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When my friend called me and said that she was nervous about potty training her 2-year-old twins, I knew I could help.  Potty Training seems to be one of those things that people worry about, only to find that if you have a plan, it’s not nearly as bad as they thought!

So, when she called to ask for my best potty training tips to help her potty train two-year-old toddlers, I wanted to share the tips here, too.  I potty trained our four children, right before they turned two, in about 2-3 days each.  I potty trained them in a weekend, without tears or frustration.  I wanted my friend to have the same experience.

Here are the potty training tips that I gave her, along with some of my favorite products with affiliate links so you can find them quicker.  I hope that they help you, as well.

 A view of a child\'s legs sitting on a toilet with text below her.

Potty Training a 2-Year-Old:  Ten Potty Training Tips

  1. Patience.
    Yes, Yes… I know.  Patience is a no-brainer, right?  When you are potty training toddler boys & girls,  you need to be patient.  It’s the truth. If you aren’t patient during the toilet training, you aren’t going to be able to make it through your potty training experience with a happy child.   Potty Training successes are more fun when you are celebrating with a happy child!
    Start when you are ready and when you don’t have too much going on.  Usually, when you are ready for potty training (and ready to give it a go), your child is ready, too.   A child learns how to react to things from you, so be calm, patient and ready to go… and your child will be, too!
  2. Potty Train in a Weekend Book.
    This book gives you the tools to potty train in 3 days. You read it during the week, get what you need and get started on Friday.
    By Sunday your child will be potty trained. I wrote every step out to make it a no-brainer. It has been on the best-seller list and is now available as an ebook, print book, or audiobook. 🙂
  3. Prepare ahead of time.
    It is a good idea to get everything that you need ready before you begin: your potty seat, toilet paper, training pants (if you want to use them at night), cleaning supplies!! I suggest reading Potty Train in a Weekend a few days before you actually potty train because you will want to have all of your ducks in a row. If you do, it will make your potty training days fly by. link to potty coloring packet for potty training a 2 year old
  4. Big kid underwear.
    I took our kids to the store to pick out the big kid underwear that they would use after we finished the weekend. I suggest these training underwear for a few weeks, too, just in case an accident would happen (less cleanup for you).They were perfect for us because we are always on the go with four kids and sometimes I just couldn’t get to the bathroom quick enough (usually after the training, the “accidents” will just be more of a dribble, so these underwear were enough to make it not go through to their pants)!
  5. Talk about it.
    “This weekend, we will be using the potty.  You will be sitting on the potty and then you will pee in the potty! I’m so excited!” Look at different potty chairs! (I even tell you which is my favorite). 
  6. Show them.
    Let them start to go into the bathroom with you.  Talk about what you are doing and how you are NOT doing it in your pants.  Explain that bowel movements happen in the potty and that they will go in the potty, too.  “No more dirty diapers for you!  You will be staying dry and you will go potty in the toilet” (or potty).     Let your child sit on the toilet even before you start potty training if he or she is interested.
  7. Stock up on fruit juice.
    I don’t normally give our kids juice, but when we were potty training I pushed liquids just a little more to give them more opportunities to go to the bathroom. I did this with juice because it was such a treat!
  8. Start showing your child how big kids wear underwear.
    Talk about their cousins, big siblings or even parents. Now talk about babies and how babies wear diapers, but big kids do not.
  9. Be OK with imperfection.
    I feel like I need to point out that perfection is never going to happen. Children will have accidents for the next few years. Even older children have accidents. This is simply that… an accident. Don’t lose your patience, just talk about it and move on.
  10. Choose a time when you can stay home.
    This will make potty training so much easier. In Potty Train in a Weekend, we talk about how to use your time at home to potty train (but there is also a chapter on potty training on the go, so if you have to go out, be sure to read that one first).
  11. Remember… be kind.   According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents often find themselves frustrated during potty training, more than any other time, because “the child’s frustrations and imperfect attempts at self-control are easily mistaken for willful disobedience.”
    This is not the case. Your child is learning and you have the ability to be the most amazing teacher.  Be that person for them.  Teach them, guide them, take care of them, and praise them.   Let them learn to trust you and let this be a time that is remembered with a smile, not frustration.

For more help, Check out Potty Train in a Weekend 

Potty Train In A Weekend Cover 2

Need more potty training tips? Check out these articles.

Just click on the picture to get to the post!

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I hope you find these tips for potty training a 2 year old helpful! To get more parenting tips and family advice, follow Your Modern Family on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest!

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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2 Comments

  1. Hi! a pleasant morning to you. I’m really interested on your tips about kid ideas, and know more about your recipes too…thanks and God bless.

  2. Becky, #11 is my favorite. It really speaks to me. As a single mom, having to work full time outside of the home. It is sometimes overwhelming. I often felt out numbered with a set of special needs twins. It is easy to be rushed and not patient enough when your to do list is a long as your arm. The gentle reminder that your “attitude” is so very important and that they and myself don’t have to be perfect.