The 5 Most Ridiculous—and Real—Hurdles Parents Face During Potty Training
Potty training: that magical developmental milestone where toddlers learn to listen to their bodies, gain independence... and somehow end up peeing behind the couch or pooping behind the curtain.
If you're in the thick of it, please know—it's not just you. It's not your kid. It's just... potty training. And it comes with some truly absurd hurdles that no one warned you about.
Let’s dive into the top five. You’re not alone. You’re just parenting, hang on in there!
For some parents even getting your child to sit on the potty can be challenging.
For others, they deny that they have to go, when you know they do!
1. 🚽 The “I Only Poop in a Diaper” Standoff
You’ve got sticker charts. You’ve got a potty shaped like a race car. Your child has zero interest in pooping anywhere but their diaper—standing in the hallway, making intense eye contact while they do it.
Totally normal.
Why? Control, comfort, fear of letting go. Pooping can feel vulnerable for some toddlers.
💡 Gentle response: “You can ask for a diaper when you need to poop. When you’re ready, the potty will still be here.” There are also other tricks you can use for this issue - message me below to find out more.
2. 🏃♀️ The 0.2 Second Warning System
You ask, “Do you need to go potty?” They say no. Then they sprint to the bathroom mid-pee like they’re auditioning for Ninja Warrior.
They’re learning their body signals. Preemptive potty sits (before leaving the house, before naps) help build awareness—without nagging. Want to do it more often, incorporate it before sitting at the table - the high chair is a high accident zone! You can then move onto washing hands before sitting down for a snack or meal.
3. 🎭 The Public Restroom Theatre
You finally make it to the public bathroom. Your child refuses to sit. Or sits, but doesn’t go. Or goes, and then wants to flush 47 times while narrating your personal hygiene habits to the lady in stall #2.
Solution? Expect zero dignity. Carry post-its to cover auto-flush sensors. And maybe wear sunglasses in Target for a while. Honestly, do you really blame your little one for not wanting to go in Walmart? I mean they are not the cleanest or best smelling cubicles. We are all the most comfortable at home!
4. 🧻 The 18-Step Toilet Paper Ritual
Some toddlers use 3 squares. Others unravel the entire roll. Some insist on wiping themselves, then you, then the walls.
Practice makes progress. Let them try, then you finish the job. Give them a damp cloth or flushable wipe to boost confidence.
5. 🪑 Potty Chairs in Every Room
You swore you wouldn’t be that parent. Now you have mini toilets in the playroom, kitchen, and trunk of your SUV.
Desperate times.
Portable potties can help with early training, but long-term, aim for consistency with the main bathroom. And don’t forget to clean the travel potty before you drive over that speed bump.
🧻 The Final Flush
Potty training isn’t linear, it isn’t tidy, and it certainly isn’t always logical. But it is doable.
You don’t need perfection. You just need consistency, calm, and a sense of humor.
And when you’re up to your elbows in undies and floor wipes?
📩 Connect with me, Dawn. I’ll help you ditch the diapers—with less mess, fewer meltdowns, and way more laughs.
