Any tips for potty training?

Teresa - posted on 08/26/2009

1. Get 2 sets of big kid undies--plain boring white ones and wonderful prints that your child picks out. But if they wet or soil the print ones (my boys had superheros and the girls had princesses or flowers, usually) they have to use the white ones until they go potty successfully once. I told them they didn't want to get the TMNTs yucky, and they agreed.

2. Pick a day to stay home to really work on it. Then push liquids that day--different flavors and types--so they have lots of opportunities to practice. Don't expect them to get it perfectly in one day, but that's ok. Whenever you can stay home, even if it's just for half a day or so, push the liquids to get in the practice. (Stop way before you need to leave the house, though!)

3. With boys, they loved to stand around the toilet with dad and all go--male bonding time. :)

4. Let them see you go to the bathroom. Talk about your experience: "Oh, just a minute, honey. I can feel I need to urinate (substitute your word for it, of course). I'll be right back." Help them see it's a big-kid thing to do.

5. Patience! Practice! Persistence!

Good luck!

Jessica - posted on 08/26/2009

My youngest is now potty trained after just a week and a half of working on it. She is my second. My son is now going on five. I have always believed that when the little one is ready, it will be an easy transition. In both cases, we introduced them to the potty at around a year. It sat in the bathroom all the time. My husband and I would ask is they wanted to sit on the potty from time to time. We encouraged sitting with clothes on at first, and then with no pants. They both loved to read books, and both got to the point where sitting on the potty was just about "reading" books. We "bribed" with stickers, jelly beans, pennies, whetever seemed to work at the time. Most importantly, whenever they put up a fight and adamantly refused to sit on the potty, we stopped pushing. We'd let some time (a few days, a week, several weeks) go by and then start suggesting the potty again. Matthew was not quite three when he simply became more compliant, and he was potty trained in just a few days- and NEVER had any accidents after that. Maria saw a little boy on the toilet at the park and told me that minute she had to go potty. We started at home hardcore; she put a sticker on a butterfly picture hanging on the bathroom door every time she peepeed or poopied on the potty. She wore pullups whenever we left the house. Another thing that helped was letting her run around with no pants on at home (They knew they did NOT want to pee on the floor, so it was extra incentive to make it to the potty). She saw the boy at the park on Sunday, by Thursday she was wearing training pants around the house. The following Tuesday she came to work with me without a pull up and has worn panties since then. She's had two pee pee accidents since then, and she still wears a diaper/pullup for nap and bed, but she tells up when she has to go. She pees and poops and gets her panties off and on by herself. We really didn't do anything differently from in the past. SHE chose to start trying it. I know people who pushed and pushed, forcibly, for over a year for their son to go potty. There were rewards and incentives, but also punishments involved in having accidents. I witnessed day when they would change his clothes in public four or five times in a short period of time because he kept soiling himself. He even peed on a friends hardwood floor because they refused to put pullups on him when they went out, and he was clearly not yet potty trained. It's just not worth it. There's no reason to kill yourself changing clothes all day and apologizing for messes, and making the child feel bad because they just aren't ready to do what Mommy and Daddy are pushing them to do. You're better off to make the potty a part of everyday life, suggest it and encourage it, being firm, not forcible, and then wait for them to make the first major move. It's easier on everyone that way. This is just in my experience.

Laurie - posted on 08/26/2009

When my daughter was potty training, we found that nothing really worked until she was ready - so all those tricks - toys, treats, etc., were no help. BUT part of the key to getting her to "get it" was sometimes getting her to sit long enough. We have one of those Tag pens and we put that in the bathroom & her "magic" books. It would at least help her stay entertained long enough to pee or poop and then she'd be so excited that it happened. Easier said than done, but don't make it too stressful on yourself or them - they will do it eventually and it is a control issue, so just let it go until they're ready. Good luck!

