Are you dreading potty training? Feeling stuck in an always-slightly-wet cycle? Wishing you knew when to start potty training? We’ve got you covered.

Potty training can definitely be daunting. Whether you’re dreading starting, have started and stopped more than once, find yourself on an unsuccessful plateau, or wondering when to start potty training, it’s a big step. The right tools are a must, so we found them for you. These products are clean, clever, and convenient, so not only will your kiddo learn the tricks of the toilet trade, you’ll be able to hang onto your sanity. We’ve been there and now we’re here to help tackle this childhood chapter. So if you’re wondering when to start potty training, it might be time. Read on for our guide to some of the best potty training supplies out there.

Joovy Loo Potty Chair

White potty training potty
Joovy Loo

The design of this training potty has a completely sealed inner bowl and has two parts that fit together cleanly, keeping cracks and nooks out of the way of splashes and spills!

Joovy Loo Potty Chair ($44.95)—Buy Here!

PottyCover 6-Pack Disposable Toilet Seat Covers

PottyCover

Potty training doesn't have to stop just because you aren't at home! These disposable toilet seat covers keep little ones away from germs and moisture thanks to the woven top and plastic bottom.

PottyCover 6-Pack Disposable Toilet Seat Covers ($8.99)—Buy Here

Potty Training Watch

SKYROKU

Thanks, technology! This little-wrist-ready wristwatch has a customizable looping alarm with music and lights to get their attention no matter what they're doing and remind them to head to the potty. It's lightweight, waterproof, and the perfect fit for small wrists. Available in multiple colors.

Potty Training Watch ($19.99)—Buy Here

Sposie Dribbles Underwear Inserts

Children's underwear liner
Select Kids

We're all for disposable kiddo underwear, but some kids find them a little embarrassing. Underwear inserts are far more discreet and can even work for older kids struggling with a bed-wetting phase or sleeping over at friends' houses!

Sposie Dribbles Underwear Inserts ($18.99)—Buy Here!

Poofetti

Jar of confetti
PrimaStella

This is exactly what you think it is. Aptly named "potty flair", this septic-safe, essential oil-scented confetti is sprinkled into the toilet when it's time to go, then flush away! Developed by a mom (we always love that), Poofetti can also be used as a target for training little boys to aim!

Poofetti ($5.99)—Buy Here!

The First Years Super Pooper Plus Potty Toilet Training Seat

Potty training set
The First Years

Let's get real: one of the most challenging parts of potty training is teaching your little one to be comfortable with going #2. This training potty makes it more comfortable, especially for kiddos who have some fear or discomfort around going. The footrest lifts their legs into a squatting position that's been proven to make going easier!

The First Years Super Pooper Plus Potty Toilet Training Seat ($36.99)—Buy Here!

The First Years Sit or Stand Potty & Urinal 2-in-One Potty Training Chair

The First Years

The 2-in-1 seat clips to the side of your toilet for an adjustable height urinal, or can be set straight up on the floor for a traditional training potty!

The First Years Sit or Stand Potty & Urinal 2-in-1 Potty Training Chair ($19.99)—Buy Here!

Double-Up Step Stool

Set of two interlocking grey stools
Skip Hop

The space-saving nesting design creates either a double-step-up stool or two separate stools to assist kids in reaching the sink for washing up or stand-up potty training!

Double Step-Up Stool ($22.00)—Buy Here!

OXO Tot 2-in-1 Potty with Travel Bag

2-in-1 travel potty
OXO

On-the-go potty training problems be gone! This seat works as a stand-alone potty with disposable bags (3 included) or can clip onto any standard toilet seat!

OXO Tot 2-in-1 Potty with Travel Bag ($20.95)—Buy Here!

Friday Baby All-in-One Potty Kit

Frida Baby All in One Potty Kit
Frida Baby

A one-and-done kit for all your potty training needs, it includes the Frida Baby Grow-With-Me Potty, toilet-topper, step-stool, and clean-up essentials!

Frida Baby All-in-One Potty Kit ($55.00)—Buy Here!

