You've been potty training your little one and so far things are moving along smoothly. She has figured out how to use the potty and there are hardly any accidents. It is time to finally venture outside the home without training pants. This of course means that she will have to start using public restrooms.

Using an unfamiliar bathroom can be a bit of a challenge for both parent and child during this stage. Here are some tips to make the adjustment easier on both of you. Before you know it your little girl will be comfortable using a public restroom.

Use The Potty Before You Leave

Use the bathroom before you leave and encourage your child to do the same. Wording it as "Let's go use the bathroom before we leave" works much better than demanding your child go to the potty or she doesn't get to go. She will feel like a big girl, since she is doing what Mommy or Daddy does before they go out to run an errand.

Bring Toilet Paper Or Wipes

Since restrooms aren't always stocked with toilet paper, bring a few sheets of your own. Carrying a small container of moist wipes works as well and helps clean up all sorts of little messes. Carry a small container of hand sanitizer in case there is no soap to wash your hands.

Scout Out The Bathroom When You Get There

When you get to a store or bathroom, take a quick peek in the bathroom with your child. She'll feel more comfortable using it later if she knows where it is at and what it looks like.

Use Large Stalls

Whenever possible, use the larger handicapped stall. There's enough room in there for both you and your child. A lot of stores, malls, and even larger venues like amusement marks and museums how have family bathrooms. They are much larger than regular bathrooms, usually include a changing area and have enough room to even fit a stroller inside. Since they are usually for the exclusive use of parents with small children, they tend to be cleaner than regular restrooms.

Don't Leave Your Child Unattended In A Public Bathroom

Always accompany a small child into a public restroom. Unfortunately you just never know who might be hanging out in there. Play it save and stay with your child. For women it is usually acceptable to take a small boy into the lady's room. For a father, taking his daughter may be a little trickier. Check out the men's restroom. If there is a stall that is somewhat clean and there is no one standing at the urinals, it is perfectly fine to take your daughter in there. If the lady's room is the only option, Dad could stay at the door and walk his daughter through the process, making sure you stay in verbal contact. If the lady's room is completely empty, he can also take her inside, and let other women coming in know he's there. Just jell something along the lines of "Dad in here, just a minute".

Keeping these suggestions in mind, go ahead and venture out with your potty-trained child. After a few trips to the public restroom she will be a pro at it and you won't believe you ever had to worry about it.