Potty Training Questions... - Columbia,SC

ahhh...the joy of potty training. I had two boys so my experiences are probably different, but children really are ready when they are ready. By 18 mo's my older son was fully potty trained but after 2 weeks screamed every time he went near the potty so I went back to diapers. this happened every 6 months until he was 3. I finally threw him in underwear and outside! :) He had some accidents but it went well.
My little guy who is turning 4 next week was a lot harder. I tried giving him a monster truck every time he pooped on the potty (I got a great deal on them) and once he had a small fleet of them he magically forgot how to poop on the potty. I tried a skittle each time he pee'd, stickers, singing, dancing, etc, etc. nothing worked but he LOVED the books about the boys using the potties!! Even requested them!! Finally over the summer he wanted a sour sugar free candy that I had in my purse and I was about to say they are for adults and then thought, what the heck, sure, you can have one if you pee in the potty. Wouldn't you know he immediately ran to pee in the potty!! That ended up being his 'thing' and it worked like a CHARM!
I would definitely agree that every child is ready when they are ready! But I never had to put him in a diaper at night since he was so ready for the toilet! I did find that being around other kids helps too.
Check out the library. We found one that had songs in it that were hilarious!
I don't know if this helps you or not but I will say that I am incredibly happy to write about it being in the past!! :) Let's just say that with boys you end up with more issues with the standing vs. sitting moments! :)

I think that you are going to have much more success if you get used to the idea of training your daughter on her schedule rather than yours. She will show you signs that she is ready, and that is the right time to start training. Trying to push a kid before they are ready almost never goes well. I'm not suggesting that you were going to force her, but you do seem a bit gung ho considering her age.
My son will be 3 in November and I am potty training him now, because he is ready. I tried about 5 or 6 months ago and he wasn't having any of it, so I had to back off and wait.
Your daughter may be one of those kids who basically trains herself and just wakes up one day potty trained (my sister did this), or she could still be struggling to master it when she is 3. Either way, you will figure it out and be just fine.

I waited until my girls were ready to train and it was much easier. They were both a few months past their 2nd birthdays. It took each of them about a month to be totally dry during the day; nighttime took a few months longer. A friend of mine started potty training her daughter around 15 months and spent the next SEVEN months working on it. In my opinion the little girl wasn't ready. Signs of readiness include telling you they need a diaper change, being able to pull their pants up and down, disliking having a wet/dirty diaper, and telling you before they need to go.

With my girls I gave them a treat (M&Ms) when they used the potty - 1 for a pee, 2 for a poop. I was very consistent with the treats for about 2 weeks, then I'd only give them the treat if they asked for it. And honestly, by about the 4th week they'd go to the bathroom, do their business and forget all about the treat. Now, I'm not saying this would work with every child, or that this is what you should do, but it worked for us. I personally found the idea of singing to my kids when they'd poop a little silly....but that's just me :)

The best way that I found to keep them from using the pull-up is to get rid of it - especially during the day. If the weather or your house is warm enough, just put her in panties (easier for her to tug on and off) and a shirt. If she has an accident, just clean it up. Don't make a big deal out of it, and DEFINITELY don't punish her for it. This is a new thing and it'll take time and practice on her part, and patience and encouragement on yours.

k here is the thing most kids (not all but most) are not ready that early. Lots of kids show interest in the potty at that age but the problem is they lack the ability to hold their pee for long periods of time. i kinda had to learn this the hard way. Basically wait until she is showing signs and then get the potty chair and undies. Like she tells you when she pees and poops, wants her diaper changed right away, wants to sit on the toilet etc. Like you I had heard of kids being potty trained at 18 months and thought for sure my daughter would be too. I tried at 18 months and I realized that she just wasn't ready. So i waited and tried right when she turned 2 and she got it but it was hard. She was still so young that even though she would go when she needed to she couldn't hold it for very long. Like to avoid accidents she was peeing every hour! It was such a pain. And when we went anywhere it was awful. I would have her go before we left but she would always have to go in public. Like half way through grocery shopping....such a pain to stop, leave your cart, take her to the potty and come back. But once she was about 2 1/2 all of a sudden she was holding it for longer. Like she could go a few hours between using the potty and that was so much easier. I now have a 21 month old and she like my first shows some signs. She tells me when she poops and likes to sit on the potty but I am going to wait until she is older so I won't be on constant pee watch for months on end.
As for treats you don't have to do that if you don't want. Do a stick chart. I did treats with my first but it was just for pooping and after a new months she just stopped asking for a treat when she went so it was no big deal.

