You’ve just bought a potty training seat and you ask yourself… how do I use this thing? First of all, congratulations – your child is showing signs of being ready to transition to the toilet. Potty training seats are an important part of this process. There are some minor differences between different models that you’ll want to consider before you buy, but for the most part, using them is pretty straightforward.
Let your child pick out his own potty seat
There’s no right or wrong way to potty train.
It’s a personal choice, and there are different methods that work for different parents and kids. Some people prefer to let their children go commando until they’re ready to use the toilet, while others prefer the convenience of training pants.
Potty training doesn’t have to be stressful, but it can be very frustrating for both you and your child if he’s not ready. And it’s even more frustrating if you’ve bought your child a seat or two only to find out that he doesn’t like it or it doesn’t work with his personality.
Here are some tips on how to choose the right potty seat for your child:
Let your child pick out his own potty seat. It might sound silly, but it will help him feel more comfortable with using his new piece of equipment. If he picks out a boxy-looking plastic one — which is what most people think of when they think of potty chairs — he’ll probably turn up his nose at it immediately when he sees it at home (unless he’s a boy who likes trucks). But if you let him pick out something colorful and fun-looking himself (and preferably with graphics on it), then he will be more likely to sit on it for a few minutes and try out his new equipment. And if he doesn’t like the one he chose, then you can always let him pick out another one.
Let him know what he can expect
Give your child lots of praise for using the potty. If he does his business in his diaper or pull-up, remind him that he needs to use the toilet like you do.
Let him know what he can expect. Before using a potty training seat, explain to your child what will happen when he sits on the potty seat so he can be prepared for what happens next. For example, tell him that when he sits down, there will be water coming out of the hole at first but then it will stop and then more water will come out again when he finishes his business. If possible, demonstrate this with an empty potty seat so he can see what will happen when he sits down himself. Introduce the potty seat to your child. Show him what it’s for and how it works. If you have a similar seat at home, let him sit on it so he can see what happens when you use one. Bonus points if you have a potty seat that has fun toys attached to keep your child entertained while he waits for his business to come out!
Start sitting him on the potty every day – even if he doesn’t go
Try to make it into a regular routine. You’ll be able to tell when your child is ready for potty training because he’ll begin to show signs that he knows what’s going on down there: He’ll watch other kids go and point or ask questions about what’s happening.
When he does pee or poop in his diaper, praise him for being so smart and try to get him interested in the toilet by putting some toys around it or showing him pictures of other kids using the toilet. You can also start taking him into public restrooms with you, so he sees people using them.
Use a potty training seat at home and carry a travel version when you’re out and about
Take it everywhere. If you know you’ll be away from home for more than two hours, take your portable potty seat with you — whether it’s on vacation or just to Grandma’s house. This will give your child a place to go when she needs to use the bathroom while outside the house (she won’t feel comfortable doing it elsewhere).
Use it every time she goes out without diapers. Even if she doesn’t need it sometimes, make sure that she uses her portable potty seat each time she leaves the house without diapers — this will help her get used to using it when she does need
Final
Hopefully, these tips have given you enough information to help you decide which of these Potty Training Seats is best for you. And whether you are looking to use the potty at home or on the go, there’s one that will work well for your needs. If you’ve picked up a training seat and still have questions, remember that customer service will be available to answer any other questions that you might have.