How Do I Potty Train on the Go?

If you have a busy lifestyle (and what preschool parent doesn’t?), you have faced the difficult obstacle of continuing potty training while away from home. How do you continue potty training while at the grocery store or the park? How should you handle potential potty training accidents while you’re trying to finish up your list of errands? If you’re trying to potty train on the go, here are some suggestions to make the process as easy as possible.

Take the Potty with You

Literally. If you have a small potty you use at home, bring it with you. Sure it might be awkward to have your preschooler sit on the potty between the seats of the minivan, but it’s better than encountering foreign germs in a gas station bathroom or worse – having a relapse into pull-ups or an accident while sitting in a carseat. When your preschooler is through going potty, discreetly empty the potty into a public restroom. Be sure to bring along a large plastic bag to place the potty in until you can get home again to clean it thoroughly.

Find Family Restrooms

One of the latest developments in family-friendly retail establishments are family restrooms. These large rooms have a sink, toilet and often a changing table as well. Take advantage of any family restroom you encounter, even if your preschooler doesn’t really have to go yet. If you’re at the mall, stop by the family restroom and encourage your preschooler to go potty. Even if he just goes a little bit, it can buy you enough time to get home without having to drag your male preschooler into a women’s bathroom stall and prevent accidents from trying to wait until you find the next family bathroom.

Take Advantage of Nice Potties

If you know that you are heading from a small boutique store to a large commercial center followed by the park, try and rearrange your schedule. Go potty before you leave the house. Then take care of your errand at the commercial center. When you get to the nice boutique, immediately use the nice potty. Hopefully you were able to skip the grimier potties at the commercial center. And using the nice potty will hopefully tide you over through a trip to the park which may not have a potty until you can get home again

Plan for Accidents

Whether you are early or late in your potty training efforts, you should always plan for accidents. Keep a change of clothes in a plastic bag in the car. Be sure to include a clean pair of socks as those are usually soaked in a wet accident. If a potty training accident occurs, simply change your preschooler’s clothing, put the wet items in the plastic bag, and continue on your way.

Delay Outings

The best solution for potty training on the go is to delay outings as long as possible. The majority of potty training can be done in a matter of days once your preschooler is willing and ready to help. So skip errands and the gym for a few days to give your preschooler time to learn and to keep her close to her potty as much of the day as possible. For the first few weeks after successful training, skip long sets of errands. Plan outings carefully to be completed in short bursts. Go to only one or two places at a time before returning home to the comfort and familiarity of her own potty.

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