How do you prepare your child for potty training?

Question

I have a 20 month old daughter and I want to start potty training her. She is my first child so I am sort of lost on how to get this process starting. If you have any suggestions please respond.

Answer 1

Talk to her about using the potty. If you aren't too modest let her come in the bathroom at least when you pee. I know sometimes we just need privacy. If she has older cousins or friends that are using the potty that will help. You can get a potty chair for her and set it in the bathroom and then she can sit on her potty when you use yours. Just make sure she's ready. If she tells you her diaper is wet then that's a good sign. Also if she stops what she's doing to "go" then she's ready. Good luck.

Answer 2

Get her a potty chair and put it in the restroom beside the toilet, When you go to use the restroom take her with you, sit her on the chair and tell her to go potty. If she actually does go to the potty in the chair praise her, tell her what a big girl she is etc.
Use Pull ups or the kind of diaper that you can just pull down during the day. When she goes in the diaper tell her next time to do it in her potty chair. (But don't scold her if she doesn't make it.)
If you give her something to drink then be sure and put her on the chair cause this is when you will have the best chance of success. It takes a little time and patience but the result is no more diapers so it is worth it.

Answer 3

I got my daughter potty trained at 20 months. She started getting interested when I read to her a book about a little girl who got potty trained. It was a Sesame Street book called No More Diapers. Anyhow, I bought her some pull-ups, but I didn't even need them because she got the hang of it in one day! Good luck!

Answer 4

well go the store a take her with you to pick-out her potty get her something she likes and will sit on little kids love colorful things. nest ask her were she wants the potty i.e. the TV room, her room, tell her what the potty is for and show her how is done you know "the monkey see monkey do" thing at first let her sit on the potty with her diaper/pull-up on the potty then remove the diaper/pull-up and give it a try but don't rush it potty training is hard and takes time

Answer 5

I started right after my daughter turned a year and I began just by putting the potty chair in the living room. Her and I lived alone so it did not bother anyone else living in the house! She adjusted easily to it. I would occationally ask her if she needed to go and put her on it and eventually she started going on it herself. Then I did move it back into the bathroom. A friend suggested this to me because it worked with her daughter. I think it is easier for them to get use to the potty chair if it becomes a familiar part of their environment. Don't know if it would work for you or if you'd even want to try it, but thats what worked for her!!

Answer 6

read this link and heres what i did at or about 19-20 months we bough a little childrens potty. he picked it out. we started sitting him on it before his bath only without a diaper. he pooped in it more than he would pee. he was poop trained at 22 months. a few accidents here and there. at 2 years old we bought pullups and said bye to diapers he also got to pick out his first big boy underwear. i took him potty every hour he fought me on this. at 2 and half webought the seat that fits on the potty. it took over a year to train him but boys are slower good luck that site was great help for us

Answer 7

i liked what juliaH said until the part about going back to diapers if the process doesn't seem to be working. PLEASE NEVER GO BACK TO DIAPERS ONCE YOU AND YOUR CHILD HAVE DECIDED IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO THEM. this is very confusing to a child and fills them with shame and doubt of their own abilities.

getting books is a great idea, have your child participate in putting on/taking off clothes, get a potty (one that she helped pick out) and ask her to try to use it.

i wrote a longer answer to a similar question "Is my 18 month old boy ready to start potty training?" - take a look to find out more, just please don't confuse your child with switching between diapers and underwear.

Answer 8

It's too early; don't frustrate yourself. If you want to put a potty chair in the bathroom so she gets use d to the idea and all, fine, but it just be an exercise in frustration at that age.

Answer 9

What ever you do, don't force the issue or punish the effort in any way. Let it happen naturally and in a positive light. Look at it this way.....she'll be potty trained before she graduates high school (and believe me, when you blink, that day comes fffaassst) ENJOY THEM WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG

Answer 10

Crayola make these little tablets called bath tub tints. They make the water change colors, i put those in the toilet. it made it more interesting. Also start a routine...take her to the bathroom every so often( buy some cool toilet paper or flushable wipes and kids soap for her) let her try and you cant praise her enough. Make sure she washes her hands after each try. Hope this helps. Good Luck!