by Kristy Simons, ECE

As a mother of two beautiful little girls, a private in-home daycare owner and operator, and an Early Childhood Educator, I find myself in the unique position to be able to give families potty training advice based on my personal experiences, my professional expertise, and my overall perspective.

I currently have twelve years of experience under my belt (6 as an educator, then 6 more as a parent). I can now confidently say to you that I am qualified to talk about the topic of potty training. There have been so many children, so many ups and downs, so many emotions (by me and the children), and so many stories. I can’t recall to you all the stories of all the children I have helped work through this momentous developmental milestone we call potty training, but I can certainly pass on one piece of advice.

Repeat after me; “don’t sweat the small stuff!” In other words…keep a sense of humor about it.  Potty training can be as hard or easy as you make it. Worrying about how long it should take and how long it is taking will only make the process that much more difficult. Potty training doesn’t and shouldn’t have to be a difficult process. Making it a positive and fun experience for you and your child can and will make it a wonderfully special journey that you and your child get to experience together. That’s it! Repeat this mantra in your head and it will cover you for any and all potty training moments.

So, go forth and embrace the potty training process; laugh, cry, jump for joy, scream, high five, and remember…keep your sense of humour and “don’t sweat the small stuff!”