The earlier you start the longer it will take to train her. Potty trained by 18 months is VERY rare. Be prepared for her to not be trained by then.
What ever you do DO NOT punish her for not training, or wetting her pants or her bed.
If she's not ready to learn then it will just turn into a power struggle.
http://www.babycenter.com/toilet-training-readiness-check...

Here is the checklist for potty training readiness.
Physical signs

Can walk and run steadily.

Urinates a fair amount at one time.

Has regular, well-formed bowel movements at relatively predictable times.

Has "dry" periods of at least three or four hours, which shows that her bladder muscles are developed enough to hold urine.

Behavioral signs

Can sit down quietly in one position for two to five minutes.

Can pull her pants up and down.

Dislikes the feeling of wearing a wet or dirty diaper.

Shows interest in others' bathroom habits (wants to watch you go to the bathroom or wear underwear).

Gives a physical or verbal sign when she's having a bowel movement such as grunting, squatting, or telling you.

Demonstrates a desire for independence.

Takes pride in her accomplishments.

Isn't resistant to learning to use the toilet.

Is in a generally cooperative stage, not a negative or contrary one.

Cognitive signs

Can follow simple instructions, such as "go get the toy."

Understands the value of putting things where they belong.

Has words for urine and stool.

Understands the physical signals that mean she has to go and can tell you before it happens or even hold it until she has time to get to the potty.

I started potty training my grandson at 2 yrs old, he wasn't ready at all, then i tried again at 2-1/2 yrs old, still not ready and willing to grasp the potty training. I spoke to his pediatrician and she said don't be in a hurry. Anywhere from 3-1/2 yrs-4 on boys and girls 6 mths early. I tried again at 3 yrs old and he did wonderful, i took off his underwear and let him run around the house naked about 1-2 weeks and he used the potty everytime, i was lucky no accidents, but after that i put on big boy undies and he has been fully trained since. It was easier on all of us that he was older, he still wears big boy pullup for night time accidents, but I figure by time he is 4 yrs old he will not even need them at night time. He does wake up off and on to go potty. I praised him everytime, and i used the treats at first but after he was fully trained he didn't bother asking for treats anymore...each child is different, my advice is don't knock yourself out, if she is not ready give her more time. Get advice from your peditrician (the experts) I never listen to what others told me, because each child is different and not the same....i hope this has helped you a little...good luck.

The best advice is wait until she takes initiative! Sure, get the potty and tell her what it is for, but at one, no need to take her to it. Keep it in the bathroom and wait for her to ask to sit on it!

I think your idea is fine. You seem to know all the basic "rules"...now you just got to see how it goes.

I have 3 kids, 2 boys and a girl. All 3 were completely potty trained and wearing underwear both night and day right after their 2nd b-days. I was lucky enough to have kids who were just "ready" at that age, as well as waking up dry very early on in their lil' lives.

I did do the treats as a reward...I used the dum-dum suckers for all of them because they are small and they only got 1 sucker when they went to the bathroom, whether it was #1 or #2, it didn't matter, they only got 1 sucker. I had no problems phasing them out and none of my kids have ever regressed (no matter how many times I heard from other mothers that they would, especially my boys).

As far as cute songs go...we only used the "Pee-pee/poo-poo in the pah-tea...pee-pee/poo-poo in the pah-tea" and clapping. *They all liked the clapping!

I also never did the pull-ups or went back to the diapers, ever. Just straight underwear/panties...but like I said, I didn't really try til they woke up dry, this way I was positive they could hold it for a long time!

I want to say Good Luck...but in all honesty I don't think you will need it...I don't think it's all that hard to accomplish as long as you don't push, don't punish and don't stress over it!

Actually, we got out the potty as soon as they are big enough to sit on it. HThey will be curious about it long before they'll ever need to be bribed to sit on it. My nephew was fully potty trained by 18 mos. My sis was frustrated because no one made underwear tiny enough for him. My daughter was both peeing and pooing on the potty at 17 mos. but just when I tried to make if official with undies (at just about 2 exactly) she copped an attitude and it was a power struggle. I wasn't into that so I gave up for a month or so and then went cold turkey to undies. She had a couple mistakes (carry extra clothes and a plastic bag wherever you). Potty accidents are NBD as long as you are prepared. She is now almost 2.5 and has been fully potty trained for at least 2.5 mos.
Good Luck!