Marsha - posted on 08/26/2009

I have 3 boys and 1 girl, my daughter was the easiest. I had to resort to M&M's. Not the greatest idea but it did work. I had to brush their teeth more often.

Amy - posted on 08/26/2009

Cheyenne, don't worry I have 7 children and my four boys drove me crazy while I was trying to potty train them. I got up twice a night at 10 pm and 2 am to take them to the bathroom while I was standing there in the door way about to fall a sleep every night. I would take them every hour to the bathroom and the boys really had no problem going peepee but when they had to go bubuu, all of my son's had a hard time learning that trick. I can tell you some stories about me chasing my son Chris around the dinning room table to change him, or my older so Nico bubuuing in his under clothes at the play ground and I would change him and clean him up and as soon as we got to the store he would do it again. I thought he was slow or some thing, he's not but from the age of 18 months to 2 years old I didn't know what was wrong with him, and doctors are no help at ALL. But don't worry if you ever have a little girl they are so much easier I potty tried my oldest daughter in a weekend. I'm not sure way they are so much easier because I did all of the same things with her as I did with my oldest. All I can say is he'll get it, don't pull your hair out yet!! I'll pray for you and your son. Cheers Amy

Cinnamon - posted on 08/26/2009

What i did---if you can afford the diapers---is just wait. Every child learns. if you can give your child the time I think it is much better. My first one I had to pressure----her pre school insisited. I regret it.

Angie - posted on 08/26/2009

First it depends on how old the child is. Be sure that they are ready. Child should be able to tell you if they have gone in their diaper and recognize when they are going. With my first daughter - that is now 12, I had bought her a new "fun" cup with a straw. She wanted to drink from it constantly. She then had to use the potty constantly. I had her run around with nothing on for 3 days. Day one she was naked on the bottom, the potty was nearby. She went on the floor a few times, but she felt it running down her leg and realized she needed to sit on the potty. Day two, she made it to the potty but tended to get up too quick, so we focused on that. Day three, she wore undies and we worked on wiping and pulling down our pants to go. It only took 3 days and she was completely potty trained. You have to schedule 3 days where you are not going to leave the house. I now am about to potty train my two year old, but have decided to wait until school starts. My kids are trying to "help" too much with the potty training. Also if you have a boy - throwing cheerios into the toilet gives the toilet a target and makes it more fun for them. They might be more willing to do it. Good Luck!

Daina - posted on 08/26/2009

I had my kids all potty trained by the time they were 1...as soon as they started walking around 10 months I started playing potty games...I have 5 kids both male and female...you just have to have petience and wanting to teach them instead of making them teach them selves

Daina - posted on 08/26/2009

put koolaid powder in the potty, so when he pee's it'll turn colors....let him run around nude, they feel like they have a diaper on when they are in undies, so the open air, they feel uncomfortable!! But after he potties in the color potty..take him to the kitchen and let him sprinkle some of the same kool aid color (not from the one you used in the potty) into a glass and you can stir it for him and this will teach him color as well potty training and then MAMA is magic!! :) hope this works!!

Dorothy - posted on 08/26/2009

Keep your little one nude and stop trying. If they don't go on the potty there not ready.All children are different.My son turned three and trained himself. I'm an older-grandma don't sweat the small stuff enyoy your little one. You'll laugh about it someday.

Melanie - posted on 08/26/2009

We found that once our boy was able to pee on the potty, even if he wasn't doing it by himself, that letting him run around without a diaper as much as we could helped build the habit of going to the potty. It was a gradual thing, but that was probably the best thing we did to encourage him along. When he had to go, he would say so, and we made a big deal of it. Stars, rewards, praise, bribes -- they all help. Just remember that it's a process and it generally takes a while. Just stick w/it.

Brenda - posted on 08/26/2009

Go to 3daypottytraining.com I used it and was skeptical at first, but I followed it to the "t" and it worked! My daughter was potty trained at 22 months! I have referred several friends to it and it worked for them too!

