There is absolutely no way to avoid your toddler having potty training accidents. While some children learn faster than others, having to clean up a mess off of your floor or off of your child is inevitable. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Oh, I know that!”, right? Well, if you get into a situation with your toddler where he’s having at least 3 or 4 accidents a day, it can become more overwhelming and frustrating than you may be able to imagine! Your patience at times can wear thin, and you might forget that this is a major adjustment in your toddler’s life. Not to worry, this is something that we all will experience as parents. Here are a few suggestions on how to handle these accidents when they occur.

Make sure you are prepared to handle many accidents. Some toddlers jump right in and have very few potty training accidents. But there are some children that may take a bit longer to grasp the concept. My three and a half year old daughter has been wearing underpants for a little bit over a year now, and she still has her share of accidents. When she wets herself, I simply clean her up, and reassure her that it’s okay.

Cleaning up all those accidents will definitely require some patience. Try to remember when your child has an accident that this is a brand new experience for them. Also, try to remember that as toddlers, their little minds are not developed enough to always remember right away what they learned. They may have a perfect day with no accidents Monday, but have accidents all day Tuesday. It’s the repetition of the process that will help them to get it right. Toddlers can also get distracted very easily, and have not fully mastered the control of their bodily functions. If they are playing their favorite game or watching their favorite show on television, they can very easily have an accident because they were having so much fun, they didn’t even realize that they had to go to the potty.

Being consistent with daily routines will sometimes help to prevent your child from having potty training accidents. Try to keep to a structured time schedule for sending him to the potty. Having that structure will provide your toddler with a daily routine to which he can become accustomed. When your child is provided with a consistent routine, fewer potty training accidents are likely to happen.

Most importantly, please never spank your child for having an accident. It will be more beneficial to both you and your child to be as encouraging and understanding as possible.

Potty training accidents are going to happen with your child, so it’s best to prepare yourself on how to deal with these situations when they occur. Having patience and being consistent will make learning to potty train so much easier for you both.