need potty training advice

Sue - posted on 02/19/2012

after 4 kids I learned they potty train when they are ready. At her age (2.5) I would put on the big girl panties and expect cleanup with pull ups at night. i feel the pull ups feel too much like diapers and don't give them the "yukky" feel when they go. Even my most stubborn was potty trained by 4 years old. My mother in-law always told me "don't worry, no kid goes to kindergarten in diapers" that being said, if it does progress past 4 or so ask the doctor, they may have a physical issue. Good luck!

Tiffany - posted on 02/06/2012

I have the same problem with my daughter too which she did just turn two in november. She also takes her diaper off when its dirty. I'm also not sure on what to do. I have even tried the candy thing with her and it does not work. My sister in law (who has a 13 yr old a 9 yr old and a 5 yr old) tells me that its a stage they go through since we both have younger children who are in diapers that they want to be the baby and see the other child in diapers.

Jaime - posted on 01/30/2012

I started training my son who was born 4-15-09 2 weeks ago and he will pee, but not poop. He did poop once in it though. I found that he liked going on the big potty better than his training seat. Best of luck.

Eva-Lotta - posted on 01/22/2012

Encouragement, encouragement and more encouragement.

My 2 year old never wanted to sit on the potty. She instead decided that she wanted to sit on my lap while I was on the toilet (when she was still in nappies) and after I had done my business, she wanted to have a turn. It worked really well! Sometimes nothing would come - no big deal, when something did come - loads of praise and her reward was a sultana (keep it fairly healthy rather then lollies)! Took 2 months and she was trained and at christmas we also took her nappy of at night as she would wake up in hte morning with dry nappies. Since then she has had 2 accidents (and that was when she was sick)...

We are now working on she has to put the lid up herself, pull her pants down before and up afterwards and being able to step up and get on the toilet herself.

Be relaxed about it, let her do it at her pace, don't push the issue and give loads of praise and encouragment!

Books and toys are great helpers to to keep them seated on the toilet for long enough as in the beginning it can take a while until they learn to relax their muscles to let it out...

Good luck!

Michelle - posted on 01/22/2012

My daughter watches me go to the toilet when I do a wee and she loves sitting on the toilet in her little seat (it has stairs and everything for her) she doesnt really understand needing to go when she wees or poos yet but shes getting there

Julie - posted on 01/19/2012

Kids will obsess on whatever they see us react to -



♥ Figure out how long after eating a meal she will have to have a bowel movement and then take her in to sit on the potty-chair and sit on the big one while you wait for her to do her job.

♥ Then praise her verbally when she does 'big girl things'.

♥ Never scold her for accidents, etc., as they are innocent little people who are learning everything about their world -

Kate - posted on 01/18/2012

Just wanted to add that I went to the library the other day and got the ' once upon a potty' DVD..my daughter watched it a bunch of times, and at her fourth or fifth viewing, she suddenly removed her diaper and announced that she needed to use the potty! She used the potty all day, taking herself to the bathroom and removing her underwear each time..she still pooped in her panties, but she did at least go in the bathroom, and she hopped up on the potty immediately afterwards! O, maybe a potty video will help? My daughter is a visual learner and it seems to have helped her a lot!

Jill - posted on 01/16/2012

it doesnt sound like your dd is ready for potty training. she may not like a dirty diaper but if she is refusing to sit on the potty, then she's not there yet. however, i wouldnt give it up. instead of forcing her or tricking her to sit on the potty, just start talking about it. say things like: "if you dont want your diaper on, then you have to sit on the potty for "x" minutes" or "if you want to run around for a few minutes without your clothes on, you have to sit on the potty until the timer beeps." if she refuses, put her diaper on and leave let her be. or you can simply force the rule of no running around naked, period. (i know, easier said than done)



my first daughter showed an interest in the potty when she was only 18 months old. we tried that early but she just didnt "get it". she would show interest, then lose interest then back again. every time she'd show interest, i thought i had bought my last box of diapers and then bam! no more potty talk! she didnt potty train until the week she turned 3. she potty trained so easily b/c she was around another little girl the same age who had just potty trained and she didnt like that she went potty and my daughter didnt. (my dd is very competitive) so she potty trained in 3 days. easy as pie!



my second daughter, i refused to potty train her until she turned 3 and when she was around 2 1/2 years, she just potty trained herself. (again, competitive) i tried to hold her off but that wasnt going to happen. so i guess, kids will potty train when they are ready, even if we think they might be ready.



good luck!

Amy - posted on 01/16/2012

Yea, we have a potty baby so I'll try that too thanks for the advice:)

Helena - posted on 01/16/2012

My daughters had a doll with a potty that they "took to the potty" They would put the doll on the dolls potty then sit on theirs, when the doll "went potty " so did they. We also went shopping for big girl knickers which was fun for all of us.

Amy - posted on 01/15/2012

Awesome I'll start looking for some tomorrow:)

Janice - posted on 01/15/2012

My daughter has 3 potty books. I agree they are helpful too. We have one with pics of real girls sitting on potties, an Abby Cadabby button/sounds book and a Sesame street look and find potty book.

Amy - posted on 01/15/2012

The Elmo Potty book while sitting on the potty & reading her stories about the potty r great starts & time to get out the pull up videos! Thanks for the advice:)

Amy - posted on 01/15/2012

The same thing is going on with my daughter Sadie 2 1/2 who loves being naked & takes off her diaper dirty & wet & then continues to pee on everything! Tired of doing bed sheets & blankets! Thanks for any advice!

Molly - posted on 01/14/2012

Janice that is so funny- thank you. My daughter sounds EXACTLY the same way. I am just letting her take the lead while trying to encourage her to go in the potty. But she definitely just doesn't want to right now. Thanks ladies for all the advice- there were some really great tips!

