Potty Training — Where to Begin?

I did the 3 day potty training method with my son. I loved the method, but he did not train in 3 days (it took a little over a week). I think it was a good starting place. One thing the method said is to not waist money and time on videos and books for the child as she did not think they worked. My doctor suggested any book with real kids (not cartoons) that were gender specific and read it every day to them. My son loved the book and it showed him an other kid using the potty. It also came with a sticker chart and stickers. I never thought my son would be so motivated by stickers. We were useing gummy bears, but they have fallen by the way side. It's all about the stickers and showing off his sticker chart to any one who comes over (plus no sugar rush) My husband also found some videos with songs etc. on line that my son liked to watch and gave us some fun referances to use for him.

Morning E.-
Our dd showed signs at 18 mos, too. We got one chair to start (& gradually got one for every bathroom and now that she's almost 3 the potty chairs are gone and all of the toilets have the seat you can pop in sitting next to them).
I bought "The No-Cry Potty Training Solution" by Pantley and read it to have a little background just for us...I knew 18 mos was on the early end, so I didn't want to push, but still wanted to know we'd be stearing her in the right direction.
We let her come in with us and showed her how it all worked. Sometimes she'd sit on hers and sometimes she'd just be so curious about us...kind of creepy but I'm sure it helped.
Over the next two months, she'd come in with us and began to sit more often, so we made up songs and had a routine of sitting, reading her potty books and other faves, sing and hopefully pee or poo. If she did, we made up super silly dances that she loved. We even did these in public restrooms.
That reminds me...she grew obsessed with ALL toilets and asked all visitors to our house if she could come into the bathroom >:/
I remember after a few days of this taking her to buy any and all panties she wanted at Target-she was so excited. The first pack I'd bought were so boring to her. The new ones were 'hers.'
I bought a product called a piddle paddle for her carseat because I was worried about accidents when we were out. I never told her what it was, and for some reason she never asked? Made me feel better.
I began carrying an entire change of clothes down to shoes in my bag-never needed them!
Gradually she just started to want to go, so we made it official and every two hours I didn't ask her if she had to go, I just took her with me, as a routine. By a week or so of that (a bit exhausting but she could count on it and it made me sure she was empty) we were out of diapers for errands, playdates, for everything-panties all day!
By her second birthday, she was in panties all day, but diapers for nap and bedtime. We actually just last month began undies all the time, and it's been easy.

best of luck...the bottom line I think is to be completely supportive and prepared, but follow her time table and never push it.

Cheers!
J.

Hi E.

My daughter just turned two this month and is Potty trained since 2 month.
Here is how I did it: build the Potty Time into a routine, babies learn best with routines, repetition and the right motivation. For example, every time before you leave the house you go potty with her. Even if nothing happens, she will learn that before you leave the house we go potty. You can also do it before nap, after nap, before a meal, etc... Don't do it too many times at the beginning just a couple times a day. She will learn the routine and eventually pee when she sits on the potty. Yes, it takes a lot of time and yes it is work, a lot of parents don't understand that sometimes.
The resources I used were from Baby Signs (R). I am also a Baby Signs Instructor and I organize Potty Parties and sell the product with it. It is awesome! Our goal is to get kids to be Potty Trained by the age of 2 again, and not 3 or 4! You can look up information about it on my website www.babysignsprogram.com/withnadia and www.pottytrainwithbabysigns.com
Build in some rewards as well, be very excited if she stays on the Potty for a while. We used stickers as a reward.
Let me know if you need more information!
Good luck! N.

My boys sat on the potty when I did. We'd take a book for each of us & camp for a few minutes-until he had finished his book. For our last son, it was his big brother who got him interested in the potty (got an older friend she can pal & potty with?)-he even got him to potty the first time! Daddy was on the webcam from Iraq at the time & we all got to be excited together. Positive reinforcement works great too.. stickers, calling a family member to tell them...

I used the ____@____.com it really works and you get a personal mentor along with the book.

try the padded training pants and let her run around with just them on. Help her start pulling them up and down. I also used a "beep" and every half hour had my 2 year old go then. After awhile she hated the "beep" and just started going on her own. My first one took a little longer and was trained by childcare. But they used the training pants and nothing else but showing them the toilet and watching other children use it. Good luck.

Pottywise was a book I read that was wonderful! It made a lot of sense to the training process. Good luck!

We love "Toilet Training in a Day" by Azrin. Worked great with two boys. You can do it as early as 20 months. GL!