Learning to use the Potty is a rite of passage for every toddler. Deciding how and when to potty train can be a rite in and of itself for the toddler's parents. They have to decide how to do it and how to deal with problems. A potty seat may be the best thing for your toddler.

What Is The Difference Between Using a Potty Chair vs Potty Seat?

Potty seats look and feel a lot more like the regular toilet than a potty chair. This may be a plus in your toddler's mind, since he is using the big guy's toilet and not a baby one. When deciding how you want to potty train, keep in mind your toddler's personality and motivation.

A potty seat is simply a smaller, usually cushioned, seat that fits on top of and around the regular toilet ring on your toilet at home. You can find a potty seat in just about any color your toddler is partial to. You can also find a potty seat with many popular characters on them, including Sesame Street characters, Blue's Clues, and Dora the Explorer.

Potty seats take up less space than a potty chair. If you buy a potty chair, it will need its own bit of floor space in the bathroom. With a potty seat, the only thing you will need is a small area to store it when it's not in use. Usually you can fit the potty seat in your bathroom cabinet or even just on the floor beside the toilet.

While it is more manageable for a child to handle a potty seat themselves, if they need help with their clothing then you are probably going to need to be near by anyway. A potty seat on top of a regular toilet also gets them used to the idea of sitting up off the ground and can be more helpful at transitioning your child onto using a normal toilet seat.

Your decision on which option is best for you is going to depend to a large extent on your child. If they are a reluctant participant in the whole toilet training idea then a potty chair is probably a better option as they are more likely to see it as a compromise. However, if they are willing and excited about the idea of being more grown up then using a potty seat on a regular toilet is probably going to work best.

Regardless of how you choose to potty train your toddler, they will - believe it or not - be successfully trained. It may still be a while before they are completely able to use the toilet on their own, but at least you are on your way to one of the major goals in life.