How to get a busy-minded child to sit on the potty (for more than 2 seconds!)

Struggling to get your child to sit on the potty for more than 2 seconds?

Sometimes getting your child to sit on the potty for more than a millisecond can seem like a near impossible task! Fortunately, there are some handy tools you can use to get your busy-minded child finally sitting on the potty. 

Create a Bathroom Toy Kit

My favourite hack to get your child sitting on the potty for more than a few seconds is what I like to call a 'Bathroom Toy Kit.

A Bathroom Toy Kit 

A Bathroom Toy Kit is a basket of toys that are made exclusive to potty sits. It is a collection of toys and books they help to provide distraction, comfort and entertainment for busy minded kids. 

The types of toys and books you are looking for are:

Fiddle Toys: something that can get your kids fingers and minds busy! Think along the lines of a silicone push pop toys, water toys or any type of fidget toy that'll keep your kid pre-occupied.

Interactive Books - look for books with flaps and sounds that will keep your child preoccupied and seated on the potty. 

Bubbles! Bubbles not only help to keep your kiddo entertained on the potty but help to relax their pelvic floor making it easier to release pee and poop! Use a bottle of bubbles or take a cup of water and straw and make a game out of blowing bubbles into the straw. Your child will be squealing out of excitement before you know it! Through those deep breaths out, bubbles have a double benefit of also helping your child to relax their pelvic floor muscles while they sit, which is often one of the reasons why they may struggle to release in the early days.

Bring their favorite toy to the bathroom

When you notice your child needs to go potty, encourage bringing their own favorite toy to the bathroom to "go potty" as well. This will help to transition your child to the potty and also provide some comfort while they sit. If you can, model behavior using the toy: "Looks like you and Sheepy did to go potty. Let's go to the bathroom!"

Check the seating

Its a possibility your child is not sitting on the potty for long because its uncomfortable! Double check the seating to ensure your child is stable on the seat and sitting comfortably. What you're aiming for is for your child to have their feet flat on the floor with their knees slightly above their belly buttons, so they are able to maintain the best posture for an efficient bowel movement. If your child looks uncomfortable for any reason, consider trying out another potty or see if your child prefers to sit on the toilet.

If all fails, bring out the big guns

The number one priority for when a child sits on the potty is to ensure they are relaxed and comfortable to sit. So if that means allowing screen time for 5-10 minutes, then so be it! 

Never force your child to sit 

The goal is to make potty sits an exciting and inviting place to me so your child feels safe, secure and relaxed. Any pressure or force to sit on the potty will only lead to tears and more resistance, so avoid this approach at all costs!