MooMoo Baby 8-Pack Toddler Training Underwear

8 pack toddler training underwear
MooMoo Baby

Amazon reviewers are gaa-gaa for these training undies! With extra-absorbent fabric that’s still soft and comfy on kids' skin and several styles to choose from, it's easy to see why verified Amazon customers rate these 4.6 stars!

MooMoo Baby 8-Pack Toddler Training Underwear ($26.32)—Buy Here!

Seat Magic Stickers

Cradle Plus

These stickers react to heat, so when your kiddo goes potty, the sticker changes from black to a fun image! They're reusable and shown to be extremely effective in getting your child trained within 1-3 days (all kiddos are different, but having a fully-trained little one within 3 days is a definite possibility!).

Seat Magic Stickers ($12.99)—Buy Here!

All the products listed are independently & personally selected by our shopping editors.

If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.

All images courtesy of retailers.

Who uses social media? *Counts sea of hands*

Do you ever notice how social media can mess with our understanding of our individual children’s developmental paths? We often start to question where they are in their development compared to everyone else’s kids. And we then allow this comparison to determine our feelings of parental success—or failure.

How Social Media Can Negatively Affect Us

First, let’s look at how social media can affect us as individuals in general. Social media has been shown in several studies to be correlated to a decrease in self-esteem and an increase in depressive symptoms. Psychologist Melissa G. Hunt published an article in the December 2018 issue of the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology that even went so far as to say that there is a causal link between social media use and “decreased well-being.” Causal link!

This effect is similar to how we feel after looking at fashion and beauty magazines where we compare ourselves to a photoshopped (read: not possible) “ideal.” I’ve always wondered how supermodels feel seeing themselves in photos looking, well, not like they actually look. It has got to be bizarre. I guess at least they know the truth while the rest of us look on in awe, putting ourselves down.

Social media is no different. People post the best events, vacations, moments and often don’t share the behind-the-scenes reality. Can their lives really be THAT perfect? The definitive answer is a resounding NO WAY!

No one’s life is as perfect as they make it seem. And we know that, really. We know that there are 20+ photos taken before “the one” is captured for someone’s fashion blog. We know that props are purchased and arranged “just so” for someone’s food styling post. We know that bordering the picturesque square image posted to Instagram there are piles of laundry and dirty dishes. But it still can eat at us.

How Social Media Can Negatively Affect Us—as Parents

Unfortunately, our opinions of our children are not spared when it comes to social media comparisons. It usually begins innocuously enough: we post pictures of our beautiful children, share their growth and share our pride—and our friends and connections do the same.

Everyone is sharing the positives, which should be great, right? Well, on the one hand, it is beautiful. Boast! Be proud! Applaud your little ones! But, the other hand holds the negative reality.

We see our friends’ children sitting, crawling, walking, talking, running, singing, sleeping, and toilet training sooner than ours. We then launch into hours-long google searches of our specific comparison and concern, which prompts us to believe that our child’s supposed delay is absolutely, without a doubt, due to our excessive consumption of pizza bagels in high school.

And then the judgment turns inward. We feel that somehow our child’s natural timeline is a reflection of our parenting. My child’s path means I am a success or a failure. I wish we parents had that much power, but the reality is, we don’t.

Remember the age-old “nature vs. nurture” debate? Well, it continues, but I feel that when it comes to general development, nature is quite strong. Personally, I never knew how little control I could have over another human being until I had my children. A serious lesson in humility.

Social Media Is Not All Bad

So, it looks like I just wrote an *ahem* social media article that describes *ahem* social media as a mental health monster. I guess I kind of did, but here’s the other side of the coin: I also don’t think it’s bad all the time or to everyone.

Social media is ubiquitous in this day and age. Kids from one to 92 (Nat King Cole, anyone?) use the internet on the daily. In a lot of ways, it’s wonderful. Social media has enabled the world to become a smaller place in which living thousands of miles from family doesn’t have to mean only hearing their voice occasionally. Now you can see their faces on their pages or even use video calling apps to have as close to in-person conversations as possible!

If your family is military and you’ve moved a lot, I am sure you can attest to the beauty of the internet and social media. I personally love that my children know their grandparents in the United Kingdom so well through social media that when we visit them, they don’t miss a beat engaging with them.