Janice - posted on 01/13/2012

My daughter really resisted potty training whenever we pushed the issue. She is strong -willed and if it isnt her idea than forget it. We often let her run around naked and for a while she refused to sit and would hold it until we put her diaper back on! All of a sudden one day last week she was naked and I was nursing my 6 week old and she just came over and said "I peepee". She had just decided to go and did! As of tuesday she has been naked and is suddenly completely potty trained with out reminders. She is 26 months.Unfortunately the few times we have put her in undies and pants she had accidents. I'm going to let her be naked a few more days and then try to transition her to undies :) I would say if she is very strong-willed and independent then you will probably just have to let her take the lead.

Sherri - posted on 01/13/2012

Thanks Kate totally missed it.

Kate - posted on 01/13/2012

@ Sherri..read Deonna Maxfield's post.

Kristie - posted on 01/13/2012

My daughter is 2.5 and is potty trained. It's exhausting but so worth it! Get potty time w Elmo movie and the book and be consistent. She can do it. Btw she started by coming w me at 18 mo and sitting fully clothed on hers and playing w the potty flushing and then we took off playing diaper and then we sang and danced and read and sat, and then we clapped and sang and danced and cheered and make a huge deal every time she went/goes. Breaking down the stages and then building up to it w rewards from the treasure chest each time and at any stage is what worked for us. Blessings!

Sherri - posted on 01/13/2012

Who the heck said anything about spanking Kate?

Kate - posted on 01/13/2012

Spanking your child for an accident, really? That is very extreme..

I have been potty training my daughter very slowly. We introduced the potty at around 15 months and at first she wouldn't use it. She sat on it in her clothes etc. we take her into the bathroom with us. She has started using the potty more and more. Tried going the naked/underwear route with sticker rewards. It didn't work. I think she felt too much pressure to perform. We went back to diapers for awhile, but this week I started using pull ups and taking her to the potty every half hour or so..one of the tricks I use is I announce that I am going to go use the potty..she runs in there and shouts, " My turn!" works every time..I think you are going about it the right way. It just takes time and patience..and a sense of humor. :)

Sherri - posted on 01/13/2012

At 2.5 she is probably ready. You need to start having her sit on the potty consistently for a few minutes each time to get her used to it. That will kick start going into full blown potty training.

Carol - posted on 01/12/2012

She's still on the early side for potty training (in the US anyway) If you really want her potty trained, realize that you're being trained too until she really understands the correlation between the sensation and actually going. Look for the telltale face she gets before she poops and run to put her on the toilet. Ask more frequently right when she wakes up from a nap or after drinking. Getting books like "Everyone (or everybody) Poops" and the like help explain it in their terms. Rewards are awesome. Words and extra hugs can be rewards if you don't like the idea of candy or stickers. I'd call a grandparent or close friend/relative so my sons could tell them what they did, so they can hear how proud Grammy or Grampy is of them. (A heads up call before hand would probably be appreciated and weed out anyone grossed out at sounding enthusiastic about pee and poop.)

Understand that she is incapable of learning until her body is ready. Some kids are way early, and some are way late. Also, some kids are more comfortable facing the wrong way. They feel less likely to fall off.

Vanessa - posted on 01/12/2012

I used to work in a daycare and I have 2 children of my own and have potty trained many kids. I found that making the potty fun helps them want to use it, like getting her a special book just for the potty (I got my 2 yr old a elmo potty book, it has like the find this thing in it) and it seemed to help. I also decided when it was time for her to start the actual potty training i would put her in big girl underwear (so she could really feel when she had a accident, and it was special just for her) it has been about 2 months and she is fully potty trained. At night she wears a pull up, and the rest of the day she is in the underwear. Oh also I know its hard but about every 20-30 mins you need to be taking her potty, that way she will get it. My aunt told me that she would give her son a cup of water while he sat on the potty that way it would help him go potty. I hope this helps... if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Deonna - posted on 01/12/2012

Hi Molly,



My name is Deonna and i had the same thing but i started my daughter on potty training when she was 1 and a half. Se was taking off her diaper and so on... but what i did was when i went to bathroom i took her with me so tat she could see what i was doing. On disciplining after a while when she would sit on the potty and if she would potty in her pulls ups then i would spank her so that she knew that it wasn't ok but if your daughter likes candy that would work too. it worked for me by the time she was two she was potty trained, you just have to consistent with it an she will follow. If she is starting pre k in the fall i don't know if that will be a set back i don't know if they require that your child be potty trained? do you know ?

Determined - posted on 01/11/2012

haha ok sorry for misunderstanding. Yea they just have to be comfortable with the idea which is why we cannot force it on them. Patience is the number one thing although after washing 2-3 poopy pairs of panties a day with my girl...patience is easier said then done lol

Molly - posted on 01/11/2012

Thank you Amber. I should definitely clarify- I haven't given her any candy yet and wasn't wanting to and also wouldn't give it to her just to sit on the potty, I meant after she went. ha ha. I also take her in with me too and talk to her about it. I think I just need to be patient and by reading your post it clarifys things much better. Thank you!

Determined - posted on 01/11/2012

My daughter was like this at first and she's 2.5 now. I would take her in with you when you go potty so she learns what its for (ahhh the joys of being a mommy lol) and talk to her about what its for "you pee and poop go in there" I wouldn't give candy just to get her to sit on the potty because then when the training really begins she'll think she gets it just for sitting and not actually going potty. I'd keep introducing the potty, don't force it but maybe when you're going ask her if she wants to sit on hers too like mommy. Pooping in another story entirely I'm still waiting for my daughter to poop on the potty she is completely trained as far as peeing goes no diapers in 2 months. Patience patience. Hope this helps good luck!