Best potty training method? **update: we've started, pg 4**

[vettechick99]

DD is 25m. I would like to attempt potty training her this summer before she goes over to her enrichment school in August. We don't feel like it's going to be too hard because she shows interest in the potty and will go whenever we ask her if she needs to go. She tells us when she's done number 2, but never before - only after she's gone. And she never tells us she needs to go - I'm not entirely sure she knows. She just knows that she's been.

What is a good strategy to start with?

BTW, I am off this summer and home all day if that makes a difference! TIA!

 

[kevschickee]

my dd is three and is completly trained for the day time and nap time. She wakes up dry like 75% of the time. My advice is not to push it and some people say don't use pull ups but I didn't want pee all over my rugs lol. I put her on the potty every 20- 30 min during the day and she just started getting the hang of it. Pooping on the potty is tough for a lot of kids you just have to look for the signs that she is about to go and put her on the potty really quick. Also you can bring her to buy some big girl undies to get her excited about it. Your DD is young still so just take it slow

 

[RMulieri]

I would buy a little potty chair and just let her get used to it for awhile.Don't make her sit on it if she doesn't want...My experience was my daughter would simply not train until she was ready.I started at 2 yrs old, bought the potty .I was so excited because initially she took great interest.Then nothing..alot of frustration ensued...I begged,pleaded, rewarded, nothing worked.One day she just decided it was time.She was 3.My BF daughter was trained at 2yrs .My niece was 4.It just depends on the kid.

 

[vettechick99]

Thanks! I won't push the issue - but she is already excited about it. We've had the potty for a few months and she likes to go sit on it and will pee. She tries so hard and then stands up to look at her work and claps. Its cute! So I do feel she is on the cusp of learning - I just wasn't sure the best way to go at it. I feel like I could go at it for a day or so and if it works, great! And if not, no biggie. Diapers are no big deal for me.

 

[Alesia]

I have been working with small children for the last 17 years and have seen the results of all different methods.

The most important thing is to get the timetable out of your head. She will be potty trained when she is ready and not one second sooner. If you have a timetable set, you will push too hard, and it will backfire. Trust me, this is one area where you do not want to get into a power struggle.

Keep encouraging her to sit on the potty, and praise her when she goes. If you keep it a positive experience, she'll eventually decide that she prefers to go on the potty instead of her diaper.

 

[kpm76]

I have been working with small children for the last 17 years and have seen the results of all different methods.

The most important thing is to get the timetable out of your head. She will be potty trained when she is ready and not one second sooner. If you have a timetable set, you will push too hard, and it will backfire. Trust me, this is one area where you do not want to get into a power struggle.

Keep encouraging her to sit on the potty, and praise her when she goes. If you keep it a positive experience, she'll eventually decide that she prefers to go on the potty instead of her diaper.

That's great advice My DD just turned 2 and we are going to start this process as well but it's nice to hear that it's really best not to push it....they will go when they are ready. I love our pediatrician but he suggested starting at 18 months There was just no way DD was ready then. I think she's showing signs now, will tell us when she has a wet or messy diaper but I am going to take it slow and when it happens it happens

 

[RMulieri]

important to remember when it feels potty training will never happen...NO kid goes to Kindergarten in a diaper, they train when they want to..That was what my pediatrician kept telling me when I was desperate for her to go

 

[mjkacmom]

I trained 2 the traditional way (panties, sitting on the potty every 15 minutes, etc.) and 3 nakey butt (potty in the room, no forcing to sit), and traditional took months, nakey took days. It only works if they're ready (no more than 2 accidents). If ready, accidents are VERY rare. Start nakey, after a few days pants (no underwear), and then transition into underwear (which feels too much like a diaper at first).

It has been my experience that it's easier at 2 1/2 than at 3.

 

[kidshop]

I like to use propaganda....lots of potty videos and books! I'm not a fan of pull-ups since they are so diaper like, so I have used the cloth training pants for during the day with pull ups at night/naps. Expect accidents, and make clean up matter-of-fact. They all get it eventually and I agree with the no pushing. It's really not worth it. Oh, and make sure clothes on are easy to get off, no snaps, overalls or onesies! I've always gone into training as a long term process (one step forward, 2 steps back) , not something I would get done in a day.

 

[RMulieri]

I like to use propaganda....lots of potty videos and books! I'm not a fan of pull-ups since they are so diaper like, so I have used the cloth training pants for during the day with pull ups at night/naps. Expect accidents, and make clean up matter-of-fact. They all get it eventually and I agree with the no pushing. It's really not worth it. Oh, and make sure clothes on are easy to get off, no snaps, overalls or onesies! I've always gone into training as a long term process (one step forward, 2 steps back) , not something I would get done in a day.