With social media, you learn about how your friends are doing and even if you aren’t in person to be with them through life’s milestones, you are there digitally. That can be priceless.

You will have your own opinions about social media and its effect on your life. Whatever your current relationship with the virtual world, I suggest following these five steps to maintain your positive sense of self and your well-deserved pride in yourself and your perfect-as-they-are children:

1. Do a surface-level clean of your feed.

If you love seeing your best friend’s posts because her kids are a hoot, keep checking them out. But, if you compare yourself or your child to another friend’s posts, unfollow them (you don’t have to “unfriend” to not see their content!).

2. Find pages or groups that lift you up or that show the real side of life, like this one!

I will post the good, the bad and all the in-between, because I know we all experience it and I want you to know you’re not alone. Full disclosure: I was starting to get on myself for that danged chipped toe polish, now clearly displayed in both picture and video form!…but instead of envying those mamas that get regular pedis (I can still hope to be one someday), I will simply celebrate when I choose to do something about it, which may be tomorrow or may be next week… or may be I’ll wait until it grows out and I can start fresh.

3. Remember the mantra: “Their Own Path at Their Own Pace”

Follow whomever you want to follow online, but remind yourself that every child is on their own path. Some will walk at 10 months—super exciting of course—but may not show any more athletic prowess than that. Some will start to speak around then—music to a mama’s ears—but may be so shy they only speak in the home. Some do everything late but go on to be a world leader or famous singer or Olympic athlete. You never know! And honestly, it seems like most children’s skills are caught up in one way or another by the time they start school.

So remember: Your child is special and your child is perfect for himself or for herself. He or she is following their own path at their own pace. The sooner we can embrace that, which is hard of course, the sooner we can see our child as they are and love them all the more.

4. Do a deep clean.

If you’ve done all of the above, then maybe it really is time for the big-time, deep-cleaning social media purge. Go through your connections and remove anyone who is bringing you down. I know everyone is on a #KonMari kick in their homes and why not online too? If someone is not “sparking joy,” then good riddance!

Ensure your main feeds are chock full of sources of happiness. After all, you are an amazing mama and you deserve it.

5. If needed, have your child assessed.

If you are honest with yourself that your concern about your child’s development is deeper than social media comparisons, then please, have your children assessed! (And stop Googling!) Most big cities have programs in place, that are often free or low cost, to evaluate your child for speech, developmental delays, occupational therapy and behavioral therapy needs.

Or, you could do an at-home assessment. I personally like to use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ3) as a gauge of how my children doing in terms of their communication, fine motor, gross motor, problem-solving and personal-emotional development. Early intervention often leads to better long-term outcomes.

Christina Furnival
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I am a mom to two young kids, a licensed psychotherapist, and a children's book author. My passion is to help and empower moms and children to understand themselves better, navigate challenge confidently, and live the life they want. Visit me at ChristinaFurnival.com

New parents in the world are constantly wondering: When can I begin potty training? (Some don’t even realize that, with the right information, they can even begin potty training their baby).

Believe it or not, there are options for the first year of life (yes! you heard me right!), as well as the 11-18 month range, and 18 months and beyond.

So which potty training age is truly most beneficial to your child’s health?

There is a lot of crap out there on the internet about potty training, pun absolutely intended. It can boggle the mind. And there are a lot of marketing-fueled lies circulating (with the primary aim of selling more diapers). So. Because the current society is so convinced of certain mistruths, we need to push those aside right now. Before we dive into which potty training method works best for each age range (super-detailed info below), let’s first get something crystal- clear: Early potty training will NOT damage your child in any way.

There is no scientific study that actually proves that early potty training will harm your child (contrary to Dr. Hodges’ marketing influence, which is based on a study that doesn’t say early potty training will damage them, but that incomplete emptying of the bladder will).

And late potty training (starting at 2 years old and up) CAN potentially damage your child, in many ways. (This article compares and cites all the science that proves this, inarguably.)

The point:

• If your child is already over 18 months old, get educated and begin potty training this week.

• If your child is less than 18 months old, it can only benefit your child to begin today, in some way, big or small.

