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Potty Genius Blog

Potty Training While Traveling


When a dad is trying to potty train his kids, there’s a lot that can go wrong. However, you do have a few things going for you, like the home field advantage of training your kids inside of your home. However, life is what happens when you’re making potty training plans, and you end up losing that advantage when you go on a vacation. This puts a lot of dads in a bind. Should you cancel the vacation? Hit the snooze button on the training? Or something else entirely? We’ve got some advice for you: don’t give up. We’ve created the perfect guide for how you can successfully potty train while traveling!
how to potty train on vacation

by Dr. Chris Snellgrove

Dr. Chris Snellgrove is an English Professor and veteran freelance writer. However, his most difficult student has always been his own son! He struggled and eventually succeeded with potty training his son, and went on to apply those skills to training his nephews.


Potty Genius Blog

Potty Training While Traveling


When a dad is trying to potty train his kids, there’s a lot that can go wrong. However, you do have a few things going for you, like the home field advantage of training your kids inside of your home. However, life is what happens when you’re making potty training plans, and you end up losing that advantage when you go on a vacation. This puts a lot of dads in a bind. Should you cancel the vacation? Hit the snooze button on the training? Or something else entirely? We’ve got some advice for you: don’t give up. We’ve created the perfect guide for how you can successfully potty train while traveling!

by Dr. Chris Snellgrove

Dr. Chris Snellgrove is an English Professor and veteran freelance writer. However, his most difficult student has always been his own son! He struggled and eventually succeeded with potty training his son, and went on to apply those skills to training his nephews.


how to potty train on vacation

One for the Road

A lot of guys are weirded out by the idea of travel potties. They take up a lot of room in your car, and it just feels odd to be driving on a long voyage toting a toilet around. However, you need a travel potty to help avoid accidents. They are more portable than you think, and a lot easier to clean up than you imagine. Mostly, you want the potty seat for those long stretches of road where they may not be a convenient bathroom stop. A little preparation can save you and your kid a lot of accidents!

Change of Clothes

Accidents are unavoidable to an extent so I always like to keep a change of clothes on deck. It gives me peace of mind to know I have a change of pants, wipes and underwear on hand. To expedite this process I always like to have a Handcraft Change Kit with me or my significant other in the car or bag.

Skip the Potty Seat

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, the real challenge begins. You’ll need to get your kid used to using a public restroom for the first time, which will probably be as strange for him as it is for you. Take our advice, though, and skip the potty seat. These are the little seats that are supposed to make it easier for your kid to sit down on a toilet. While it’s tempting to add an extra layer between your kid and a public restroom toilet, the truth is that these things aren’t really secure. It’s better to bite the bullet now and help them sit on a real toilet than use a potty seat and run the risk of them falling down (or worse—falling in).

Set a Timer

Half the fun of a vacation is seeing new things and enjoying new experiences. However, your kid’s potty training can’t take a vacation, so you need to help keep him on schedule. The best way to do this is to use your phone and set a timer. The timer provides a reminder to regularly take your kid to the bathroom. We recommend setting the timer for 30 minutes, just to be on the safe side. We know that it sucks to have to keep rushing to the bathroom during your vacations, so for your sanity, see if you and your wife can take turns escorting your kid to the bathroom.

Maintain the Reward System

We are big believers in creating some kind of reward system for using the potty. This might include candy or “points” that can be redeemed for prizes or special trips. The bottom line: Anything you can do to make potty training seem fun instead of like a chore is a good move. Make sure you keep the reward system for the potty train while traveling. That means bringing the candy, the points, and any other materials that you need. Not only does this maintain the consistency of the training (which is super important), but it gives your kid an incentive to be productive during all of those trips to the bathroom!

Additional Potty Training Resources:

Potty Training on the Go
10 Best Places to Explore in Scotland with Kids

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