The good, the bad and the smelly: Top tips for toilet training

Toilet training can be a stressful time for parents and children alike, with plenty of accidents along the way. Andrea Mara hears about the good, the bad, and the smelly.

“YOU take off the nappy, stay inside for three days straight, put newspaper everywhere, and be careful where you step,” said my friend. These were the words that instilled fear in my soul when I first broached the subject of potty training. Stay in the house for three days? With a toddler and a newborn? I started to break out in a cold sweat.

Among parenting milestones — trying solid food, starting to crawl, taking first steps — potty training lags behind in the excitement stakes. For many parents, it’s a chore more than a milestone, and one that can be stressful when it’s not going well — especially taking that first trip out into the world with a nappy-free child.