The science supports it. Again, I will break the ages down further, below, so keep on reading. And the most healthy time to begin? Early, early, early. As early as birth. (As early as wherever YOU are when you read this post.)

Establishing healthy potty use and attitudes from an early age is beneficial to your child, on so many levels. Parents: You get to choose, from birth, whether to train your baby into using the diaper as a full-time toilet, or using the toilet as a full-time toilet.

Full permission granted to choose what works for you (and a little bit of research might be necessary so you can feel confident executing this decision!).

Okay, now that this myth is completely disproven, we can confidently move in to answer the question: “At what age can I potty train my child?”

The top method for starting potty training at 0-12 months

The method you would use for starting potty learning with babies 0-12 months is called “elimination communication.” It is a way of tending to your child’s natural instincts for cleanliness by learning and responding to the signals, rhythms, and preferences of your baby.

It is not hard to do, and you can do it part-time! And the earlier you start, the sooner you integrate this into your life and it becomes your “normal”…no potty training usually necessary. Learn more about elimination communication (EC) on my EC 101 page here.

The best method for starting potty training at 11-16 months

To start potty training with 11-16 month (likely walking) babies, which is actually considered by Montessori school of thought to be the “sensitive period” (the best time!) to begin toilet learning, you would use either pure EC or a hybrid of EC/potty training.

This is a time period where you can both begin and wrap up toilet learning all within one developmental stage! Learn more about why starting at 12-18 months is great with this post and video here.

The top method for starting potty training at 15-20 months

To start toilet training a 15-20 month toddler, you’ve already mostly passed the EC window (although you can give it a whirl if you’ve got a super laid-back, not-yet-walking baby!)…and you’re now sitting at what’s called early start potty training. But, don’t you dare feel bad! You will now spend less time potty training/doing EC and more time teaching the final pieces of independence. Like ripping off a Band-aid, potty training at 18-24 months is a much more rapid process than EC (and it should be! Toddlers crave mastery at this stage, and being lax or hands-off about toilet training at any toddler age is a disservice to your wonderful toddler!!). Learn about early potty training on my Potty Training 101 page here.

The best method for starting potty training at 20 months and up

For this, you’d also do the same as the previous age range, but it’s not going to be called early potty training…just your regular ole run-of-the-mill potty training (but pls don’t use a boot camp or gradual plan!). Again, do not feel badly! The earlier you begin, the sooner you’ll be done, and you do not have to wait for readiness signs or fear that you’ll harm your child by doing the training too early. That is all BS funded by the diaper companies.

Some quick reassuring facts (for those of you who are skimming)

Which is the best time to potty train your child? Whatever age your child currently is. That is the best time to start the learning…now!

What is the current average age of potty training completion in the US? 36-38 months average.

What is the current age of toileting independence in the rest of the world? 12 months average.

What was the toilet training age in 1957 in the US? 92% of children were toilet trained by 18 months of age.

What would happen if we reduced the toilet training age by 1 year (from 3 to 2 years old)? The diaper companies would lose approximately $8 billion/year in revenues.

Remember: You can begin potty training at any age, starting as early as birth. It just looks a little different at each stage. And, no shame mama/daddy! You are where you are right now, given what you’ve learned so far. Now you know some more stuff about what age is best to begin potty training, get started today. We’re rooting for you!

 

Andrea Olson is an author and expert in potty training by Elimination Communication (EC). She's worked with thousands of parents worldwide to make the practice of pottying their babies efficient and enjoyable! She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology and lives in Asheville with her husband and 5 children (all EC'd from birth).

Before answering this question, I always begin by asking a parent to imagine what it would be like if their spouse or partner made an announcement one day, out of the blue, that went something like this: 

“I have exciting news. You are a wonderful spouse and I love you very much. But, I have decided for our family that it would be incredible if we got another spouse to live with us and join our family. It is going to be so great! And, you will be the special ‘first’ spouse who gets to teach this new spouse everything you know. You are going to love it!” 

Most of us would say something like, “Really?! …Seriously?” 

This is basically how the idea of a new baby can come across to an only child. Of course, this news should be shared joyfully; however, I am suggesting that parents be mindful of the magnitude of the changes it will bring to the family dynamic and the questions it may raise for the firstborn. 

