Potty Training - Chicago, IL

Hi O.,

I am currently potty training my 23 mo old daughter. I began this process back in the summer but it didn't go to well. So I put it on hold for a while. I've since started back up and she's catching on very well. I started by putting her on the pot every morning as soon as she woke for the day. Then every morning and evening. And when she goes on the pot, my husband and I do a dance and act a fool. (she loves it !!) But my biggest thing was to prevent this from being a traumatic process so I went with slowly. Now she'll sit on it by herself and most of the time she'll "go potty". It's not the fastest process but it works for us. I hope this bit of info was helpful.

I didn't start my daughter until she was two. I placed books in the bathroom and we read together while she is on her potty. I have recently started leaving her in the potty for a bit on her own. This has worked for us. but you have to take it in strides. as one day it works well and others you go back a few steps. So hang on for the roller coaster. Let her know each time she does go in the potty what a great job she did. maybe get a small piece of paper and draw so many boxes on it. everytimes she goes let her put a sticker on the chart. When she fills the chart give her a special treat. ANother thing is set her up for success. if you wake her up in the a.m. take her to the bathroom right away. We usually have to go first thing, or give her lots of fluids and then take her to the bathroom shortly after that. Just remember positive reinforcements for when she does use the potty. Make a HUGE deal out of it EVERYTIME.
V.

There are some great books out there, and my pediatrician's office hosts some local person who promises potty training in a weekend. (That's Lakeview Pediatrics, ###-###-#### - they might be able to tell you who it is.) However, with three kids, my experience is that 19 months is a little too early. Most kids are somewhere around 2.5 and there's no medals given for potty training early. I found in fact, that they will do it when they are ready and if you start too early, they still arrive at the end result in their own time. (I'm not advocating leaving it till 4!)
My youngest (a boy) is now 2.5 and we have a great time each evening at about 5 where he sits on the potty and tries to push out a poop. He's actually having great success and is very pleased with himself. During the day he tends to puch me away and won't use the potty, but this is my first step. Best thing however - don't stress out just yet! Good luck.

Hi O.~
That is VERY early. My daughter showed signs of "potty interest" at that age as well but no dice until almost 2. This may sound strange BUT I took her diapers off, kept her in dresses and whenever she had to go, we went, even if it was only a drop. Took 3 days, but kept diapers on her at night for a bit after she got used to daytime. Nightime is a whole big deal. Good Luck!!

Introducing them to toliet-choosing is fun. They should understand the process over the next year. The rest is up to them. Most kids aren't really potty-trained without regular accidents till 3 or so. The nighttime another issue altogether. The best thing to do is not to push them, or you could end up with power issues and potentially serious physical and emotional problems later! All the best.

Will potty training can be hard and stressful sometimes. But in the same turn it can be easy as 123. It all depends on the parents time and dedication. I have two boys ( which are harder to train, in my opinion). And they both where potty trained by the time they were 18-19 months. Heres my method:
After you feed you daughter (food, or drink) kept checking her to see how long it takes her to go. Each childs different, so you have to time her. Once you find out how long it takes, the hard parts over. If it takes between 10-15 minutes, after feeding wait 10-15 sit her on the potty. Make sure she stays on there until see goes. But not too long ( use your mother instinct). Give her something to occupy her herself in necessary ( book, toy etc.) And you may find yourself having to get up in the midde of the night to wake her and take her to the potty. This is where the dedication comes in. Also put her in underwear and do not go back to diapers. If needed there are rubber pants that can be used at night. I have worked with a lot of children and when they are back and forth with underwear and diapers (even pull ups) it takes them longer to train. Both of my children where trained in less than 2 months.

O.,
With my daughter I made a calendar and everytime she went potty she got to put a star on that day. I also let her go w/out diaper and pants and she went. This was in the summer so it might be difficult to do in winter. She went for the first time in November. She was fully potty trained by June the following year. She did sleep with pullup at night until she was about 4.