Some authors, including Nathan H. Azrin and Richard M. Foxx believe that potty training can be accomplished almost instantaneously according to their book: "Toilet Training in Less than a Day." But in fact, true potty training can take as long as six to eight months, according to an article at Familydoctor.org. Dedication and patience will make the task go more smoothly, and there are several things you can do to speed up the process.
Feed Salty Foods and Sugary Drinks
Toilet training expert and mother of six Wendy Sweeney, R.N. suggests feeding your child lots of salty snacks and sugary drinks. The salt will make the child more thirsty and soften a stool, she says, and the sugary liquid won't really quench thirst, and will increase the urge to urinate. The more times your child needs to use the potty, the quicker he'll learn. This diet should only be for a short duration, whenever you are trying to potty train only.
Get Rid of Diapers
Diapers are so absorbent these days that many children don't notice right away when they are wet. Toss the diapers and have your child wear underwear so she can make the connection between the signals her body is sending her and the wetness she feels. The Mayo Clinic suggests making a big deal out of choosing big kid underpants to make a celebration of the transition. Some people prefer their child to go bare-bottomed, but this does not allow the child to feel the urine and can be very messy.
Be Clear, Don't Nag
Tell your child to use the potty when he needs to. Don't ask him if he has to go. Wendy Sweeney says children need to take responsibility for their body signals so don't ask them to use the potty, just tell them that if they need to go, they have to use the potty. Give the reminder and reward success. If he doesn't and has an accident he will need to clean up after himself.
Day Train First
Don't worry about night-time training until your child is older. He may train for both day and night immediately, but some children sleep through their body's signals to get up to urinate, so there will be nighttime accidents. It's fine to give your child a pull-up at night, but make sure he removes it immediately upon rising in the morning and urinates in the toilet.