For the child who has had the undivided attention of the adults in his or her world for the first few years (or more) of life, this is a significant change and a transition with which a young child has nothing to compare it. So, in addition to a predictable schedule, plenty of rest, nutritious food and clear limits, there will undoubtedly be times when they need extra support.

Let’s start with timing. I have seen many parents excitedly share news of their pregnancy with their first born as soon as they themselves receive it. Although generally, I don’t think that keeping secrets from children is a good idea, timing is an important thing to consider when telling a child that they are going to have a sibling.

Young children do not have a good grasp of the concept of time and struggle to comprehend just when this event will happen.  Phrases like, “next summer” or “this October” have little meaning for the young child. Young children basically recognize three standards of time: yesterday (which is everything in the past), the present (which is right now) and tomorrow—which is everything in the future. A more sophisticated understanding of time does not fully emerge until age seven.

I have on many occasions seen happy, carefree young children become anxious when they receive this information from their parents very early in the pregnancy. They don’t have a sense of when this event—possibly as long as eight months away—will take place or what it will mean for them.

At the nursery school where I worked, we would even sometimes observe a happy child suddenly turn out-of-sorts.  Separation anxiety or other behavior that indicates stress, such as biting or toilet training regression, would appear. Teachers would take note, provide extra support for the child and check in with the parents. Frequently, parents would share the news that they were expecting another child and that there were daily talks about it with their child in an attempt to prepare their child for the baby’s arrival. Their conversations often emphasized how great it was going to be for the child to be a big brother or big sister. 

Prior to sharing the big news, it might be helpful to talk with your child about families in general. Ask them questions to determine what they already know about families.  Explain that some have just one child, as yours does, some have several children. Have your child think about family models in your immediate family and your circle of friends. Mention that someday your family might grow to have more than one child.

Point out different family structures in the books that you read as well. Welcome their observations and questions. If you have siblings, share stories about your memories of brothers and sisters. Depending on the age of your child, children under four may have a limited understanding of family relationships, so talk with children about families in the simplest of terms.

This is an excellent opportunity to point out that not every family is the same. Some have just one mom or dad, or two moms and two dads.  The one thing that all families have in common? Lots of love.

Nursery schools often have children bring in photographs of their family to display in the classroom, and this is another good way for children to learn about different family makeups.

I remember interviewing children for a short film that I was making about the Little Folks Nursery School and asking them what a family is. Their responses were endearing and hilarious and went something like this: “a family is people that live together, a family is a place where someone gives you food, a family is the people that take care of you and give you hugs.”

When sharing news of an addition to the family, rather than trying to convince a young one that this new baby is going to be the best thing that has ever happened to them, I suggest framing the news in this way: “We are going to have a new baby in our family.” If you can reference a baby in another family that your child knows, that gives them a concrete example.

“We are excited, just as we were when we were expecting you. Babies are so sweet and cuddly but, in the beginning, I will have to feed them a lot and change their diaper”. While it’s okay to offer the “helper” position, this can add to the confusion when parents push it too hard. Because young children are so literal, they can misunderstand what the expectations are and feel like they will be expected to have too much responsibility. 

Unlike my hypothetical story about getting another wife or husband, your child can absorb this news on their terms when the news is calmly and simply presented. And remember, the changes this event will bring to your family are ultimately positive. It may be challenging at times, but by giving your child a sibling, you are giving them a gift. As someone who is the youngest in a family of five children, I can certainly attest to “the more, the merrier.”

I am a parent and grandparent with over four decades of experience in early childhood education. I share my passion, wisdom and experience, with parents and the people who care for and about children at Little Folks Big Questions, where we're out to answer the questions parents face in today's world.

No matter what method you use to potty-train your tykes, you can always use a little help motivating your kids to go when they need to—and hopefully get to the potty on time! “The Toilet Song” from The Wiggles is the new potty time anthem you’ve been waiting for.

The new tune from The Wiggles just dropped on YouTube and it couldn’t more perfect for encouraging toddlers to get their business done. This ingenious melody asks kids to take the toilet challenge. The Wiggles ask kids to make sure they are sitting on the toilet in order to listen, guaranteeing that tots will take their time on the potty and not rush away before they—or the conveniently timed three-minute song—are done.

