Tell me your best potty training advice?

Question

My daughter just turned 2 and I feel that it is time to start and would just like some advice that maybe I haven't thought of. Right now she likes to run naked and sit on it when she feels like it, but has only peed in it one time. I have another daughter who is almost 5 and she see's her go potty and likes to observe and sit on her potty at the same time. But that's it! Just anything that may have worked for you. I know consistency and all the stuff everyone knows, but I am looking for something original for success.........thanks

she has the potty that plays music and she has learned how to play the music without the pottying~lol

Answer 1

my son just turned 2 as well, he has peed on the potty a few times, and pooped once!, but he doesn't seem ready to realy do it yet.but maybe buy one of those potty's that play music when she pees, it may be encouraging, good luck!

Answer 2

I started out by buying a simple white potty that looked the closest to a regular toilet. No bells n' whistles. Then I got her the "Feel N Learn" pull-ups which are great because when they are wet, they feel wet to the child. Then we had a "sticker" program. I would put her potty in front of the toilet and we would both go potty together. Every time she was successful, she got a sticker that she placed on the bathroom cupboard beside her potty chair. That way she was able to see the rewards of her efforts. And I also made a big effort to praise her really dramatically! Then we'd both empty her potty into the toilet and wave and say "bye-bye peepees/poopoos, thanks for coming out!" She'd sometimes just sit on the chair and "pretend" to potty just so she'd get a sticker! But she quickly figured out that she needed to produce visible results... It took about 2 months. Then I took her shopping and let her pick out her own underwear (Dora). She was so happy to wear them and very, very proud. She had a few accidents but I never made a big deal out of them to her. It got tricky when we went out because it's important that as soon as said she had to potty, we had to pull over right away. I was sure NOT to fall back on the pullups just because we were out. It just prolongs the process. She was able to wear underwear during the day and a pullup at night. Then, eventually she lost the nightime pullup and I woke her at 2am and took her to the potty - every night for about a week. And then that was that.

Every child is different tho - the key is to make a big fuss when they go and not make a fuss if they don't. Good luck with it.

Answer 3

Here it is- it has worked for my 2 kids,and others after I tell them........

1. get m and m's handy
2. get a small potty chair
3. get a couple books about potty
4. you need to be home for about 4-5 days straight
5. now you can start. let them run around bare-but
6. Set the timer for 1/2 hour. Tell him/her to sit on the potty for 5 min. (read them a book in the mean time if it's to long for them.) If they go, give lots and lots of praise!!! I mean go crazy!! Give them about 3 m and m's.
7. Set the timer for 1/2 hour
8. Avoid asking the question "you got to go potty?'
9. Timer goes off- ok! What does that mean junior? Time to go potty again he or she would say, or you say it if they don't
10. repeat process all day long. If they go # 2 in the potty, reward with a handful of m and m's. They are very colorful and kids love them!!

11. Praise praise praise. I do spank my kids for behavior problems such as lying, disobedience, and bad attitudes, but never for having an accident. If there is an accident, clean it up queitly, and don't say much at all. Remind them it's ok, but try to make it in the potty next time, or in your own words.

Good luck!!! Hope this helps you. My girl was potty-trained in one day with the method. Took my son a week. Leave pull-ups on them at night just in case.
p.s. if this doen't work at all, try again in a few months.

Answer 4

I just sorta let nature take its course. If you put too much emphasis on it, you will only make it worse. I would put the training pants on them when we were home, that way if we had an accident, it was no big deal. I always put them in pampers when we were out, until they got the knack of it. My advice is don't take this so serious, they will eventually be trained.....Good Luck with the potty training!! LOL

Answer 5

Consistence and patience....my God, I lost a lot of hair potty training my daughter. It was the first time I had come across her freaky stubbornness.

Answer 6

honestly at this age it is just luck and timing. Good to let her be free from nappy in the summer months. with boys i think it is easier they can go in the garden. just remember who you are doing this for and accidents will happen!!
lots of praise when the pants are dry good luck she will let you know when she is ready

Answer 7

I use to reward mine by using a sticker each time they went, if they got 10 stickers they got a treat (no2's counted as 2 stickers) both mine were dry day and night in 3 months

Answer 8

I would be inclined to change her diaper one a day whether it needs done or not....that instill some urgency

Answer 9

Most children show signs of readiness to begin using the toilet as toddlers, usually between 18 months and 3 years of age.
These signs include staying dry for at least 2 hours at a time, having regular bowel movements, being able to follow simple instructions, being uncomfortable with dirty diapers and wanting them to be changed, asking to use the potty chair, or asking to wear regular underwear. You should also be able to tell when your child is about to urinate or have a bowel movement by his facial expressions, posture or by what he says. If your child has begun to tell you about having a dirty diaper you should praise him for telling you and encourage him to tell you in advance next time.

