A mom is looking for potty training advice. She wonders if it's all right to bring along a potty chair when she visits friends and family. They've voiced some dissent at her wish to place the potty chair in rooms where they eat and drink like the kitchen or dining room.
My thoughts: If your toddler is afraid of the toilet in the big bathroom, potty training can be difficult at someone else's home unless you bring the potty chair. I can also see how you'd want it to be close by if he frequently has accidents en route. However, I think your family members and friends are right to want you to confine the potty to the bathroom area. It's their home, after all. If you have to put your child's interests first it may mean that you spend less time with friends and family until you get all the potty issues worked out.
What do you think? Do you think she should press the issue with friends and family members? What would you do in this situation? Please leave a comment and share your advice for this mom.
As the parent of an almost into potty training 2-year-old I was astounded by this. The bathroom is for potty business.
That said, if your child is used to having the pot where ever, then by all means ask friends/family if that’s alright. But if they are not, they aren’t being rude, they are setting boundaries for THEIR home.
If you were paper training a puppy, would you expect them to put newspaper all over their floors? Chances are you’d leave the puppy outside or at home. Since you can’t leave a toddler outside, perhaps the best bet is to stay home yourself until your child is ready to use the potty in the bathroom.
Asking them for permission is polite. Accusing them of being rude when they don’t grant it is rude.
I have to agree with the other responder. I do NOT think it is rude to tell someone that is coming to YOUR house that you do not want their child’s potty chair in the livingroom. It is your house, and people should follow your rules while there.
While I am saying this, I have a 3 year old and a 7 year old, that I have potty trained (my 3 year old turned 3 about 3 months ago, and has been potty trained for about 11 months now) and I would never ever try to put a potty chair in someone elses livingroom!! personally I would bring it along with me and put it in the bathroom, OR just have the child try to go in the big toilet!!
I guess I may be different than others in this situation, as I have learned not to “push” a child to go, but one that wants to go will usually go in and go, or tell you that they need to go. I do not think it is necessary to keep a toilet in whatever room you are in at that moment. If you are really set on getting your toddler to go on the toilet, maybe it is just better to stay at home, rather than go visit at others homes, that way if they have an issue with the potty being in the toilet, they can go home.
Potty training is a difficult time for all
But, what an accomplishment when your child masters that important task!
Stephanie, your comments were right on…as were the other responders. It is hard to curtail one’s visits to friends and family…but the needs of your child definitely come first…and if it is their house, their rules apply.
Certainly you can ask…but they are well within their rights to say that they don’t want a potty chair in the living room
As a former early childhood ed teacher, daycare provider and mother of three, I can’t remember EVER having a potty chair in any room other than the bathroom…and over the years there were dozens of children who were potty trained while in my care.
Best of luck! I would try not to alienate friends or family members over this issue as your little one will be potty trained soon and it will become a non-issue
We just finished potty training…and I stayed home with my girl. It only took a few weeks. …but you cant force it. If they are ready, they are ready.
After week 2, and she was doing real well at home, we did go to the in-laws, I brought the potty seat and had it in their bathroom. It all worked perfectly fine.
My husband wanted to go visit people during the whole ‘training’ and I said no. I was not going to traumatize her or set her back if she DID get scared and have an accident at someone’s house. People came to our house to visit.
Be home, let them master this huge milestone…kids come first. You have plenty of years to go visit people afterwards.
I am taking care of two babies and a toddler in my home, and I have the potty chair in the livingroom out of the way in case of #2 emergencies.
Its hard to leave two babies on the floor playing and run to the bathroom and wait. He has gotten really good at it this past two weeks and am thinking of moving the potty chair to the bathroom.
He has a footstool for the big potty, but seems to prefer the little one for poo and the big one for pee.
Would only use it at my home though, at others I use thier potty. It is an unusual thing to walk into the livingroom and see it and then walk back to the bathroom to empty it, but you do what is comfortable for you and your child.
Others are right, leave it at home or stay home. The training doesnt last long, it just seems like it does.
DeeDee
Cannot beleive what I read. I have 3 children who I potty-trained. Never have I assumed the right to put a potty wherever I wanted in someone else’s home. Having a child does not make your needs a priority for every one else. If you want the potty where you want it- stay at home! The fact that you think that its other who are rude just shows how selfish YOU are.
I agree when potty training begins, the bathroom is the best place and remember that washing your child’s hands is a part of potty training. Your child should also learn to understand that its okay to go to the bathroom at a friend’s or family member’s home.
I think it’s great this mom is following through with potty training! I also recommend she keep the potty chair in the bathroom when she’s visiting friends and family.
The child needs to understand the bathroom is where
everyone goes for this business.
the thought never even crossed my mind to put a potty anywhere other than the bathroom, we have a portable potty seat that we take with us when we go places including friends and family’s homes but i want my two year old to know that potty happens in the bathroom not where ever he happens to be at the time. we take the potty seat to the bathroom.
at what age do you potty train a baby boy, he’s my only son, and my daughters were sooooo easy, and they are 21, and 19 so there is a huge age differance.. any advice would be valuable.
I am potty training my daughter as we speak. Yesterday I went out and bought a potty seat that fits on top of the regular standard size toilet seat. It fits in her backpack and we can take it with us everywhere we go.
Lena… all children are different, whether boys or girls. But as the mother of 4 sons I can tell you that none of mine trained until around the age of 3. Our youngest is almost 3 and is just starting to show an interest. I have found that if I wait until it is the “right” time, it goes very smoothly. My boys were older when they started but all were trained day AND night within a couple of weeks and we never looked back. Sure, there were a couple of night time accidents, but few and far between, and not for long.
Don’t push, your child will let you know when it’s “time”.
I find it appalling that this mom thinks it “rude” that someone request her to act as they see fit in THEIR OWN HOME. Think about it, if friends and family come to her home she would likely ask them not to smoke, not to use foul language, not do any number of things, as well as accept that her child is going to use the potty chair wherever he may be. But to expect them to follow her rules elsewhere is beyond my comprehension. And I say this having been through potty training three times. I would never have asked anyone to accept my way in their homes. Being a parent of a child doesn’t give you entitlements like that. A better suggestion….plan accordingly,make sure your child is really ready to potty train (because if they aren’t it takes forever rather than a few days) and lastly respect others and don’t go visiting until the training period is over.