Blue Wiggle (Anthony Field) explained, “Parents have been asking The Wiggles for decades now to write a song about toilet training, as this is such a big issue in early childhood. We know this song will make toilet training fun for children and be a help to those caring for them.”

The song can be viewed for free on The Wiggles YouTube Channel here. “The Toilet Song” is also available as a music single for download on most digital music services, including iTunes and Google Play, as well as streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: The Wiggles

 

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Photo: Marisa Svalstedt

By now everyone has gotten word that potty training is the pits. It isn’t a simple explanation from parent to child while sitting comfortably in Betty Draper’s powder room. In most cases, it involves actual work, and not the kind of work that’s completed in two hours, giving one just enough time to fit a grocery shopping trip in before dinner. It’s emotionally draining for both parent and child. While there are some out there who are able to breeze through this process with the help of a very enthusiastic child, happily giving up their diapers to become a “big kid,” it’s best to assume it’s most likely going to be more like chaos, that possibly smells. One sees things they never expect to see, does things they never imagined they’d do, and says things they never thought would come up in everyday conversation without so much as a second thought. Honestly, it changes a person. You’ll feel emotional, see a lot of yucky, and become surprisingly unfiltered.

There will be pee everywhere.

You may not see it, you may not smell it, yet, but believe me, it’s there. Potty seats don’t move from the toilet to that little hanger thing without dripping something on your bathmats, or floors, and as much as you hope they will, your little darlings won’t always wipe very well.  The bathroom may seem clean. You may half-heartedly inspect and assume it’s just fine, but rest assured, there is pee. Have the Clorox ready.

There shall be rejoicing…over bodily functions.

That’s right. You will seriously celebrate a turd successfully making it into the toilet in the same manner as a drunken football fan celebrating his team scoring the winning touchdown on Super bowl Sunday, and you will mean it with all your heart.

The celebrating will continue in public.

After making a big deal over finally using the toilet successfully, all those songs you made up, and all that praise will eventually seep through the cracks of your bathroom door and follow you on outings. It may come in the form of accidently singing songs about going to the bathroom while grocery shopping; or your child may happily scream, “I went poopie on the potty!” in the center of a crowded parking lot or in the middle of dinner at Olive Garden. It’s a heck of a balance trying to appear encouraging for the sake of your proud child between mouthing, “I’m sorry” to surprised onlookers.

There will be far more TMI.

As though you thought you couldn’t get any more graphic about your adventures in baby raising…You will start sending beloved family members text messages along the lines of, “I just had to have a conversation about skid marks, and why they happen,” when they are simply inquiring via text about how your day is going.

You will throw things away without a second thought.

Remember the days you lovingly scrubbed food stains off your favorite onesie? Forget about salvaging that adorable pair of Paw Patrol underwear. I’m all for not being wasteful but when your kid has a #2 accident at Target those undies are going straight to the trash. I’m not a hero. I’m too keen on sticking poopie pants into a plastic bag for the thrill of bringing them home to scrape, and scrub. I need to get to the check-out counter and complete my mission because I may not make it back to Target for two whole days. For now, toss the crappy clothes, buy new ones, done. This will later become excellent conversation material for the fellow mothers in ballet class.

If you have a girl…

If you have a girl your husband will complain about how inconvenient it is taking his daughter out because going to the bathroom is impossible. He will explain that men are disgusting and pee all over the seats, and how it’s just not sanitary. I’ve got news for you honey. Women are nasty too. They also pee on the seats, and you don’t even want to know what monstrosity I saw happening in the toilet at Starbucks yesterday. While we are on the subject, you wouldn’t believe the bodily horrors I found working in the fitting rooms at Macys. If I told you about what some of these “ladies” accomplished you’d probably never feel the same about women ever again. Which gender should be regarded as “more gross” is highly debatable.  Now take your daughter to the bathroom.

