The Deadline Potty Training Method

In this video, I'm going to talk about the deadline method. So this is a potty training method where you have a looming deadline where you need your child to become potty trained by. For a lot of families, this looks like, you know, you're going to be starting preschool, or you want your child to be enrolled in this special program or this daycare where they need to be potty trained.

Um, a quick note about that before I forget, it's really important to clarify what the program actually means by potty training. A lot of programs know that they will need to support your child in their potty efforts. They're they're little human beings. Right? Um, they, most programs just actually don't want to be the people leading the potty training experience for your child.

They think it's very important that it is the parent. And I quite agree. So you just need to clarify that and make sure, you know, Okay. Obviously, if there's an accident, we can certainly help your child, but they need to have the basics down, stuff like that. So clarify with the program that you're looking at so that you know exactly what to expect with that looming deadline.

Now, other deadlines might be that you have a new baby that's coming along and you want to make sure you don't have two in diapers. I've done it myself. It's very doable, but I completely understand why you might not want to do that. Um, other deadlines, maybe you've got like this really big change in your life.

That's going to be happening or works related something, whatever it is. You have a deadline. And so you're potty training based on a deadline. Um, what we find is usually parents who use a deadline method really tap into both the three-day method and the slow and steady method. So often they start kind of slow and steady, and then that deadline starts to loom narrow near it.

And then they end up. Quickly trying to potty train over the weekend that may work really great for your child. Um, maybe it'll prolong it to who knows it, you know, your child's unique, so it can really depend, but just bear in mind that, um, if you have a looming deadline starting sooner, rather than later, at least with building their curiosity and watching for signs that they're ready, we'll help you feel a little less stressed when that looming deadline.

It actually shows up. So with that in mind, you're going to need some tools, just like any potty training method you go with, you're going to need like a potty chair or a potty insert that goes on your adult, potty, a stepstool. If you're using that and also for washing their hands, flushable wipes, fun undies, a few potty books.

And then if you're on a deadline, It can be really fun to have a calendar. Um, now this only works if your child is actually excited about the looming deadline, like say baby, brother's going to be here in, you know, a month or whatever. Let's put a sticker each day that we're trying to use a potty before he arrived.

So whatever, um, that can be kind of a fun thing to add in if you're using a deadline method and that does only work. Keep in mind if your child can actually understand. The basics of the calendar, I guess, why you even have it otherwise they're probably going to lose interest. So something you might want to consider doing that, um, during that time as well.

So pros of using the deadline method, well, it gives you an end goal that you're working towards and you can include your child on this. And, you know, you can kind of report it on there, progress and say, Hey, you did really great today. I think we're going to make it to the first day of preschool. Um, you can also have a lot of flexibility in how you want it.

Go about meeting that deadline. Again, you can choose a slower method. You can choose a more intense method. You can kind of do your own thing. As far as that goes, um, cons of this method, a lot of experts are opposed to deadlines, and this is because. Um, your child may be forced to meet this one milestone before they're ready.

And so that can create a lot of tension, a lot of stress. It can also lead to a lot of regression as well. Um, and it also, it just puts a lot of pressure on your child as well, especially if they're not ready. Um, also there's a lot of assumptions that if your child has accidents after that date, it can also make them more stress and maybe even cause some problems as far as, you know, elimination patterns and things like that.

Um, and on that note, if they do regress in like a school environment, it can be really embarrassing. Uh, so just some things to keep in mind, there's really no right or wrong method out there. It's just, there's probably one that might be better for you and your kid. And it might be one that you guys kind of came up together or that you decided.

So keep that in mind when you're choosing your methods and also know if your deadline is something big, like, uh, brother's sister coming home, um, or school, of course, that could cause a bit of regression. That's pretty normal. Those are big transitions for your child. And so, you know, kind of roll with the punches, keeping positive, keep supporting them and yeah.

Your child's awesome. And you're an awesome parent. You guys are both going to do just fine. If you have any questions or comments, please drop them below this video, or reach out to us in our potty academy community. We're super excited to help you in any way that we can and learn how the journey goes for you.

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