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Potty Training Redux – It’s Time To Enroll In The Academy @PullUpsBigKid

I remember (not so fondly) the struggle of potty training my older son. We were in a mad rush because he couldn’t start nursery school unless he was potty trained. I researched countless ways to do it, and was even virtually scolded by way of an online post that recommended parents start potty training from birth, by holding your infant over the toilet so they get used to going that way right from the start.

Needless to say, potty training can be a confusing, frustrating, and even guilt-inducing rite of passage for parents and children, and it really shouldn’t be.

Now that I get to go through this stage all over again, with my second ball of cuteness, I decided to be more organized about it…and try to make it more fun too. I enrolled him in the Pull-Ups® Big Kid Academy and purchased a package of Pull-Ups® with Jake and the Neverland Pirates (he loves that show). They have a design that fades, and indicate the size and which side is the back right on the Pull-Up, which I love too. It all helps!

pullups jake and the pirates-5

I keep them within my son’s reach because part of becoming a big boy is pulling up your Pull-Ups yourself, so when he needs to be changed he is able to grab a new Pull-Up and pull it right, like a big kid! And each time he yells “Yay, pirate!”…super cute.

pullups jake and the pirates-6

I’m starting my potty training journey for the second time, but here are some tips from my first adventure that I wish I had known before I started:

5 Tips I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Potty Training

1. If your child is really resistant, he really isn’t ready
2. It never helps to scold, get angry, or punish a child who has had an accident- it can actually make potty training harder
3. All kids are different, so what worked with your first child or your neighbor’s kids may not work with your second child…but it may, so you can try it out, and in the end stick with what works best for you and your child.
4. Positive reinforcement is fabulous…praise your child as he makes strides to encourage him along the right path
5. Use examples. I have boys, so he watches dad and his older brother, and that usually makes him want to try too…and that is good news for me!

I see signs that my son is ready, and he certainly likes to “pretend” potty when his father and older brother go to the bathroom, so I feel like we are ready to start potty training. I made mistakes with my first son, namely pressuring him to much and getting upset with him too easily, and I don’t want to do that again. I want it to be more fun, for us both, which is why I enrolled him in the Big Kid Academy. Along with his super cool big kid Pull-Ups, I’m hoping that we are on our way to a fully potty trained house!

The Big Kid Academy offers personalized potty training advice based on where we are on our potty training journey, along with world-class tips and advice from parenting experts, medical professionals and other alumni parents who have been there. The personalized “My Pull-Ups®” page also offer potty training activities, so we are on our way!

Ready to potty train?

potty training school

Many thanks to Pull-Ups for sponsoring today’s story and helping me Potty Train with the Big Kid Academy.




  • This sounds like a really great program. Zeva has shown signs a few times and then she backs out of it. I really hope that she gets to the point that she’s ready to do it completely.

  • I’m in the midst of potty training my daughter. I believe that she’ll have it downpat in no time, while my son was 4 before he mastered the potty. I know that all children are different, though. 🙂

  • These are all fantastic tips. You have to remember to keep a level head, even with set backs.

  • So glad those years are behind me! Great tips and I totally agree with the fact that positive reinforcement and resisting the urge to scold is important to successful potty training.

  • My son was close to three and my daughter was ready right at 2. They are all different that’s for sure!

  • I agree it is all very personal. My oldest son was 3 1/2 before he was trained. But he basically woke up one day and said he was going to go in the potty and it was like night and day. He didn’t even have night time accidents. My daughter seemed to be trained and then my husband and I split up for a little and she back tracked. Then it took us many years before she was able to get through the night she was about 6 before she could get through the night with no accidents.

  • I so remember the potty training days, and I’m so glad they’re over. My kids were all different and it took me awhile to realize that not every kid potty trains the same. My daughters were easy, but my son, not so much.

  • Yes, potty training boys are the worst when it comes to boys.

  • I admit I’m glad that having an only child, I only had to go through potty training once. Our daughter is strong willed and she held out for a long time even though she was ready a lot sooner than she trained. I like that those Pull-Ups have fun designs on them for kids to get them interested in wearing “underwear” instead of diapers – it’s a good first step to the whole potty training journey.

  • Great tiPS! I remember that season. They will all learn how to go eventually. 🙂

  • I totally agree that you can’t force it before they’re ready. This is one thing they have control over and they know it!

  • Number 2 is so true. You never want to scold and traumatize the child. They may freeze up and shut down and it will only make it harder.

  • Potty training is my least favorite thing about parenting. Having potty trained eight children, I am happy to have those days behind me!

  • Penelope

    Woah! EIGHT?? You should write the eBook of all potty training eBooks and get rich 😉

  • Ha ha! Funny thing is, I don’t feel like I have very much advice. Would love to make money doing something like that, probably won’t happen.

  • These are some great potty training tips. My grandson is almost ready to start potty training.

  • So much fun! I believe they all will be potty learned someday… they just need to be ready. 🙂

  • I’m so glad that’s all behind me (no pun intended). I wish you the best on getting through this without too much stress!

  • My nephew is almost two and a half and has been sporadically using the potty for some time now. I am going to share this information with my sister so she can enroll him and get down to business!