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Something to keep in mind while potty training your child is that every child is different and something that worked perfectly for one may not work at all for another, so use your judgment and the process of trail and error. First off, acquaint your little one with the potty as early as possible. Even if they are only six months old, they begin to understand what is going on around them and want to do things like the adults and older children in the home. Watching mommy or daddy go potty will spark their curiosity with the weird contraption in the bathroom and hopefully keep a fear of the toilet at bay. Try to get your child going into the bathroom with the same sex parent as much as possible so they can see what they are supposed to do in there. Once they are old enough to stand up and sit down on their own get them their own potty and let them explore it, maybe even putting it in a family room or the child's bedroom, wherever they spend a lot of time. After they fully understand what the potty is used for and can follow simple instructions and know the feeling of when they have to go, which usually happens around 2-3 years of age, let them have at it. Personally I believe in the all or nothing technique. Make a huge deal of going to the store with them and picking out their own big girl or big boy underwear. When you get home help them get the underwear on and explain to them that now they have to use the potty and can't go in their underwear anymore. While working out the kinks you should probably use diapers or training pants at night. Sure, there will be accidents, just make sure you always have a clean change of clothes or two with you at all times, but they learn quick and children don't like the feeling wetting themselves. For all three children I have potty trained, or witnessed being potty trained, they got the hint after the first accident, and wet pants were not a daily occurrence. You should not use training pants such as pull-ups because this will only teach them to go to the bathroom in something that looks and feels like underwear, which can make potty training harder than it has to be. After you have the daytime bathroom trips down to a science you can work on the night time. On a side note, if your child wets himself or the bed long after he or she has been potty trained do not over react, this will only make the problem worse. Situations like these are usually caused by some sort of stress. Stop and try to think about what has been going on in your child's life from their point of view. Have they started school, are you working more than usual, has someone in the family died or moved away, have you moved, divorce, etc. Alway reassure them that accidents happen to everyone and ask them what may be wrong or tell them what you think may be wrong, they are usually quick to tell what's bothering them when asked, and don't make a huge deal about the accident, just reassure them that everything is going to be alright and explain how, if you are able to in your situation. Learn more about this author, Sara Tremeear. | 
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