Tiffany - posted on 08/26/2009

At 18 months my daughter asked to sit on the potty. Not a kiddie one, our adult one. I said sure, she sat, did nothing a few times and finally peed. Wait until they want to try it. Just keep asking if they want to sit on it. I went out and let her pick a portable seat to go on the toilet so she wouldn't feel like she would fall in. All this worked for my son too! Amazing since I've never seen a boy potty train so easy with all my years of working in daycares! Let them go at their own pace and be amazed at how fast they pick things up. Good luck!

Cindy - posted on 08/26/2009

I think the biggest part is you have to be ready. And there are tons of options, you have to pick what's best for you. Bribery with an m&m worked with mine. Also, the kiddopotomus from babies r us for the car seat is a miracle worker. I also use puppy training pads to protect my car. I put one between the toddler insert and the carseat and one between the car seat and actual seat (the center strap seems to be a straight pee whick right down to the seat if there's an accident). I also keep water bottles in the car. One of the advantages of boys, you can just pull over and immediately let them go. My friend did the 3 day method where she found 3 days they didn't leave the house. She put her daughter in underpants. She started off the first few times making her go every 15 min, then 1/2hour then and hour, you get the picture. She has way more patience then I do. My boys also were standers, they would only sit when they had to go #2. So they had fun with cheerios in the potty as a game. Good luck. Both of my boys trained early too and it was great.

Beth - posted on 08/26/2009

I had 3 girls and heard boys are hardeer to do. when they are ready they willl let you know , my first child was potty trained at 18 months, last 2 I waited till they were 20 months, and my last one I counted how many times she went to the bathroom, on friday or sat, we went to scrapbook store and got stickers for that many times going, example ( she went 3 out of 5 days, she got 3 stickers) I had her potty trained in a few weeks.

Sharon - posted on 08/26/2009

Try a day without clothes - any clothes. They don't like the feeling of peeing on themselves and one day is sometimes enough to convince them to go to the potty. Good luck!!

Tiffany - posted on 08/26/2009

Well, I think each child is different in that you really can't make it happen until they are ready. But, to try to encourage the training, you can buy their favorite character potty seat or chair and undies! Our youngest preferred having the tiny hiney seat that fits on the big potty to be like everyone else in the family. I do have girls....I have a friend w/ triplets (2 girls and 1 boy) and she has been very successful. I will ask her for some advice. We also used the pull-ups before she was totally ready for panties b/c it seemed to encourage her. She wasn't a baby in "diapers" anymore. Big girl! :o) Good luck!

Kavita - posted on 08/26/2009

Should start potty training as soon as the child starts sitting i.e. around at the age of 6 months, I am not sure how old is your child now but even if he is bigger you can start the training now. Only this will require more of your patience now. You need to be very patient and regular in taking your child to toilet. Notice his/her routine and then take him to the toilet according to his routine. In this procedure, he may not respond for first 15 days or so and may continue to do potty in pampers but you have to be very patient. Within one month you will see him responding to it and in later stages slowly he will start telling you about this. Remember Kids also don't like to be wet and dirty. This whole procedure requires too much patience. In first stage he may come out of toilet and make potty in the room or corridoor and dirty the floor but you can't react to it harshly, rather patiently you need to make him understand that he must do his potty in toilet and not in room. Most important rule for this procedure is your patience and regularity. It is not one or two days job. Regularity is must because if you do it for 3 days leave it for next 2 days and again start after 2 days, you start from zero again, All hardwork is invain if irregular.

Tammy - posted on 08/25/2009

I potty trained my son at 2 1/2. First thing is put them in underpants. What is the difference between cleaning dirty diaper or dirty pants. Crap is crap. Take him/her to potty every 45 minutes, saying, lets go potty. Soon they will start saying potty or pee pee. Continue taking them every 45 minutes but in addition, take them when they say pee pee or potty. Let them watch themselves go (yuck but works). Soon they will only be going when they ask to go. From there it is a breeze. Try not to yell at them or act frustrated or they will become scared to go.

