How to Potty Train Your Son in Just One Day

Potting training your child can be one of the hardest parts of parenthood. There will likely be a lot of trial and error and plenty of chances to become frustrated. That's why we believe that the easiest way to approach toilet training is to get it done in one shot during a 24-hour period. Yes, it is possible to potty train your son in just one day, and we'll tell you how. We'll provide tips for about how to gather everything you need for the special day and ideas for what to say to your son to prepare him for this big step in his life. Finally, we'll provide advice about what to do once your child is successful on the potty.

The first step you must take if you want to potty train your son in just one day is to be certain that he's ready. If your son is not committed, then you won't be able to train him in one day. In fact, you may not be successful for a while. Signs that a child is ready for potty training include:

• Your son verbally voices his disgust of dirty diapers.
• Your son is drier for longer.
• He asks to wear big kid pants.
• He regularly tells you when he needs to go to the bathroom.
• The child is mature for his age.

If you try to potty train before your son is ready, you likely won't get anywhere. You'll likely get more stressed and it won't be good for anyone. When your son seems like he's getting close, start talking about potty training by discussing how he will soon go on the toilet like mommy and daddy.

Next, you need to ensure you have everything you need for the big day. The biggest decision is whether you want to use an individual potty chair or a potty seat that you can install over the regular toilet seat. Either option will be fine. It just depends on your preference. You'll also want to get underwear and pull-ups. Even though you'll hope that your son will soon be done wearing pull-ups, he may still need to wear them at night while he sleeps. Once your son is potty trained, you'll want to have enough underwear so he'll be in good shape going forward.

If you see several signs that it's the right time, then the key to being able to potty train your son in just one day is to start planning in advance. As a first step, make a ritual out of saying goodbye to diapers. Have your son take off his diaper, hold it up, and literally wave to it as he says goodbye. Then, have him walk over and dispose of the diaper in the trash. Allow your son to celebrate. The happier he is, the more likely you are to succeed with this. As a parent, you must be committed to this routine. The best way to do that is to stop buying diapers, so even if your son fails right away, you won't give in and put a diaper on him.

Another way to prepare for your one-day potting training is to get your son in underwear a couple of weeks before the big day. Go to the store with your son, show him the selection of underwear, and let him choose the one he likes the most. If he likes it, he's more likely to wear it. Ideally, you want to buy potty-training pants just in case he has an accident before he's potty-trained, and he likely will. Don't scold your son if he has an accident, but try your best to get him on the toilet quickly so he can get used to the motions.

Set a date for when you plan to potty train your son in just one day. Have it be a day when you can give your child your full attention. So, a weekend may be best or a day that you take off of work. During that day, spend time with your son. Read books, play around, eat snacks, and do everything within close proximity of the toilet. That day, either let your son wear his shorts or go commando so he's ready when the mood strikes. During the day, constantly remind your son that he should let you know when he has to go potty. Don't ask, "Do you have to go potty?" because he'll likely say no. Instead, say "Let me know when you need to go" and you'll give your son the ability to decide.

Your one-day potty training program begins as soon as your son wakes up in the morning. Bring him directly to the bathroom, sit him on the toilet, and see what happens. If he's not yet ready to go, then wait about 15 minutes and try again. You'll likely need to continue this routine throughout the day. Sometimes, your son will ask to go to the toilet, but he won't every time. The idea here is to get your son into a routine. Since you probably have other things to do that day, it's wise to set a timer for at least every 20-30 minutes and put your child on the toilet. Hopefully, you'll see some success as the hours go by.

Keep in mind that it's not easy to potty train your son in just one day. So keep your expectations in check and don't get upset if it doesn't work right away. Avoid yelling at all costs. If you yell, your son will likely get scared and cry, and it could be weeks before he'll try going potty again. Instead, try to remain calm. Your son will have plenty of accidents over the course of the day, so be ready and be prepared for cleanup. Whenever there is an accident, just repeat something like "Remember, we want to poop and pee in the toilet."

If you want to potty train your son in just one day, then you need to celebrate every single win. If your son runs to the bathroom on his own, celebrate. Even if he pees only one drop in the toilet, tell him how proud you are. Clap your hands, hug him, do a little dance, or do whatever else you do to show him that you're proud. Many parents try to potty train their child by bribing him with stickers, snacks, and whatever gets him to the toilet. However, this is a bad idea. Your child may try to take advantage and only go to the bathroom when he knows he's going to get something special. Instead, use your words and express how proud you are, and that will likely do the trick.

Hopefully, by the end of that first day, your son will repeatedly ask to go to the bathroom and successfully pee and poop on the toilet. Keep in mind that it may take a few days. Once he seems ready, feel free to go to the next step and leave the house to run your errands or go about your day. If your son asks to go to the bathroom, bring him to one immediately. If he has an accident, remind him that he needs to go to the toilet. Tell him that if there isn't a toilet, he needs to wait until you get home. It may take a couple of times, but eventually, your son will understand the routine.

While the goal is to potty train your son in just one day, and these tips will help, recognize that not every child will be ready to go within a 24-hour period. Some kids may seem like they're all set to go, but they become afraid on the big day and hesitate. Other kids can take several days to potty train. Some can take months. Others can take years. It all depends on the kid. Don't take offense, and don't get overly worried. Just stick with your son, and one day, he'll sit on the potty like everyone else.