Susan Wallace is a child development expert and Potty-Training Consultant. She is a Potty-Training Educator and facilitates accredited training to allow others to become Certified Potty-Training Consultants. She is also the mum to 2 young children. We asked Susan: ‘Why Potette® Is a Must-Have for Potty Training?’:

‘As both a mum of 2 preschoolers, and a Potty-Training Consultant; the Potette is an essential item in my home. Here is why I believe it to be the best potty for potty-training toddlers…

 

Best Portable Potty

I’m a busy mum of two preschoolers who are only 13 months apart. As a child development professional, I am a huge advocate for getting children outside and engaging in non-structured natural play. One of my favourite things to do is to visit the local forest or beach with my two young children. As you can imagine I can end up with a lot to carry – welly boots, picnic blankets, water bottles etc. It is also not unusual for me to end up carrying at least one child back to the car when their little legs get tired.  

I genuinely would not have the capacity to carry the larger type of travel potties on such outings – this would be too restrictive. Instead, the Potette® folds down small, allowing me to place it in the back of my usual backpack. It takes up next to no room but allows us flexibility to visit places rich in natural sensory feedback which are not always the closest to public toilets.

 

A More Hygienic Option

I am conscious of the hygienic aspect of toilet training. Some travel potties have lids to contain the potty contents while you’re out and about. However, if there is no toilet nearby for disposal, this means carrying the contents around with you all day. This can be particularly problematic on a hot day or when you need to use it more than once.

With two young children, this type of potty would mean one of three things: always staying close to toilets for disposal, carrying two separate potties (which would be difficult for me to carry) or having one child use the potty after the other without it properly being cleaned. As a parent, none of these options are appealing.

This is why the Potette® Plus 2-in-1 Potty really work for us. I only need to bring one compact potty, which fits easily into my bag and some disposable liners which fit neatly inside the frame and can be changed easily after each use. The used liners can then be easily disposed into any nearby bin and are biodegradable, making them kind to the planet too. With the Potette, I can prioritise both hygiene and flexibility whilst out with my children. Since the contents are so easy to dispose of, I don’t have to deal with cleaning a messy potty when we get home, leaving me more time to spend with my little ones.

 

Discreet When Out and About

Even as a Potty-Training Consultant, I don’t always want to be seen carrying a potty and prefer to keep the process discreet for my little ones. As the Potette® folds up so compactly, I can fit it easily into my normal bag, without drawing attention to it.

A few months ago, we visited Disneyland Paris. I wanted my children to feel comfortable using their potty at every stage of the journey - at the airport, on the plane and throughout the parks. The Potette® fit discreetly into my hand luggage backpack and in the parks, I was able to keep it discreetly under the double buggy. When we visited the toilets, I could quickly set it up as a standalone potty (on the floor of the accessible toilet) or as a supportive toilet seat.

 

Supporting Potty Training Transitions

Another reason I love the Potette® is how well it supports children through transition - a stage that many children (and adults) can find challenging. As the Potette® easily converts between a standalone potty to a supportive toilet seat, it allows children to adapt to this change using the same familiar product.

The Potette® meets both potty and toilet seat needs in one single product, eliminating the need to buy additional products for different children’s needs. There were times when my youngest needed a potty when we were out and about. Simultaneously my eldest preferred using toilets (where available) so in just two clicks I was able to transform the potty into a supportive toilet seat to accommodate the needs and preferences of both my children in just a few seconds.

Having a supportive seat when children begin using the toilet more regularly is so important. Without support, children may feel like they might fall in, which can cause them to tense. Tensing can make it harder to release urine. A supportive toilet seat promotes the correct posture for easy release and reduces potential tension.

The Potette® allows children to adapt to transitions in and out of the home. At home, it can be used with the hard liner that comes with the Potette® Max 3-in-1 or the silicone liner that can be purchased for the Potette® Plus 2-in-1. When out and about, it becomes a travel potty or a toilet seat. It’s cost effective, saves space and means parents don’t need to invest in multiple products as their child grows and develops. 

 

As both a mother and a Potty-Training Consultant, I endorse Potette® Plus 2-in-1 as the number 1 Potty Training Essential – making life easier for both parent and child as children adapt to underwear during this important milestone.