It is a surpisingly powerful bonding experience…in one of the least expected places…

Potty training changes a person, because in order to make it through one needs to become positive and patient while feeling frustrated, desensitized to the gross, and also, ready for the bonding experience of a lifetime. That’s right. Toilet training a little one surprisingly brings parent and child closer together. Even though the kid is the one expected to deliver results, parents are the people who cheer them on, maintain positive reinforcement, and persist when things appear impossible. It’s icky, and discussion people don’t necessarily want to hear about over dinner, but it’s also, well, kind of wonderful. It’s pretty awesome helping these little ones become more self-sufficient, finally achieving success at last. When you are sitting on the bathroom floor, holding your child’s hands assuring them it’s all going to be OK, you forget for a spell about the icky occurrences, unnecessarily graphic conversations, and simply soak in a moment being the source of encouraging, understanding, and loving strength. The rest will become nothing more than a good laugh, most assuredly during the least appropriate of moments.

Marisa Svalstedt is a stay-at-home mom living in Connecticut, wth her husband, their daughter, and very fluffy cat, Aslan. She received her MA in English from Western Connecticut State University. She's been featured on Babble, The Mighty, and Suburban Misfit Mom. She enjoys photography, crochet, trampolines, and coffee.

Photo:PRO

I haven’t been successful with my kids’ potty-training.Whenever I hear unsolicited side comments about my daughter’s inability to stick her butt on the toilet bowl even if she’s four-years-old, I feel bad not just for myself but also for my little child. I’ve tried training and explaining to her why she shouldn’t be using diaper anymore, but I guess every child has its own learning curve. It just so happened that hers was not an impressive one.

Good if your child was able to cope up right away with this potty stuff. While you’re beaming proudly about your child’s accomplishment, it would also be nice if you don’t compare yours to mine, especially in front of my child. You’re a parent, you’d probably know the reason why (does psychological effects ring a bell? Good!).

I’ve learned to understand how my child just can’t do it in one go and I’m ok with her SLOWLY getting away with wearing that “D” thing.

Screaming out in frustration, harsh talking, shaming, comparing her to others – I’ve done that (on top of the traditional way of potty-training). But when I saw how my daughter has struggled with it, I felt guilty and I hated myself for not being able to understand her when I should be the very first soul to do so. I gave up and instead allow her to learn on her own.

Here are the reasons why I am OK (just recently) with my pre-schooler to still depend on a diaper.

1. I don’t want to bombard my daughter with harsh words every time she opts not to drop her bomb in the toilet. I love her so much that I choose not to be pushy over things that she should work on as a growing child. Let her learn on her own and now I’m happy seeing improvements from her.

2. I want my daughter to be spared from embarrassment when in school. Familiar with uncontrollable bowel movement? I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown up hearing (experiencing, maybe?) embarrassing stories when early school-aged children just suddenly dropped it anywhere, anytime when they can’t hold on too long for it. Such incidents sometimes result to absence from school for a week and some would even quit a school year.

3. Let’s be honest, mommies are also spared from frequent changing and washing of bed sheets. Don’t forget the nasty smell when pee dries on your sheets. For longer sleep (at night time), a diaper is a must for your little ones whether you like it or not. Need to mention that awkward feeling of floating in the sea when in fact its a pond of pee in your bed?

4. I love her and I want her to be damn confident even with a diaper on her butt. Every child is unique and special. I want her to feel that despite some of her inabilities, she has tons of things to be proud of. Who says learning to poop in the toilet is a race? She’ll definitely throw her diaper off at the right time.

For the record, she wears it when she goes to school, away from home and during night time. But still, you get this nasty look from people who usually equates successful potty-training to successful parenting (BOO!!).

I don’t care if she’s not consistent with her toilet training. I don’t care if she still wears a diaper on. I don’t care if we still have to stock some diapers. I know she’s trying and she’s improving. It doesn’t need to happen in a snap of a finger. Her inability to “un-diaper” her cute butts won’t make me love her less. I want her to know that, so I’m allowing her to wear diaper even if she’s four.

I am a proud mother of two adorable little stinkers who wrestles with me in bed and almost everywhere in the house. Motherhood is a great journey packed with sweet, fun, crazy moments paired with endless rants and more blunt stories. Hence, the birth of zkbuzybuzz.com.