Sara - posted on 08/25/2009

Take off the diaper and be easy going about accidents. If possible, have a potty trained child demonstrate.

Jennifer - posted on 08/25/2009

My daughter has been training at home for quite a while, but the daycare got it done in about a week or so. They put her on the toilet EVERY hour. They don't ask. They would say "Time for the toilet. Let's Go!". I tried this at home, but kept forgetting. I bought a little egg timer from the $ store. Turned it for 1 hour. Everytime it went off she and I would run to the toilet. We did this for about a week or two. Then she started telling me herself when she had to go. The pooping came quite soon after at her own initiation.

Patricia - posted on 08/25/2009

Be persistant. Read to him/her while on the potty letting the child pick some favorite books as a reward this gets the child to sit longer and want to go and sit.

Gi - posted on 08/25/2009

Keep the potty chair near where you spend your time with him, (like in the kitchen) and tell him what its all about. Then give him a book and let him sit down every now and then (like after having a drink, or after eating), to give him time to pee or poo. When it happens, praise him for being a big boy. Both of my boys were trained within a week, except for nightime diapers for about a month. Give it a try when they are almost two, if it doesn't happen within a week, wait a few weeks and try again. Never, never, never criticise them for not "getting it." They will eventually.

Karen - posted on 08/25/2009

We used the nothing on the bottom approach for all three of our kids and for us, as long as the child is showing signs of readiness, worked well. We kept the potty close by at first and as the child became use to using it moved it slightly closer to the bathroom each day. Eventually the potty is in the bathroom and you can move on the underwear. For us it took 2 weeks and we used pull ups to go out in. Good luck.

Dana - posted on 08/25/2009

What worked with my kids was the reward system. one smartie (or whatever they enjoy), even cheerios worked with my kids. One for number 1, Two for number 2. Lots of praise and encouragement. Even when they try (really try) saying, "You are such a big girl or boy for trying on the potty." Or when they go keep saying how proud you are that they growing up to a big kid. Real underwear work better at letting kids know they are wet, but is more work for you. For boys putting cheerios in the toilet and let them hit them also works well, Unless they will grab food from the toilet LOL.. Hope this helps

Melissa - posted on 08/25/2009

My son was so easy to potty train, i didnt not force anything on him, when i got a potty chair i had him sit on it and he thought it was fun (it was right in front of the tv) he would run around naked all day and pee all day as long as he was naked, if i put underwear or pants in him he pee'd everytime. i never pushed him or punished him for it i just kept letting him do his own thing. one day when he was ready i asked him if he wanted to not wear a diaper out and he said yes so i was prepared for accidents and asked him frequantly if he had to go potty and was prepared to make frequent stops if he said yes. he didnt wear a diaper all that day or at night and never again :) he was 2yrs 4 months old fully potty trained!!! no pull ups. i am a firm believer that if a child is ready and the parents are helpful and willing it will happen naturally :) good luck to you and your baby :)

Rachael - posted on 08/25/2009

Just relax about it - you don't say if you have a boy or a girl, but just remember that boys as a rule are far lazier and take longer LOL! If you can bear it, leave the bathroom door open so they can see what grown up's do - they'll twig eventually, but if you stress, they'll stress and it just isn't good! My son is almost 11, but I remember panicking because he was approaching 4 and almost starting primary school - I kept saying to him "you can't go to big school in nappies" and he did it with literally a week to spare LOL! X

Cheyenne - posted on 08/25/2009

Thanks so much. He does take off his wet diapers...

Quoting Michelle:

Boys can be some what challenging to potty train. I am a single mom, so I always felt like since he didnt have the visual affect, it would take him longer. I've learned that you have to be very patient, persistant and kind of go on their ques. Don't rush him, because he can end up back peddling (speaking from experience). If he is waking up with dry pullups/diaper, that shows he has control of his bladder. If he is taking off is pullups/diaper after he has gone to the bathroom on himself, then that shows that he understands whats going on. Hope this helps. Happy potty training.

