A toddler near a potty seat with a parent nearby, helping him with potty training.

From Diaper Days to Big Kid Ways

Cody from CoComelon teaching potty training, guiding children through the process with fun and engaging lessons.

5 Tips for Potty Wins

From Brittany Sheehan, Certified Potty Training Consultant

JJ from CoComelon looking hesitant for potty training

Brittany Sheehan, certified sleep and potty training consultant

Suggest, Don’t Force

The less pressure, the better! Stick with: "If you feel the pee-pee coming, the potty is right there" versus telling them they must try. Toddlers want control, so lots of pressure can backfire.

Model

Actions speak louder than words. Talk about your own body:"Mommy’s tummy will feel better if I go potty now, can you pause the legos so I don’t miss any playtime?" Adults have FOMO, and kids can too! Show them that it’s okay to pause play.

Prepare to Hit the Road

Prep before you leave the house by bringing a change of clothes (or two) for adventures, along with a travel potty. Big public restrooms can feel intimidating to a toddler, so a travel potty is a great way to ease them into it!

Don’t Rush It

Everyone learns at their own pace. Resist the pressure to potty train just because of other kids of a similar age, pressure from daycare, because Mom is pregnant, or other factors that don't necessarily correlate with readiness.

Nights Can Wait

Many children are day-trained 2-3 years before their body is ready to wake up to pee at night—don’t feel like you need to force that!

Brittany Sheehan is a Los Angeles-based Mom of 3, a pediatric sleep & potty consultant, and the founder of Brittany Sheehan Sleep. Brittany has worked with over a thousand families, both through individual plans and online courses.

Brittany Sheehan, certified sleep and potty training consultant, sitting with a parent on a sofa during a supportive conversation.

More from Brittany

She is a Certified Potty Training Consultant through The Institute of Pediatric Sleep & Parenting and holds a Post-Graduate Certification in Child Mental Health & Development from Stanford University.

Brittany is the host of The Snooze Button, a weekly podcast focused on sleep, potty training, and parenting, and has been featured in a number of national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and New York Magazine.

She partners with a number of pediatric practices across the country, including Tribeca Pediatrics & Manhattan Valley Pediatrics in New York, Greenwich Pediatrics & Village Pediatrics in Connecticut, and Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in Los Angeles.