Ahhhh, toilet training… that magical moment we all eagerly await, while secretly wishing we could fast-forward to the grand finale when it’s all behind us!
Oh, what a glorious day it will be when the era of spending half your paycheck on nappies comes to a screeching halt, and suddenly your dustbin feels like it’s on a diet!
Now, if you really want to dive into this potty party, the best approach is to unleash your little one in a birthday suit, letting them roam free like a little wild monkey - just keep them in the vicinity of a toilet or potty! But let's be real, that’s not always an option, and Mother Nature might not be in on the plan either!
And speaking of fashion choices during this training extravaganza, let’s not forget to ponder the delicate balance between underwear and outerwear… because you definitely don’t want to mix up the two during this potty adventure!
How to dress your child for toilet training success:
Choose the right underwear for toilet training:
While pull-up nappy pants are like the safety harness of the potty-training rollercoaster, they can totally throw a wrench in the works! Why? Because they’re still snug and dry like a nappy, and if your little one has a wee-wee mishap, they won’t feel that “oopsie-daisy” sensation that helps them grasp their potty needs.
We used pull-ups for those epic road trips and nighttime adventures, but during the day, it’s best to opt for something that gives your child a little nudge when they've had a little accident.
Enter the trusty cotton briefs! They’re the superhero of this story – easy to find in big ol’ packs and simple enough for tiny hands to hoist up and down without breaking a sweat!
Get ready for the potty party with toilet training pants! These nifty little wonders come with a cozy, snuggly inner layer and a superhero waterproof outer layer. They soak up all those little accidents without turning your kiddo into a walking disaster zone! Plus, they let your mini human feel a bit damp - just enough to remind them that "Oops! I did it again!" is not a catchy tune when it comes to potty time. They’re perfect for those early days of toilet training when your little one might be more accident-prone than a puppy on a slippery floor! Once they start hitting the toilet bullseye consistently, you can upgrade them to fancy cotton briefs like the big kids!
Choose the right outerwear for potty training:
Alright, listen up, potty training parents! You might not think about it at first, but what you dress your little one in can totally make or break their bathroom adventures. Here are some giggle-worthy nuggets I picked up while wrangling my own tiny tots:
First off, toss those popper vests and baby suits in the fashion dumpster! Anything that requires a degree in contortionism to get in and out of is a big fat no-no. Trust me, your mini-me will be waving their arms in frustration while those pesky snaps dangle like a piñata over the potty!
And let’s not even start on dungarees and jumpsuits! Sure, they’re adorable, but when your kiddo is doing the potty dance like they just chugged a gallon of juice, those things become the ultimate villain. They’ll be on the floor faster than you can say “oops!” or worse, taking a dip in the potty! So, keep it simple and save yourself the drama!
Keep those skirts short and sweet... or maybe just give them a little time-out! It's a real juggling act for the tiny tots to hoist up a skirt, yank down their undies, and make sure nothing gets cosy with the loo or potty. My daughter, when nature calls and she's in a dress or skirt, usually gives me the nod to 'tuck it up' first so she can tackle the throne with ease.
Swap those skirts for leggings – trust me, pants with tricky fasteners are like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube while on the potty. Let's make it a breeze for your little one by dressing them in trousers that can be yanked up and down without staging a dramatic floor dive into the (hopefully not soggy) abyss.
And keep those tops short and snug, not long and floppy – we want to dodge any accidental dips into the toilet waters!
Finally, if possible, let your little one choose their own underwear for toilet training – the excitement of a new pair of big kid pants that they REALLY want to wear can often be a great motivator!