I think I really messed myself up with the dang pull ups. If I ever had another kid I would never use them.It got so bad that DD would wet in her pull up, and then go and change it.

 

[poegirl30]

PP have given you great advice, so just lots of support.
They do eventually train!

 

[3girls4me05]

Plan a trip to Disney! Mine is not the only one who trained herself two weeks before our Disney trip!

 

[RMulieri]

Plan a trip to Disney! Mine is not the only one who trained herself two weeks before our Disney trip!

You may be right..I told DD we couldn't go to Disney till she potty trained and WHAMMO ,PRESTO She was trained

 

[justhat]

My daughter was 25 months when she trained and we too told her we were going to DL when her potty chart was full of stickers. We used a round chart so it could be "full" whenever we decided, and she got a sticker everytime she used the potty. She was trained in days!

But really what worked for my son was to have him naked in the house (my son needed underwear, as when a boy is naked, they do not notice when they have an accident and the pee shoots out all over, unlike girls where it runs down their leg). I took a couple of days and just sat him on the potty every 15 minutes or so and he got the idea pretty fast. Pooping, well, he did that pretty obviously with squatting and such so I just stuck him on the potty as soon as I saw him get into position and he figured that one out pretty fast too.

I think the fact that your daughter is showing interest is great and will probably make this a super easy process for you.

 

[J3nn78]

1. Don't use pull ups- they are glorified diapers and overpriced too. Invest in lots of underwear- gerber has great super absorbent ones- I would double them up when we went out or overnight in the beginning

2. When you start- don't ever go back to diapers- this is too confusing. Yes you will have more messes, but that is only temporary

3. I bribed mine to do #2 by letting him pick out a brand new toy himself. Then I told him he could have it and play with it when he pooped on the potty. Worked within two days and he never pooped in his pants again. He got to play with it for about 15 minutes after each poop on the potty- eventually he just got to have it all the time

My oldest was 100% trained within 4 days. This was over a year ago and he has only had a handful of accidents and none in the last 9 months.

I am about to train my youngest. Just waiting till I am off for the summer and have the time to devote.

Good luck

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

1. Don't use pull ups- they are glorified diapers and overpriced too. Invest in lots of underwear- gerber has great super absorbent ones- I would double them up when we went out or overnight in the beginning

2. When you start- don't ever go back to diapers- this is too confusing. Yes you will have more messes, but that is only temporary

3. I bribed mine to do #2 by letting him pick out a brand new toy himself. Then I told him he could have it and play with it when he pooped on the potty. Worked within two days and he never pooped in his pants again. He got to play with it for about 15 minutes after each poop on the potty- eventually he just got to have it all the time

My oldest was 100% trained within 4 days. This was over a year ago and he has only had a handful of accidents and none in the last 9 months.

I am about to train my youngest. Just waiting till I am off for the summer and have the time to devote.

Good luck

This is pretty much what I did. My kids are 21 and 19 so its been awhile. I trained in the summer, less clothes to change. No pull-ups, and no going back to diapers. They had to go to the potty before bed, and then before I went to bed, I got them up to go again. I can honestly say that they woke up dry most mornings. And I didn't think they had many accidents, once you start training, no going back to diapers at all. Mine are both boys and were both fully trained before 3 years old. I think you are training her at just the right time with you being home for the summer and she is the perfect age.

 

[theatermouse]

My son has shown interest in the potty for a year & a half. He loves to sit on it, but won't go. Running nekkid doesn't phase him, the Cool Alert Pull-Ups don't work, undies don't work. Nothing is working for him. He'll be 3 1/2 in July and we just can't get it. He loves his Elmo potty DVD, but doesn't appear to be learning from it. So frustrating! We set the timer & do frequent trips in to sit on the potty, have special books for potty time, nothing.

 

[RMulieri]

I am glad to see nakey time does work for people. My daughter thought it meant ok to pee anywhere...again at that point I think she KNEW I was frustrated and responded in kind. I can't wait till she has kids someday and asks me about potty training

 

[tam626]

I agree with the bribery thing. I used m&m's for every time ds peed in the potty.

 

[vettechick99]

thanks for the ideas everyone! Like I said, I'd like to have her trained before Enrichment School (they won't change diapers there so my husband will have to run over and do it - no biggie) but if it doesn't happen, I know she is young and we have plenty of time. I think we will try the naked thing. She would probably love that!