Potty Training - Grand Junction,CO

Is it so important she needs to be potty trained right at three? meaning is she going to preschool or something? some kids are just not ready to be trained right at three. If it is needed to be done, make sure she is not scared of the potty, find a potty seat she would really like. (spongbob or dora ext.) I used some floaties that you would place in the toilet and when they were peed on they would sink and change colors. I was really positive, showed extreme excitement when me daughter was on the potty. Dont get to fustrated it always takes time, it will not be done in a day. I have a 6 year old boy, he would not go in the potty, i did not have him trained till he was 4. I also have a 5 year she was trained a little after 3.

My mother-in-law gave me a book when my son was born call "Potty training in one day" Now it doesn't really work in a day and it's kind of extreme, but the basics are good. To start, set a timer for 10 mintes. Every time it goes off you take your daughter to sit on the potty. If you can see that she actually sits and relaxes (even if it's just for a few seconds) she gets a little reward. M&Ms worked well for me. Eventually she'll pee one of these times. The point is, the first couple of days it needs to be parent initiated...you initiate sitting on the potty. She'll get to the poing (quickly if she's really ready) that she'll tell you when she needs to go. This worked for both of my kids and I'll be using it on my third. Good luck!!

My mom used to get up in the middle of the night and put my sister on the toilet. She recognized that she just had a small bladder and could not hold that much. One day she mentioned it during the day and my sister said "What?" She was sleeping through the whole thing and had no idea. You could try that. A lot of kids wear diapers at night. My son is 3 and goes to preschool and they deal with the diapers quite well.

My daughters are now 8 and 9. I potty trained them with the panties with the ruffles on the butt. We went shopping for the pretty panties and I told them that if they wanted to wear the pretty panties then they have to go in the potty. I also told them that if the didn't go in the potty then they can't wear the pretty panties. They loved the pretty panties so much that it worked. My girls have always been really girly though. As for panties at night I let them tell me that they were ready to not wear the pull ups anymore.

October is a ways a way. If she doesn't understand the "urge" then you are going to be back pedaling for a while. It takes some kids longer to understand the feeling.
If she is waking up soaked then she really may need more time and you have to give it to her if you don't want to be stressed out. If you are worried about her being wet at night, cut back liquids before bed and during the day. Put her on the potty every hour and a half and DO NOT wait for her to tell you she has to go. Eventually she will get it.
The biggest rule I can give you is NEVER ask them if they have to go or always wait for them to tell you. Setting her on the potty every hour and a half every day for a week will help her read her cues and help her body figure it out.
If you ask her, well the answer will be no most of the time and most kids would much rather be playing then stopping to go to the potty.
She wakes up soaking because she has drank too much before bed. Stop all liquids two hours before bedtime, set her on the potty before bed. It may take a while, just be patient as she has to be ready for it to work.

Hi H.,I have been working with toddler's for over twenty years now and I can tell you a thing or two about this first hand, I have been right behind many little tykes when they succeeded, and the first one would be: Do not force them, let it be their decision. Forcing them just makes the process alot longer. You take them to the store to pick out their own new underwear and then it only takes a couple of times having an accident before they get the hang of it. But their is 7 signs they need to meet before you even start. When they have an accident do not scold or show disappointment, just say uh oh, it was just an accident, you can try again next time. When they do succeed and get it in the potty, internalize their success for them. I know that you want to jump up and down and hoop and holler but contain it, they have little control over alot of things in their life, this needs to be their accomplishment and idea, so to internalize it, when they do it, you say to them (calmy) wow! how does that make you feel? You put your Poop and Pee in the potty, that is yours isn't it? Another thing I do is I have them sit on the potty backwards so that they feel more secure sitting and they see the BM and urine leave their body which is another internal cue for them. The reason why it is called Potty Training is because the parent is trained to ask if they have to go incesently, and that is a drain on their little self esteem, I know that none of us would want to be asked over and over again or lead in there every hour or so, it's humiliating for them, think about it from their perspective, so if you are reminding him/her or taking them in all the time you are training yourself and humiliating them. We do not give these intelligent little people the credit they deserve, their biggest wish it to please you as a parent so why wouldn't they do it on their own when they are ready, instead of being made to. I do not know if you are familiar with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, but he has a book called,"Toilet training the Brazelton way" and in his book he has the seven signs to watch for readiness in your child that I mentioned and his philosophy is the one I adopted and I can promise you that it has worked for my children and for countless children in my care for years.
Best of luck in whatever you decide.
These are the beautiful years. (Poop and all)
J. P.