Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
News Flash: Accidents WILL happen during potty training! 🚽💥
If you see your toddler suddenly walk over to a quiet corner, stare blankly into space, or squat down behind the couch to do their business... take a deep breath. That is your gentle biological reminder that potty training is actually potty learning.
It is a non-linear process, meaning there will naturally be steps forward, sudden plateaus, and temporary steps backward.
The Over-Prompting Trap:
In this video, I jokingly depict a habit I hope we can all avoid - constantly asking your child every 10 minutes: "Do you need to use the potty? Are you sure? How about now?"
When we constantly badger them to go, two things happen:
They feel immense pressure, which activates their natural toddler desire for control.
They reflexively say "NO!" and then immediately have an accident 2 minutes later. 🫠
What to Do Instead:
Instead of constantly asking, watch for their non-verbal body language cues (squatting, fidgeting, crossing legs, going quiet). When you see a cue, calmly lead them to the bathroom with a confident statement like: "It's time to sit on the potty now," rather than a question.
Normalize the messy learning curve, keep your cool during the inevitable accidents, and celebrate the small wins! 🤍
Subscribe to @PedsDocTalk for evidence-based toddler milestones, behavioral scripts, and realistic parenting truth. #short
News Flash: Accidents WILL happen during potty training! 🚽💥
If you see your toddler suddenly walk over to a quiet corner, stare blankly into space, or squat down behind the couch to do their business... take a deep breath. That is your gentle biological reminder that potty training is actually potty learning.
It is a non-linear process, meaning there will naturally be steps forward, sudden plateaus, and temporary steps backward.
The Over-Prompting Trap:
In this video, I jokingly depict a habit I hope we can all avoid - constantly asking your child every 10 minutes: "Do you need to use the potty? Are you sure? How about now?"
When we constantly badger them to go, two things happen:
They feel immense pressure, which activates their natural toddler desire for control.
They reflexively say "NO!" and then immediately have an accident 2 minutes later. 🫠
What to Do Instead:
Instead of constantly asking, watch for their non-verbal body language cues (squatting, fidgeting, crossing legs, going quiet). When you see a cue, calmly lead them to the bathroom with a confident statement like: "It's time to sit on the potty now," rather than a question.
Normalize the messy learning curve, keep your cool during the inevitable accidents, and celebrate the small wins! 🤍
Subscribe to @PedsDocTalk for evidence-based toddler milestones, behavioral scripts, and realistic parenting truth. #short