You should choose a potty chair once your child has shown that he is ready to begin toilet training. You can have him decorate it with stickers and sit on it with his clothes on to watch TV, etc. to help him get used to it. Whenever your child shows signs of needing to urinate or have a bowel movement you should ask him if he wants to use the potty or take him to the chair and explain to him what you want him to do.

Only keep him seated for a few minutes at a time, don't insist and prepared to delay training if he shows resistance. Until he is going in the potty, you can try to empty his dirty diapers into his potty chair to help demonstrate what you want him to do.

Things to avoid when toilet training your child are beginning during a stressful time or period of change in the family (moving, new baby, etc.), pushing your child too fast, and punishing mistakes (treat accidents and mistakes lightly). Be sure to go at your child's pace and show strong encouragement and praise when he is successful
If you haven't done so already, let your child see you and other family members using the toilet (modeling). Let your child know that when she is ready, she can do the same thing. If she has a little friend that is about the same age that is using the toilet, that can also be mentioned (nothing like some peer pressure!). If you notice that she is peeing or pooping, remark on it: "Are you peeing?"...especially if she is in the tub or naked and both of you are observing this act. Follow the observational comment with something positive, like "Let me know when you are ready to try peeing/pooping in the potty!" or "Next time we can try peeing in the potty if you like". Ongoing observational remarks and comments of "when you are ready" let the child know that there is no pressure to start, and that the choice is hers.

Books and videos are wonderful adjuncts to the discussions you have with your child. They help reinforce the ideas you have discussed. And, they see other "kids" or "characters" undergoing the same process, which will help your child understand the whole process.

If you haven't done so already, now is a good time to get the potty "ready" (i.e. purchase a potty chair or child sized potty seat that fits over toilet seat) and to buy some underwear or pull-ups.

Some things to consider regarding your potty "set up" is that there are several potty chairs out there. You needn't spend a fortune on one, but:

make sure that it is sturdy. The last thing you want is for it to collapse while your child is sitting on it!
make sure the "pot" part (where the pee and poop end up) of the chair is secure and empties easily for easy cleaning and minimal spilling.
It is also a nice idea, if your child is interested, to have your child help pick the potty chair. If there is something about the potty chair your child does not like (and believe me, you never know what a 2-3 year old might find fault in!), she may be resistant to using it........and that's the last thing you need!

Most children do start out with a potty chair, but if your child is older (around 3 years of age or older) or has an older sibling, she may prefer to use the "real" toilet first. In this case, a child-sized seat which fits over the toilet would be most helpful. Stability of the seat is probably the most when picking a potty seat. Find one that has the least amount of "wiggle" and does not feel like its going to collapse under the weight of the child. Make sure also, that there aren't any parts that may pinch the child. If your child doesn't feel secure on the potty seat, she may not feel comfortable enough to pee or poop in it.

The next consideration is pull-ups vs. underwear vs. training pants.

Things to keep in mind:

Pull-ups are very convenient and useful when first starting out. They are great for bedtime and naps. However, some children learn quickly that it is just like a diaper, and start using it as such. Similarly, some children may not care if they have peed/pooped in their pull-up because it is as absorbent as a diaper, and hence a wet/dirty pull-up does not motivate the child to use the potty. I would recommend pull-ups when the child is showing a lot of interest but not much consistency. It is nice to use the pull-up when they are running to the bathroom frequently (as diaper tabs generally start to wear out after awhile) with or without success. Not only are the pull-ups easier when using the potty, but they are "different" from diapers and the child will feel more "grown-up". Once your child gets the hang of it, transitioning to underwear would be the next step.
There is not too much difference between training pants vs. underwear. Training pants do have a layer that is meant to absorb more urine than regular underwear, but I have found that there is still a puddle on the floor after an accident regardless of the type of underwear. However, a little help may be better than none. The advantage that underwear has over pull-ups, is that the child definitely feels when she is wet/dirty which can help encourage/motivate a child to use the potty. Also, cleaning up after an accident takes longer and hence may serve as a deterrent to further accidents.
**A word of caution: some children may find toilet training discouraging or humiliating if they have too many accidents in underwear. So it is a good idea for the child to have some "successes" either in diapers or pull-ups before you put underwear on.**

With these thoughts in mind, we are getting closer and closer to independent toileting. Making sure your child is both physically and psychologically ready, and setting the stage are two of the most important steps in toileting success!

Answer 10

One word.....PERSISTENCE!