How did you potty train your toddler?

Karen - posted on 10/17/2011

I've trained all my kids (yup 7!) when they were 2. I only used undies during the day and pull-ups at night. We started potty training with a party day. We bought treats and drinks and put the potty out and explained how to do it. I put them on at first every 20-30mins (because I kept them filled with fluids) and when they would go we made a huge production of it. Blew horns, jumped up and down and they got a treat (it could be a sticker, or m&m) and they picked it up pretty fast. It feels like forever when you are cleaning up accidents, but soon enough you'll look back and think it wasn't so bad. Good luck!

Tara - posted on 10/16/2011

My two are 19 months apart, so I waited until my youngest was just about 2 before starting anything. Took a long weekend and left them bare-bottomed the whole weekend - had a potty ring on the toilet, encouraged them to go, and that was it. They were completely trained by the end of the 3 days.

My big thing was that once they started going on the potty, no more diapers at all - heavy training panties at night for my youngest because she's a heavy sleeper, but otherwise just panties. I keep an extra set of pants and panties in my "diaper" bag in the van when we go out, just in case, and I carry a potty ring into stores with me (in a bag) so if they have to go, we just go into the bathroom at the store/restaurant, wherever.

Honestly, my MIL was on me a lot to train my oldest girl and I had to tell her to back off. I knew it was a control thing for my daughter - she didn't understand why SHE should have to go potty if her little sister didn't have to. So, I just waited until her sister was ready and then trained them both at the same time.

Courtney - posted on 10/16/2011

My daughter is 19 months and she started taking off her diaper when it was wet so I figured i'd give potty training a try. So, I know it sounds odd, but i put the potty chair in the front room right where my daughter could see it and get to it quickly. I would let her run around without a diaper on and as soon as i noticed her kinda acting funny, like she had to go, i would tell her to sit on her potty and she would go. We had a few accidents due to me being preoccupied with my son, but now she has no problem going on her own.

Erica - posted on 10/16/2011

I am a firm believer that children need to be trained to eat, sleep, use the potty, etc. We bought my daughter's potty at 15 months. She was able to play and explore it then at 18 months she would get a sticker on her sticker chart for sitting on the potty even with her pants on. at 2 she only got a sticker if she pulled her pants down and tried. She is now 2 1/2 and is pee trained and mostly poop trained. #1 Do not use pull-ups (except at night but never refer to them as a diaper/pull ups. We call them night time panties) Let her choose her own big girl panties at the store, (your going to want a few packs) put them on and the first few times she will learn she doesn't like the feeling of pee running down their legs. If she makes a mess she goes and gets a towel and cleans it up her self. (learning to take responsibility for her actions) I also go behind her and make sure she got it all if not I finish it up. It's the action more than making sure she did that properly. If she goes a whole day in the same set of panties then at the end of the night she gets a special treat. Just stay firm and do not sway away from what your doing. Children need structure.

Brittany - posted on 10/16/2011

I guess I'm technically trainning my daughter. If she asks for the potty I put her on it (most of the time she doesn't go). From what I've heard she's doing it backwards, she's pooped in the potty a number of times but only peed once. I'll ask her if she wants to use the potty if I notice that she's straining to poop or doing a mini potty dance.

Last week she didn't want to use it once, so she didn't. Then starting yesterday she started to ask again.

She's about 23 months, so I'm not really in a rush. But it is there if she wants it.

Beautiful - posted on 10/16/2011

I bought a training toilet and a seat for the "big" toilet and told my son what they were for and about two weeks later he stood in the living room, took his diaper off and went to his little toilet all on his own.

My daughter is almost three, I tried the training thing but it just did not work, she is terrified of the big toilet and her little pink one and when I would sit her on it she would scream and hold it... and then do her business on my carpet. So I gave it up, talked to her pediatrician about waiting and he said to just let her come into it herself.
I figure she's not in daycare not going to be in school for a while still so why not just let her do it on her own. Ill do the same for my youngest also.

Amanda - posted on 10/16/2011

I didn't potty train my son either. He was 2 1/2 and decided he didn't want to wear a nappy anymore. Easy peasy.
I am doing the same with my daughter who was 2 in September. She'll tell me when she's ready

Krystie - posted on 10/16/2011

Time for boundries. I would tell your mum "the subject of potty training is closed, do not bring it up again as i am not discussing it" i ahve dont that before about one of my kids hair and am preped to do it again over home edding

Katherine - posted on 10/16/2011

That's what I've been trying to tell my mom. She watched my kids a lot. She is very forceful with the potty training and I've had to tell her to back off several times.

Krystie - posted on 10/16/2011

I dont. I leave them till they are old enought to realise whats going and and just take it from there. usualy around 3yr old and it was all pretty painless. no faffing with training pants and racing to the potty, no fights, no upset, a few messes but not many. relax. when they are ready, they are ready, same with everything else. Learning to eat, sleep, walk, talk, read, potty train, it all comes to them in their own time.