My toddler only wants to use the potty at home, how can I encourage them to use it when we are out?

Hello there,

I am a mom of two kids, and I've experienced this situation with both of them. Here are some things that worked for us:

First, we made sure to have a set schedule for when to go potty when we are out. For example, we would make sure to go to the restroom right before leaving the house, then every hour thereafter. It was essential to keep an eye on our kids and ask if they needed to go potty regularly.

Secondly, we would familiarize our kids with the public restrooms. Before going out, we would talk to them about the restroom environment and what to expect. We found that this helped to take away any fear or anxiety they may have had about public restrooms.

Thirdly, we encouraged our kids to use the restroom during travel breaks, even if they didn't feel like they needed to go. Urging them to try would make it more likely they could get used to using the public restrooms.

Lastly but not least, make sure to pack extra changes of clothes, multiple bags, and cleaning wipes. Accidents can happen, and it is always better to be prepared.

I hope these tips help make your potty training journey with your little one a bit easier. Good luck!

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Hey there! I totally get what you are going through. Potty training can be challenging and it's not uncommon for kids to feel uncomfortable or scared about using public restrooms.

One thing that worked for me was to make sure that my child was familiar with the public restrooms before actually needing to use them. So, whenever we went out, I would take my child to the restroom with me and point out how things worked, talk about how other people were using the potty, and just overall try to make it seem less intimidating.

Also, I made sure to always have some sort of incentive or reward for using the potty when we were out. For example, I would promise to buy my child a treat or small toy if they successfully used the restroom.

Lastly, I never forced my child to use the restroom if they didn't want to. I would always offer and encourage them to try, but if they refused, I simply let it go and tried again next time.

Hope this helps and good luck with the potty training!

Hi there,

I totally understand how difficult it can be to encourage your toddler to use the potty when you're out in public.

One thing that worked for me was to make sure that my child had their own potty seat that they were used to using. Even if we were out, I would bring their potty seat with me and put it on top of whatever toilet we were using. This helped them to feel more secure and comfortable using the restroom when we were out.

I also made sure to take my child to the restroom frequently when we were out, even if they didn't need to go. This helped them to get used to the idea of using public restrooms and not associating them with just having an urgent need to go.

Lastly, I always tried to make using the restroom a positive and fun experience. I would sing silly songs or play games with my child while we were in the restroom to make it less scary or intimidating.

I hope these tips help and good luck with your potty training journey!

Hello there,

I was in a similar situation with my child who had problems using the potty outside the house. It was very frustrating and made it difficult to go out and do activities with my little one.

One thing that worked for me was to make sure that my child was wearing comfortable clothes that were easy to take off and on. This way, I could easily and quickly take them to the restroom and avoid accidents.

I also made sure to give a lot of praise and positive reinforcement when my child used the potty outside the house. I found that simple phrases like "great job" and "I'm so proud of you" really went a long way in making my child feel confident about using the public restrooms.

Lastly, I made sure to always be prepared with extra clothes and cleaning supplies in case of accidents. This helped me feel more confident and less anxious about going out and helped my child feel more comfortable and safe.

I hope these tips help and good luck with the potty training!

Hello all,

I had a similar experience with my child, where they would refuse to use the public restrooms and only felt comfortable using the potty at home. It was a big challenge and resulted in a lot of accidents and frustration for both of us.

One thing that really helped was to create a routine around using public restrooms. For example, whenever we went out, I would make sure to take my child to the restroom first thing, even if they insisted they didn't need to go. This helped to establish using public restrooms as a regular part of our routine.

Another thing that worked for me was to make sure that my child felt comfortable with the restrooms themselves. Sometimes we would go on a "bathroom tour" of whatever place we were visiting, where we would look at all the different facilities and talk about which ones we thought were the cleanest and safest.

Lastly, I found that having a small and special item or toy that my child only used when we went out helped to incentivize using public restrooms. They knew that they got to play with their special toy or item only when we were out and using public restrooms, which helped them feel more comfortable and secure in unfamiliar situations.

I hope these tips help and good luck with your potty training journey!

Hey there,

I faced the same issue with my toddler who was completely comfortable using the potty at home but refused to use public restrooms. It was a real challenge, and we had to avoid going out quite often.

One thing that worked for us was to make the public restrooms feel more like home. I would bring along some familiar items like their favorite book or toy to keep them company. This helped them feel more relaxed and comfortable.

Additionally, I found that having my toddler go through the motions of using public restrooms at home before going out made a huge difference. We would practice flushing the toilet, using the sink, and even washing hands. By doing so, my child knew what to expect when they were outside and felt more confident.

Finally, it was helpful to celebrate any success, no matter how small! We made sure to offer lots of positive reinforcement by giving high fives, clapping, and using positive phrases. It helped to motivate my child to use public restrooms even more!

I hope these tips help and good luck with your potty training journey.

Hi there,

I had a similar experience with my toddler who was hesitant about using public restrooms. One thing that we found helpful was to have a potty training reward chart. The chart would have stickers that my child got to place on it every time they used the restroom successfully in public places.

Another thing that worked was to take my child to the restroom before leaving and offering a reward for successfully using the public restroom. We would either go to the store and pick out a special treat, or we would go to a kid-friendly cafe for a special snack.

We also talked about the importance of using the restroom in public places, and how everyone has to do it. We made it seem fun by talking about how grown-up it made my child.

Lastly, we practiced using the public restrooms before going out, and I always made sure my child felt comfortable with the environment. When my child seemed anxious or reluctant, we would look for things in the restroom to distract them, like the hand dryer, the toilet paper dispenser, or anything else that would capture their attention.

I hope you find these tips helpful, and good luck with your potty training journey!

Hello everyone,

I had a similar experience with my toddler who would only use the potty at home and refused to use public restrooms. It was a big challenge for us, especially when we were out running errands or visiting friends.

One thing that worked for me was to let my child pick out their own special potty seat for public restrooms. They got to choose the design and color, and having something that was theirs and special helped them feel more confident and comfortable using public restrooms.

I also made sure to bring plenty of hand sanitizer and wipes with me whenever we went out. This helped to make the public restrooms feel a little more hygienic and safer for my child to use.

Lastly, I found that it was important to give my child time and not to rush them when using public restrooms. I would try to make it a relaxing and stress-free experience, offering to read a book or sing a song while they used the potty. This helped them to feel more comfortable and less anxious about the process.

I hope these tips help and good luck with your potty training journey!

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