“Green” Not Gross Potty Training

Potty training is tough on moms, dads and Mother Nature. Here are some tips on how to keep the process as “green” as possible and the waste to a minimum (and we aren’t talking about the poop!)

Skip the pull ups and go straight to underwear or cloth training pants.

According to the U.S. National Park Service, disposable diapers and training pants take 200-500 years to decompose and account for 7.6 billion pounds of waste. Pull ups also prevent your little one from feeling the wetness in time to stop it and get to the bathroom. The 100% cotton BottomZz Up potty training underwear features proprietary technology that lets kids feel wet when they are wet, while at the same time, preventing leaks and messy clean ups.

Use the toilet, not a separate potty training seat.

Those plastic, child sized potty chairs are the anything but eco-friendly. The goal of potty training is to get your child to use the toilet not some plastic chair that sits on the floor.  Potty chairs also add an extra step to the process and can confuse young children.

Teach toddlers to be mindful of toilet paper

Toddlers have been known to take a million times more toilet paper than they really need. Combine a counting lesson with potty training and teach little ones to count the number of squares to use.  (2-3 squares usually does the job.) This will help reduce the waste and limit the amount of toilet paper you have to clean up in the bathroom (on the floor, hanging over the edge of the toilet bowl, next to the garbage can- you get the picture!).

Use stickers as rewards instead of plastic toys

Kids love stickers! Hang the reward chart in your bathroom, send your kiddo to the potty periodically, and give them a sticker for every effort. Celebrating their victory in little ways will help encourage them to continue their hard work.

By making even small eco-conscious changes to your potty training protocol, you can make a big difference on the environment.  Plus, it is never too early to teach little ones the importance going green and protecting our planet.