Potty Training Away From Home

How to Potty Train Your Child When You're Away from Home

20 Sep, 2024

We all have to leave home sometimes. But when you’re potty training your child, the simple act of leaving the house is suddenly not so simple. There’s so much preparation to do! From packing an extra change of clothes to making sure you have enough diapers or Pull-Ups; it can be a lot to think about.

That’s why we’ve got your back. In this guide, we’re sharing some hacks to make leaving your house easier. With this guide you’ll be able to easily move from potty training in your house to doing it while you’re out and about . Plus, we’ll help you prepare for any challenges you might face like using the toilet while they’re at school, at a restaurant or on a road trip.

Managing New Potty Training Challenges

Like with any new journey, challenges are to be expected, especially when potty training is being done outside of the home t. Your child will have to use a bathroom that they’re not familiar with. By knowing that a new bathroom may be hard for your child to use you’ll be able to put together a plan that will help you and your child use a different and unfamiliar potty. Below we’re sharing some of the best solutions to a few of the most common potty training challenges you might face outside of the home.

Challenge	Solution
Automatic flushers. Your child is probably used to peeing in a toilet that flushes manually. This can make using a toilet that flushes automatically scary, especially if they weren’t expecting it.	Carry a pad of sticky notes with you to cover the sensor. Drape a piece of toilet paper over the sensor Cover the sensor with your hand while they pee. This one might work especially well as your presence will bring an extra sense of comfort and security. Warn your child ahead of time that the toilet may flush on its own.
A new environment. Until now, your child has been used to peeing on the potty or toilet in their home. Having to suddenly change the environment they’re so used to peeing in can bring discomfort.	Stay with them when they’re peeing. Show them that it’s a safe experience. Add Pull-Ups® Skin Essentials™ Potty Training Pants For Boys or the Pull-Ups® Skin Essentials™ Potty Training Pants For Girls into your bag. An unfamiliar environment may cause some resistance in your child, while they adjust switching to training pants is a great way to bring comfort while absorbing any accidents.
Louder surroundings. Your child has become used to the sounds of your home and suddenly being thrust into a loud preschool or mall bathroom can be scary.	Again, being with them can help establish a sense of safety while they adjust to the more intense noise level.

Tips for Consistency when Potty Training On-the-Go

As with any habit, consistency is key. Taking your home routine with you on-the-go is the best way to hopefully have success. Start by taking your child to the bathroom or asking if they want to pee at the same time they would go at home. Keeping this routine will help your child feel safe and confident about using a bathroom that is not in their home . If you use a reward system at home bring a reward with you when you are out and about. Offering praise is also important. In the same way that your positive reaction helps your child feel comfortable and confident to use the potty at home, giving them cheers every time they successfully use a bathroom outside of your home will boost their confidence.

How to Manage Potential Potty Training Accidents

Even if your child has gotten the bathroom routine down, there can still be accidents. This is usually common in the early stages, when there might be a few accidents before they are back on track with their potty training journey outside of your home. Your child might experience:

Wetting their pants in public
Saying that they’re done peeing and then pee right after leaving the bathroom
Refusing to pee in the bathroom
Refusing to poop in the bathroom
Saying the bathroom is weird or scary
Throwing a fit when they have to go to the bathroom

To manage and possibly avoid accidents when you’re not at home, build an accident-proof kit to help you while you’re on the go.

Keep a spare change of clothing with you or pack one in their daycare/school bag.
Carry a potty they’ve used at home. If they refuse to use the bathroom outside of your home because of discomfort, bringing a potty from home that’s familiar can make this easier for them and ease their stress.
To avoid having accidents happen because they can’t get their underwear or clothing off, use the Pull-Ups® Potty Training Pants For Boys or the Pull-Ups® Skin Essentials™ Potty Training Pants For Girls to help them to quickly and easily urinate with ease. Opting for Pull-Ups with their favorite characters can also help to make the connection even more calming and fun for them.
Finally, stay calm if they do have an accident. By remaining positive you avoid creating a bad association with pottyingin in bathrooms outside of your home.

Communicate with Caregivers

There are times that you may not be able to be there for your child's potty training and a caregiver will need to help. This caregiver should do exactly what you do with potty training to be consistent. Otherwise, this may confuse your child. If your child will be spending time with caregivers, they might be uncomfortable at first with going to the bathroom. It is important to use words of encouragement, routines and rewards that you use at home to help smooth the transition period without losing progress. But know that regressions can happen. However, with consistency and communication you and your caregiver can make a plan that works for you and your child.

Potty Training with Confidence

Every part of the potty training journey is filled with new and exciting challenges to keep you on your toes. While you guide your little one through this journey, we’ll be with you every step of the way providing comfort, support, and care with our range of Pull-Ups® Training Pants. Along with these tips, you can rest assured knowing that our line of training pants will provide you and your child with the comfort and confidence to know you’re protected. Conquering public toilets can be scary for anyone, especially toddlers. Simplify the process with Pull-Ups®. Take the quiz and find what product best suits your child’s lifestyle.