Michelle - posted on 08/25/2009

Boys can be some what challenging to potty train. I am a single mom, so I always felt like since he didnt have the visual affect, it would take him longer. I've learned that you have to be very patient, persistant and kind of go on their ques. Don't rush him, because he can end up back peddling (speaking from experience). If he is waking up with dry pullups/diaper, that shows he has control of his bladder. If he is taking off is pullups/diaper after he has gone to the bathroom on himself, then that shows that he understands whats going on. Hope this helps. Happy potty training.

Cheyenne - posted on 08/24/2009

 You are SO right. I think thats what I did. I think I turned him away from the potty. The potty is cute. When you flush, there is a song and than my voice says: "GOOD BOY JOHN JOHN!" (recorded into the potty) but he always grabs himself and says "pee!" but that is after he pees. And he hates poop on his bum. When I sit him on the pot, he gets up and poops next to the pot and say "ew ew ew"  When he says PEE! and  I sit him on his potty, he whines because I think I forced him too much:(

Quoting Rebecca:

I think that you should let your child tell you when they are ready. Look for signs (being dry when chanded, interest is potty time). My son was three before he showed any interest. He however it took little time or effort to train him. We are in the process of training our daughter. She is two and a half and just strated to show interest and we are off to a good start. She has very few accidents. Be patient it will happen when your child is ready. Don't push too hard or you may turn him off from using the potty as well.

Crystal - posted on 08/24/2009

Best advice i would pass on is:

1. Big Kid underwear (even if you're changing every hour, it won't last)

2. Let child play and hear the noises of the potty

3. Tell child the "store" will only let you have ONE diaper each day (Sounds crazy but worked amazing) (We have been doiing this for almost two months and its working great she has actually waken up to go all on her own in the middle of night, naptime we put a towel down)

4. When child goes give them ONE jelly bean let them pick color, (helps learn colors too)

Best of luck, so far the most challenging for us as parents. Going really well now!

Rebecca - posted on 08/24/2009

I think that you should let your child tell you when they are ready. Look for signs (being dry when chanded, interest is potty time). My son was three before he showed any interest. He however it took little time or effort to train him. We are in the process of training our daughter. She is two and a half and just strated to show interest and we are off to a good start. She has very few accidents. Be patient it will happen when your child is ready. Don't push too hard or you may turn him off from using the potty as well.

Cheyenne - posted on 08/24/2009

How old is your little one? Do you think 21 months is too young for big undies? He wears pull ups sometimes in the house.

Quoting Tonya :

Big kid underwear is the key. It is a pain in the rear and mess to clean up, but the kiddos dont like the feel of being that saturated. Ask about every hour, more than likely he will tell you know but make a big deal out of it when he does. My son loves to pee out side lol it helped in the beginning but sometimes backfires cause he doesnt want to go on the toilet. Good luck girl

Tonya - posted on 08/24/2009

Big kid underwear is the key. It is a pain in the rear and mess to clean up, but the kiddos dont like the feel of being that saturated. Ask about every hour, more than likely he will tell you know but make a big deal out of it when he does. My son loves to pee out side lol it helped in the beginning but sometimes backfires cause he doesnt want to go on the toilet. Good luck girl

Cristy - posted on 08/24/2009

Make it as child friendly as possible, don't stress and involve humor. I bought my daughter a Elmo potty which she loves, at first she just sat on it like a chair, next when I went to the restroom she came in and I would remove her pamper and would make a hissing sound like if she is going to the bathroom. I would give her toilet paper so she could wipe herself even if she did not go to the bathroom. Today she has moved from her potty to the toilet. Hope this helps, Good Luck!

Cheyenne - posted on 08/24/2009

I try! I really do! But it's like he's ignoring me or something... :(

Monsanette - posted on 08/24/2009

Be persistant...Stay on top of things...