Because I have four young children, sometimes I feel like I'm "supposed" to know all the tricks when it comes to potty training, but the truth is, my potty training style is pretty much like the rest of my parenting style—winging it as I go.
My current youngest child is 18 months old and I know that potty training and all the fun that comes along with it will soon be filling my days. And frankly? I'm kind of dreading it. Which is why I'm stockpiling a few unconventional tips for getting the job done this time. And let's face it, by the fourth time around, Mama is just tired so I need all the help I can get.
Don't Let Them Know You Care
"Be nonchalant. If the child thinks it really matters to you, they may turn it into a control issue. It should be you helping the child be more independent, not you forcing the child to potty a certain way. Let them have control of everything that is sanitary and safe. And when accidents happen, do not shame them. Ever. They will get it eventually." — Anna Hithersay
Forget About It
"Let go of all expectations — from society, family members, etc. Every child is different, and will do things at their own pace. Barring any developmental/medical issues, most children will potty train eventually, but if you hold yourself to a certain deadline (e.g., by age 3, etc.), you're potentially setting yourself up for a lot of frustration and mental anguish. Also, keep in mind, boys are usually tougher, and more likely to be stubborn about things — especially if you push it." — Katie Fazio
Don't Fight It
"My best potty training tip is not to fight a strong-willed child. I think a lot of moms will tell you to commit and then never back down, but it isn't worth the frustrating of fighting your child for months on end. Some kids need to decide on their own time when they are ready, and if they are strong-willed, no amount of bribery and rewards will get them there." — Mary Justine Sauer
Go Cold Turkey
"It didn't work on my kids, but my uncle potty trained my stubborn nephew overnight by storing the wipes in the fridge!" — Hannah Wingert
Diapers? What Diapers?
"My tip is to throw away diapers and pretend they don't exist. Haha. We did one of those three-day potty training weekends and never looked back. Both of mine trained pretty easily." — Kristel Acevedo, Glowing Light
Curious Georges & Georgettes
"Don't get too excited when your child starts showing signs of potty-training readiness especially at an early age. They may not be actually ready — just curious. Eloise started expressing an interest really early a few months ago and has slowly gotten less interested again." — Andie Murphy
Backwards Thinking
"Potty training idea: Let your child sit backwards on the potty and give them a dry erase marker! They will sit longer and there's less of a chance of little boys missing! — Jenn of Pinterest Mommy
Put a Cheerio on It
"If your child is afraid to sit on the toilet or won't stay still long enough, try putting Cheerios or other cereal bits in the toilet — my kids thought it was hilarious to pee on them! It was weird, but whatever works, right?" — Marie L.
When In Doubt, Recruit Olaf
"I knew my daughter wouldn't go for [potty training] until she was ready, but she's about to turn three, and about to start preschool — but the school won't take her until she's trained. So I turned to Olaf. And created the guilt-trip method of potty training. We bought some Frozen underwear for her, and I called her into the living room to talk about it.
"I explained that Olaf (her favorite Frozen character) would be very sad and it would hurt his feelings if she peed on him. I could tell this got her attention and she turned a bit solemn. We talked about how rude it would be to use the bathroom on her friends Elsa, Anna and Olaf. How she would have to work really hard to make sure that she didn't. She agreed, and we put the new underwear on her. In the first three days of wearing underwear at home, she had ONE accident. Just one. Because we don't pee on Olaf." — Paula Rollo, Beauty Through Imperfection
Wait It Out
"I waited until they actually WANTED to do it, and then went with a whole lot of nakedness until it happened. Potties in the living room for a week or two and then moved them into the bathroom. Two of mine waited until they were three, but my youngest was good to go at two years old." — Melissa Cohen
Independent Learning
"My tip is to just wait until they are totally ready. Let them pretty much potty train themselves. Otherwise it's a lot of unnecessary stress … and pee on your floors." — Gemma Hartley
Keep It Fun
"We trained three boys all by age 2 1/2. They only sat to pee until they were completely trained so that they didn't have to make a quick decision to sit or stand. We allowed peeing outside in the backyard, aiming at Cheerios, Smarties for rewards and made it lots of fun. Never used Pull-Ups, EVER." — Erika Hale
*Disclaimer: The advice on Mom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.