Potty Training - Gainesville,TX

I bought a big bag of Jolly Ranchers, although I'm sure just about any kind of candy would work. If she took the effort to go and sit on the potty, she could have a piece of candy. If she actually went to the potty she could have two. Then eventually we were able to only give one with the potty after a while. Mine did the same thing with pulling her diaper off, I also finally just put her in underwear, pull ups were to expensive and she knew it didn't mean anything to potty in them.

Hi C.,

It does sound like she is getting ready. Just take your time with her and make it fun. So many people get in such a hurry then the kid gets stressed, because the parents get stressed and then it can become a battle.

So what I did was get lots of potty books. With my son, I got bopy potty books from Babies R Us and sent him to potty with his daddy! With my girl, I did the same thing. I got her Girl Potty Books and took her with me to the potty and let her know what I was doing. As well, I rewarded them when they had potty success. I kept a jar of "Smarties or Skittles" in the bathroom. When there was anything, #1 or #2 in the potty they would get a little treat! Some people don't beleive in the treat system and they create a reward posters and use stickers as the reward. All I know, is my kids potty trained quick. The book my dughter really liked is, "Once Upon a Potty" by Alona Frankel. I am sure you can find it at Babies R Us, Barnes and Noble, maybe even half priced books or possibly even at a childrens consignment store. Oh also, there is an adorable Elmo toy, Elmo Goes Potty. It is great! Elmo has a sippy cup that he drinks from, then he gets an urge and goes potty on his potty. Elmo even has a potty book, too! The entire set comes together and it is less than $20.00 at ToysRUs. I bet it could be found at a childrens resale shop, too. Once she gets used to the idea of going potty and when get to where she can keep pull ups dry for long periods. You'll need to realize there will be a period of time that she will need big girl transition panites (also found at BabiesRUs). She will have accidents in these panties and on her clothes. Keep in mind that is part of the last stage of training. However,the concept behind having accidents in her panites is that... she won't like the way it feels, she won't like the mess, she will think it is yucky and she will learn not to have messes in her panties and clothes.

Good Luck!!

CJ

Try putting some blue dye in the potty and show her that when she pees in it turns green. My daughter thought that was neat

After raising potty training 4 of my own children and now being the lead teacher of a toddler class, I understand how frustrating potty training can be. There are a few signs that show that your child is ready for potty training. Do her diapers stay dry for long periods, is she able to take her clothes on and off easily and I know that she is verbal but as you say she really does not seem to understand the real meaning or pee pee of poo. Also she needs to have the patience to sit to wait for more than a minute and sometimes that is difficult for a two year old.

I would not discourage her from sitting on her potty chair. In fact, everytime that you use the bathroom take her with you and show her that you pee pee in the toilet. Perhaps she can sit on her potty chair while you sit on the toilet. After nap and when she wakes up in the morning put her on her chair. In my class I tend to discourage pullups as they are just like diapers and only help with the pratice of pulling the underwear up and down. If I was you, put your daughter straight into her special (have her choose them out) panties. Sit her on the potty chair at the beginning about every 20 minutes. If she has accidents after accidents, it is OK, put her back into the diapers and try again in a month or so.

Trust me, she will not be in kindergarten wearing diapers and as success is the goal try not to make it a frustrating and difficult process for all of you.

Good Luck!!

I have potty trained several children since I've been in the childcare business. One thing that I've found helpful is to turn the water faucet on while the child is sitting on the potty. Another thing that helps is every morning as soon as she wakes up, sit her on the potty (most children have to urinate as soon as the wake up in the morning or right after nap). As far as bowel movements, which are most times more difficult; I always look for signs that they need to poop like they may hide or always go around the same time everyday. Try putting her on the potty as soon as she starts going in her diaper. When children see "it" being flushed down the toilet it sometimes gives them incintive to try to make it to the potty. At my daycare we always ask parents to send panties or underwear instead of pull ups because a pull up has the same feeling as a diaper but when children wet their underwear and it runs down their leg, it's usually unpleasant and they learn alot faster. Patience is key. It does take time. Good luck.

Hi C.,

I started training my daughter in Jan, she'll turn 3 in May. My daughter started early (before she turned 2) of pulling her diaper off and loving to sit on the potty and telling me she pee'd or pooped. I felt like she wasn't ready, she was just playing since she too would never actually go. I knew it would take patience and setting a timer and making them go every 30-45 min. I kept a little boy and helped him remember to go. I did try to potty train her too when I kept him, but she did great the first day, then after that I tried to get her to go, and she said NOPE, not doing it. So, I dropped it.

I bought those paded panties at JcPenney. They are kind-of high, but I didn't want to waste money on pull-ups since they are just diapers and the child knows it. I did dread her going poopie, b/c I felt like she wouldn't go in the potty, but she did. She did have few pee accidents, but she refuses to go #2 in her panties. So, that is a good thing. ha! I never rewarded her either. I would have, if I needed too, but she did have fun going and flushing it and watching it go down.

She did great and learned fast.

Good Luck, Sydne