Figure Out Your Kid's Potty Training Schedule

Most parents don't have hours to sit in the bathroom and wait (and wait and wait) while their kid sits on the potty. The best way to avoid long, unproductive bathroom sessions (and frustrating meltdowns) is to figure out when your kid has to go. By being tuned in to your child's elimination habits and observing your child's gotta-go signals, you can start to teach him to recognize when he's gotta go—which makes your kid one step closer to a diaper-free lifestyle!

Here are my tips for figuring out your kid's potty schedule:

• Keep a potty journal. Over the next few days, check your child's diaper every hour, and jot down what you find.
  
  
• Look for patterns. Once you have a log of your child's elimination habits for a few days, start looking for patterns. Does he poop right before a nap? Does she always pee an hour after she drinks her juice? Take note of those times and realize that those are good opportunities to put your kid on the potty for a practice session.
  
  
• Watch for potty signals. Does your child do anything out of the ordinary before he has to go? Many children give some sort of signal, whether it's crossing their legs, fidgeting, pacing or holding their genitals.
  
  
• Practice, but don't pressure. If you do see a signal that your kid has to go potty, put your hand on her belly and ask, "Can you feel how your tummy feels right now? That means you have to use the potty." And then race off to the potty. Let her sit on it for a few minutes without putting any pressure on her to go.

Remember: Logging the dirty details of your kid's elimination habits probably isn't high on the fun chart (though remember how obsessed we were about it when our babies were newborns?). Still, keeping track takes the guesswork out of potty training—and helps you to avoid doing 13 extra loads of laundry over the next few weeks.

Bottoms up!

Time to share: Did you find any recognizable potty patterns with your child? Tell us about your potty schedule in the comments below.
Read all of Teri Crane's potty training tips. GO!

Get support & tips from other potty-training parents on our Potty Training Message Board. GO!