How to Handle Potty Training Accidents

Potty training can be the worst, ammiiiright? So many different ways to go about it and it can be SOOOO MESSY! I was at a bon fire when I got a text from my friend saying they were going to be late because they just experienced PoopMania with their potty training cutie… When they arrived, they shared their horrifying experience that naturally led into a conversation on how to best deal with potty training accidents. The question of, “Should you reprimand when accidents happen or should you just clean up the mess and move on like nothing happened?”

Although it is completely shocking to walk into a room and literally see crap all over the place, you must remember that ‘potty training babes’ are learning a new skill that is not acquired yet.

 I tried to put things in perspective– How would you feel if you were learning a new math problem and before you ever got it correct once, someone was always there providing you a reprimand and telling you that you shouldn’t do it in that way? Wouuuuuuld probably make you feel pretty terrible, right? This is no different when approaching potty training! So, as we are teaching our kiddos to use the toilet, we need to heavily reinforce toileting successes and be neutral when they have accidents because, well, it’s truly an accident! And I promise, (assuming there is no major developmental delay) your child will not go off to college in diapers so just be patient… It will happen :).