From Diapers to Freedom: Our Potty Training Story

There are a few milestones in a parent’s life, and one of the biggest is when your child becomes potty trained.

My name is Erica and I survived these two very different periods of time in my life.

You may have bought all the tools you think you need, from a smaller toilet to a potty chair with a ladder, 50 pairs of underwear, star stickers, M&Ms, and everything in between.

I was fortunate that we decided to potty train during the time Logan was also at PCA, because the collaboration between us and the school was essential to our sanity. We received a lot of helpful advice before what we now refer to as THE WEEKEND.

Before THE WEEKEND, we honestly had no idea how to start and it was the teachers who gave us the nudge. They saw signs of readiness, helped us prepare, and made the whole idea feel possible.

What is THE WEEKEND, you may ask?

It is the Saturday and Sunday where you do not leave the house at all, and your entire life revolves around setting a 20-minute timer on Alexa or Siri so you can guide or carry your child to the potty. Your child is bottomless, and you are living in 20-minute increments, fully committed to the process.

Before THE WEEKEND, we started by introducing potty books and simply making the bathroom feel like a normal and even exciting place to be. When your child inevitably follows you in, it becomes a natural opportunity to narrate what is happening in a calm and positive way.

We also went underwear shopping at Old Navy, and the most important part was letting Logan choose. When children feel ownership, they care more, and one of his favorite Spiderman pair ended up hanging in the bathroom as a visual reminder of what he was working toward. It was not used as a bribe, but as something he could feel proud of.

There were also a few Montessori principles that really made a difference for us:

• Follow readiness, not pressure. Look for signs like staying dry for longer periods, awareness of their body, and interest in the bathroom.
• Focus on independence over rewards. Instead of stickers or treats, use language like “you listened to your body” or “you did that yourself.”
• Prepare the environment. Use pee pads, remove rugs, and make sure the bathroom is easy to access. Small details like a stool or easy-to-remove clothing matter more than you think.
• Choose simple clothing. Elastic waistbands make a big difference, while buttons and zippers can create unnecessary frustration. (Goodbye onesies and tights for now.)
• We also learned that Montessori often encourages using the real toilet with a stool and seat reducer so children can build independence right away, but like many things, it depends on what your child feels most comfortable with.
• Avoid over-prompting. Instead of constantly asking if they need to go, encourage them to notice their own body by saying, “let me know when your body tells you.”
• Stay neutral with accidents. No shame, no big reactions. Just a reminder that their body is still learning. (This is really hard not to yell “OMG, YOU ARE WET AGAIN?”)
• Keep consistency between home and school. Using the same language, tone, and expectations helps everything click faster.

During our first attempt potty training our daughter, we went through 15 pairs of underwear in one day, which is why we decided that bottomless was the better approach for Logan.

On the second day, I was very committed to the 20-minute timer, maybe a little too committed. At 2:21 pm, Logan asked for five more minutes, and I agreed. Two minutes later, my daughter yelled from across the room that Logan had pooped on the floor. And there it was, about three inches long, just sitting there like it had something to prove.

We also encouraged him to drink more liquids so he could start to recognize the feeling of needing to go. It was mostly water, with some apple juice mixed in as a small treat, but the real goal was helping him build awareness of his body.

After about two weeks, he was mostly accident-free, and a few months later, he was able to drop the nighttime diaper as well. Now, going out feels completely different. There is no diaper bag, no extra planning, and a lot more ease.

And after THE WEEKEND, it was incredibly helpful that the staff stayed all hands on deck to keep the momentum going. They told us when there were accidents (surprisingly only one or two), and there were also fully dry days in those first two weeks, which made a huge difference for our confidence.

It really does feel like freedom, and trust me, one day, it will be you.