shutters go down. Why does this happen and what can be done to break the potty deadlock?

Steep learning curve

It’s really important to remember that potty training is a steep learning curve for children and a huge milestone for them to reach. One day they are allowed to wee and poo exactly when and where they choose in their cosy portable toilet but then off comes their nappy and they’re now expected to begin the journey towards independent toileting. With that in mind, the Pottiagogo travel potty acts as a convenient replacement to the nappy as it is a portable potty that can easily be folded and carried for when your child needs the potty on the gogo!

Try to be consistent

Once you’ve established that they’re ready to be potty trained, try take a consistent approach especially as far as nappies or pull ups are concerned. Going in and out of nappies risks making the process even harder as it gives a mixed message. Children can end up feeling really confused about where and when they can wee and poo and unsure of what’s being expected of them.

If your child is looked after by a relative or is in childcare make sure you let them know that you’re starting potty training and the way you’re planning to do it. It really helps if everyone who cares for your child is doing the same thing; using the same language, following the agreed routine and rewarding for the same things.

Stick to a routine

Until they can act on their own body’s signals for a wee or poo, children need to be given a consistent toileting routine. If your child can stay dry for intervals of around 2 hours, that’s when you should be taking them for a wee rather than every 30 minutes ‘just in case’ – this won’t allow their bladders to stretch and learn to hold more. Going too often also means a child can quickly become bored by this new activity that seems to keep interrupting their play time!

The best time to get a poo in the potty is 20-30 minutes after your child has eaten as this stimulates our bowel to make way for the extra food that is going through our system. It’s also a good idea to encourage children to sit on the potty when they first wake up and just before they go to bed.

Following the routine also reduces the need to keep asking your child if they need to do a wee or poo – another flashpoint for frustration when they merrily say ‘no’ and then there’s a puddle or poo on the floor 5 minutes later! A clear instruction: it’s toilet time now without giving a choice or room for argument should yield results…

Encourage boys to sit down to wee when they first start potty training and for at least one or two of their toilet trips going forward. Boys empty their bladders better sitting down and doing one or two squats a day can also help to avoid problems with constipation.  

Make it fun and give incentives

Little children have a short attention and can get bored easily. In the first week of potty training everything is a game and treats keep appearing, but what can you do when their initial excitement wears off and the promise of a sticker on their chart is no longer working?

Don't make them sit for too long on the potty or toilet, two or three minutes is fine.

Give them a small, instant reward and lots of praise for achievable goals and each step along the ways e.g. agreeing to sit and washing hand afterwards. This means that even if they don’t produce a wee or poo every time, you have a way of keeping them motivated and incentivised to work with you.

Keep some toys and books handy to occupy them while they sit. For children who are nervous about letting go of a wee or poo, an activity like blowing bubbles is a brilliant way to keep them distracted, relaxed and using the same muscles they need to push a poo out.

We hope this blog is helpful at providing you with expert advice to help you overcome any potty training bumps in the road that you might be experiencing.