Mami & Me: Potty training, you’ve arrived at the finish line, right? Well, yes and no

I think we can all agree that being a first-time mom is not an easy job and there are plenty of learning experiences. Now that my son is three years old, we have officially potty-trained him.

I made it a goal to do it before the year ended and trust me, it was a dreadful task but I got it done. A year ago we were on the right track but of course, regressions always happen. I kept trying to encourage him with a kid's potty, taking him to the bathroom, buying him stickers and even telling him that I would buy him a toy, but he was not giving in.

It wasn't until my partner and I had a serious conversation with our son, explaining that he was a big boy now and it was time for him to start using the restroom. After that talk I made him use his little boxers instead of his training diapers. On the first two days of training, I made him go to the bathroom every 20 minutes so he could understand the concept of potty training. It’s very important to stay consistent with them because they are quick to forget.

By the third day, my son Levi began telling me when he needed to use the bathroom, which was a very good sign that he was starting to understand the process of potty training. The next few days it remained the same so that meant that he was officially trained. At this point, my son knew when to go to the restroom, when to alert me and how to clean himself when he went to the bathroom to do number one. It took an overwhelming amount of time to potty train, him but a win is a win. 

So, now that we are at this step where little ones are making it to the toilet with minimal accidents, you’ve arrived at the finish line, right? Well, yes and no. 

Because this new phase comes with new questions and challenges. When do we tackle nights? What happens if he has a regression? How do I teach him to wipe his butt on his own?! How do we deal with bathroom time when going out? Well, let me tell you, Mama, I’m still figuring that out as well.

Here’s what to expect after you’re done potty training:

Handling nighttime potty training

Just like our kids were ready to potty train during the day at a certain age, it’s the same scenario for nighttime potty training. Some kids may be ready around four, while others aren’t able to stay dry at night until they are five or six. 

My son was sleeping in his little boxers for a few nights until he had an accident. The poor little guy woke up crying and he thought he was going to get in trouble. I had to explain to him that accidents happen. After that, we started to put him back into his training diapers only at night. It’s important to remember that when they are ready for the night potty training, they will wake up to go. So, there’s nothing much we can do but wait till it’s time. The good news is that your little one is not using as many diapers and your wallets aren't hurting as much.

Practicing bathroom hygiene

Maybe you're starting to potty train or maybe you're almost at the finish line. It's always important to encourage good hygiene in your little ones.

Even if they don't successfully use the potty or you're the one wiping, it's important to establish the habit of handwashing right after they're done sitting. Make the sinks toddler-friendly by adding a stool. You can get one at Target for a reasonable price, by the way. Overall, keep everything in the bathroom within easy reach, such as towels, soap dispensers, toilet paper and wipes—to encourage independence.

Teaching them how to wipe themselves

“When will I finally stop wiping this kid’s butt?!” We finally potty trained them only to learn that the butt-wiping isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Even though my son is still not old enough to start preschool or kindergarten, it’s still a great concern. Most schools, especially public schools, require kids to know how to self-wipe before their first day. This requirement is purely a legal one. Teachers are not legally allowed to help children wipe, so teaching this skill before school starts is crucial.

For most children, the goal of learning to wipe themselves is attainable after the age of three, but it may take until age five to fully master. 

Transitioning to the adult toilet

If you started potty training on portable mini-potties, I’m sure you’re more than ready for your kid to transition to the big potty. Thankfully, the portable potty helped my son get started in the beginning but he got trained officially on the big toilet. We had to buy him a stool and a small toilet seat to make it easy for him. In time he stopped using the stool and now he just climbs on the toilet like a little monkey. 

Now that my son is potty trained, I'm facing some new challenges, like using public restrooms or dealing with situations where there are no restrooms nearby when we're out. I’ve had to explain to him that in public restrooms, it’s important to keep our hands to ourselves and avoid touching anything, as they can be quite dirty. When there are no restrooms around, I've taught him to hold it for a bit, and so far, that’s been working. However, I’m thinking about buying a portable potty to keep in the car for emergencies. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I know potty training seems overwhelming but patience is key when it comes to these motherhood experiences. ​​If there is anything I can help young mothers and fathers with, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at amairani@latinomedia.org. Follow my Mami & Me column here.