The Overlooked Secret to Success

As we mentioned in our post “Why Potty Chairs ROCK!” there is a surprising amount of conflicting information in the world of potty training when it comes to the topic of the equipment you’ll need. The travel potty seat, however, is a bit of an exception because these devices have largely flown under the radar. Although travel potty seats have been around for decades, they’ve only recently grown in popularity and are still relatively unknown. 

If there is anything in the potty training space that can be considered a 'life hack' it absolutely has to be the travel potty seat."

So what do we think about travel potty seats at One Proud Toddler? In short, we think they are one of THE MOST IMPORTANT potty training tools you can buy. Here’s why:

#1 - They're Fantastic Training Tools

Potty training at home actually isn’t all that difficult. In fact, with three or so days of dedicated effort, your child will almost certainly grasp the most basic elements of potty training. By this we mean being able to:

  • Express the need to use the bathroom a few seconds before actually having to ‘go'; AND
  • Peeing and pooping in the potty chair through a combination of prompts and caregiver-directed potty sits following meals and fluids intake.

Getting these two crucial skills down pat, however, is not where most parents run into problems. Most parents run into problems when it is time to incorporate potty training OUTSIDE the home.

That is—scared about the possibility of accidents in the car or in public—parents often reintroduce diapers. The child, familiar with the muscle memory and security blanket-like effect of the diapers they’ve known since birth, then predictably regresses to the un-potty trained norm. The end result is that training becomes inconsistent and takes much longer.

So how do you continue training outside the home when there is no potty chair in sight? The answer is the travel potty seat.

If you’ve read out you’ve read our step-by-step training guide, The Potty Proud Approach, you’ll see that we’ve specifically incorporated these devices into our training plan. First, by introducing the child to the travel potty seat at home to gain familiarity with using the device (of course with parental supervision) and second by having a dedicated day for going out and about so the child learns that potty training continues OUTSIDE the home. It is this dedicated continuation of training outside the home with the travel potty seat—which we believe is unique to The Potty Proud Approach—that cements the potty training concepts your child learned at home and prepares them for handoff to daycare or preschool.

In short, travel potty seats are the key to quickly creating a well-rounded potty learner who knows what to do at home and in public.

#2 - They're Safe

Potty seats (also known as seat reducers or toilet rings) and potty chairs are great and safe options for controlled environments where these devices can be comfortably used. But we doubt you want to place a bulky toilet ring in your purse to use at Target or Costco. This is where the travel potty seat comes in.

Instead of precariously holding your child on the edge of a large commercial toilet seat, where there is the possibility of falling in, (good) travel potty seats provide your child with a secure surface to sit on. 

#3 - They're Comfortable

Building on the example above, image being a toddler and sitting sideways or otherwise hanging on to your mother’s arm for dear life in order to avoid falling into a commercial toilet. This situation probably isn’t too conducive to achieving the relaxation necessary to urinate or, yikes, have a bowel movement.

The travel potty seat, on the other hand, allows your child to comfortably sit in these otherwise intimidating environments. Enough said!

#4 - They're 'Back Savers'

To further build on the example of having your toddler use a commercial toilet at a big box store (or anywhere with an adult sized seat for that matter), think of having to bend over an literally hold your child in place for five or more minutes while he or she struggles to have a bowel movement. This is a recipe for a back blowout. All the more so if your child is having a fun day out with grandma or grandpa.

In short, travel potty seats aren’t only for your child’s comfort!

Some Closing Considerations . . .

At One Proud Toddler we believe travel potty seats are key to successful potty training. Make sure, however, to look for a device from a reputable manufacturer as there are numerous online-only models imported from China that do not appear to comply with applicable child safety regulations. Also, make sure to follow all safety instructions—if those instructions aren’t legible, it’s a good indication you’ve purchased a ‘shoddy’ product—and to always use these devices with adult supervision. Happy training!

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