OK the potty training is going well. You’ve been staying home to give you both the best chance of success and its working. You’ve got a good system happening and there have been relatively few accidents in recent days. So now you’re thinking about venturing out…But you know that potty training at home is very different to potty training in the big wide world. How will you and your child manage at a shopping mall where toilets are often a good distance away? You know you won’t have all the things you need on hand and your child may need to use a regular toilet when they’ve been used to their own custom potty.

Or perhaps a friend has invited you and your child over to play and her child has been potty trained for months. What if your child gets too caught up playing to be able to tell you in time that they need to go? How will you feel if your child has an accident?

Just because it’s new and perhaps a bit intimidating, you can’t stay home forever. No really, you can’t! Of course, its tempting to put them in pull ups and not have to worry about any potential accidents but that isn’t really sending your child the right message about the path ahead.

You know that your child can go for at least an hour in between potty visits so if you time it right you might be able to get there and back within the hour. Well, maybe. But bladders aren’t always like that. You know what it’s like when you get excited or nervous, you need to go to the bathroom more. Your child is like that too. So you may well find that they need to go more when they are out, not less.

So what can you do?

1. Get them to go, or at least try to go potty before you leave.

2. Explain to your child what will happen when you are out, how it will likely be different from home and any concerns you may have.

3. Find out where the toilets are as soon as you get wherever you are going and go straight away. If you’re going to a friend’s house, take your child to the bathroom before they need it so they know where it is and what to do when they get there.

4. If you’re out in public, as you move around always be on the lookout for the toilet signs so you know exactly which direction you should head if the need urgently arises.

5. Consider investing in a portable potty like the Primo Folding Potty Seat that collapses and fits easily into a carry bag. If your child needs to sit on the potty but you don’t have a portable potty with you, you could try getting them to sit backwards on a regular toilet – some children find this easier because they have the wall or toilet cistern to hold onto and don’t feel like they are going to fall off on to the floor.

6. Take some spare clothing, a couple of plastic bags, and some baby wipes and paper towels with you in case of accidents.

7. If they have an accident in a shop or restaurant – let the staff know and race to the bathroom with your child. Yes it is embarrassing but not unheard of. The staff have probably had to handle a lot worse. All you can really do is apologise – quickly – and leave a big tip. If your child has had an accident but doesn’t need to urgently go to the bathroom, then you can help with the clean up as best you can but its probably only going to make it worse and arouse more interest from other customers. Better just to accept what has happened and move on.

8. If your child has an accident at a friend’s house then it’s your responsibility to clean it up. Best to take your own paper towels so you can quickly spring into action without having to ask for everything and make it a big deal. Just quickly sort it out. You could even take your own tea tree oil to sprinkle around after but you’ll want to make sure that is OK with your friend before you use it.

9. Don’t forget to take your sense of humour – accidents or not, you’re probably going to need it. Just remember that it is not only a new experience for you but also for your child too. There may be several false alarms with them wanting to find out what happens when they say the magic trigger word. If you feel it is becoming a game, try not to get upset with them. Instead try praising them for telling you and being so responsible about their potty training, even though you know it’s not easy.