Potty Training - Decatur, TN

While I haven't had to potty train my child yet I can give you some tips that my friends have tried with their children and that my mom tried with me. Let them decorate to potty with those cling window stickers or regular stickers (and use GOO GONE later to get them off) so that the potty looks more inviting to them and they'll want to use it. Try putting a closeable jar of their favorite candy on the back of the toilet (hopefully where they can't reach it) and have them sit on the potty and try to go, then after give them a piece as a reward for at least trying and hopefully one of the times they will actually go or start sitting on it by themselves. Last thing I can think of is anytime you go potty make them come with you so they see what the potty is for. Good luck I hope these help!

Hi A.. I have to agree with the lady a few comments below I think her name was Adrienne. Not sure. Anyway our daughter was 4 before she even thought about peeing or even sitting on the potty. She was soooo stubborn, but eventually starting going. I would take her into the bathroom everytime I went and would show her her Dora The Explorer potty seat (you know the kind that fits on the toilet seat)and she still wouldn't go. She knew what to do and how, but it wasn't happening with her. So we tried something else. We made one of our bathrooms "her" bathroom. We thought maybe if she had her own place she would go. So we always kept her potty seat on the toilet seat, fixed it up with all the amenities of a little girls bathroom. You know the shower curtain, toothbrush holder, soap dispenser, etc...of her favorite character. She started to go on her own within about a couple of weeks. You know make her, her own domain. Anyway you'll know when she is ready, just as we did. I don't agree with bribes or any incentive to pressure them into going. My husband's Granny told me once that "she won't go to kindergarten wearing diapers" so just be patient, she'll go in her own time.
(She's almost 6 now and in kindergarten and not wearing diapers. We also have a son that's almost 3 and the same is happening with him. Patience is key

One other thing is you know your own child, and every child is different.

This might seem a little harsh but trust me, its not truly hurt the child in any way. don't change her diaper, don't do anything , she might smell bad, she might cry, she might even poop in her pants (But dont clean it!!!!!) after a while it will be soooo annoing for her that, by herself she will want to use the potty

A. I am a mother of 2. I have potty trained my nephew and neice and mine. My youngest did not want to go to the potty either. What I ended up haveing to do is go ahead and put them in underwear. I explained to them if they would go to the bathroom they would not feel uncomfortable like they feel now. And of coarse I did alot of laundry during this time. They also where given an incintive.Figure out what they like to do go to the park or what ever and have that as a prize when they go. Another thing that helped with me was I made a chart up and everytime they used the potty they got to put a sticker on the chart.The best thing to help with this matter is when they do go give them alot of praise. Following these methods I was able to have them completely potty trained within 2 weeks. GOODLUCK.

Hi A.,
My name is A. also. I have a 5 year old son with the same problem. So far, he will stand and pee in potty, but to sit on it or the toilet he refuses. Not sure what to tell you as I have tried all kinds of rewards and such. My son has ADHD, and that may be something for you to check out. Not saying your kid has it, just a thought. I don't use pullups for him during the day, but I do at night. He goes to daycare, and they told me that if they let him use the toilet in the 2 year old room, he will go, but not in the bigger ones. Not sure if this helps, but hope it does. A.

I say don't sweat it. They go on the potty when they're ready. My 4 yo was 3 when he decided he didn't like wet underpants. His MDO teacher had him sit on the potty about 4 times a day. He never went. The boy held it all day until we were in the car on the way home and went in his pull-up (I only used pull-ups at school b/c they are expensive and I'm not convinced they really "help" when it comes to toilet training.) It was obvious he had bladder control and he was just being stubborn. I decided to put him in two pairs of the Gerber training pants and some sweat pants. That way when he went potty in his pants he would be a soaked soggy mess (and it didn't drip to my floor). I did this for two days. He didn't care for the soggy sensation so he decided that it would be better to just take care of business in the potty. We put up a chart in the bathroom and every time he went potty he could put a sticker on the chart. Once it was full we took him to the store and he got to pick out a new Thomas train. I'm not opposed to bribery. You can make it work for you. He is now a potty genius. This is what worked for me. I hope some of this rambling message can help you too!

don't worry, it will happen...easy for me to say huh? My daughter was almost 3 1/2 before she would poo on the potty. I never put her in pullups and I think that worked well with the pee pee thing. My son, though, I have used the pullups and they're working wonderfully, so it depends on the child. I got so frustrated with my little girl I was at the end of my rope, so I just quit talking about it and trying to make her go. Finally, one day, she had a bowel movement on the potty and that was it, she was potty trained.

best of luck

This may sound crazy, and lucky we didn't have to do this with our son, but I've heard it has worked for many people. Try putting Cheerios in the water and tell her to "sink" them. It's like a game to a child. If that doesn't work you could try to just let it go for a few weeks. Don't even mention it to her. Then tell her sternly that big girls wear panties and that if she does this, something very special will happen or visa versa.

I would try to bring the potty to where ever she is. Living Room, Bedroom. Let her get use to it. If that doesn't work try leaving her without undergarments for a while. Like after eating or drinking and leave the potty by her.

We were able to potty train our little girl pretty easily. We used a potty board with some stickers for recognition, but mostly (and this may seem a little unorthodox)it was springtime so we just went and bought her some longer dresses and didn't put panties or pullups on. Knowing that she didn't have anything on her bottom made her VERY aware of not wanting to get wet. Also, and again unorthodox, we kept her potty in the living room since that's where she was most of the time. Now, she still wears pullups at night, but now she uses the big potty and we've done away with the kiddie one. I know that every child is different, but I hope this helps!

M&m's--- Put a jar in the bathroom, two for poop and 1 for pee. This has worked for all my children and my 7 grandchildren. Never give M&m's for any other event, just the bathroom. DO NOT get upset with her when she doesn't make it, but reward her with M&m's when she does, make a big deal about it when she goes. Your only a baby a short time, and life can be though, just enjoy her, and make potty training fun. Kris P.S. none of my children eat M&M's I guess it reminds them of poop. lol

Well, I am a mother of five, four of which are potty trained. We "bribed" our children!! With the first and second, we took them to Toys R Us to the ride-on toy aisle and let them get attached to one of the toys! We then told them it was theirs WHEN they stopped wearing diapers and starting wearing big boy or girl undies! Once #'s 3 and 4 came along and the budget was tighter, we looked for something they really wanted that wasn't so expensive. Both chose getting their ears pierced (girls, of course LOL!). My fifth child is now getting close to potty training, but unfortunately HE won't be choosing earrings! With 5 children, the budget is DEFINITELY tighter, so we may visit the ball isle at the toy store!! Once we started the potty training with each of them, we never looked back. This included wearing panties or undies at night too. There were a couple of weeks where we had accidents on a regular basis, but we never threw in the towel. I am a stay-at-home mom, so I don't know how this would work with daycare. I have always started the potty training thing with them at about 18 months and they have all been trained by 2 1/2! Hang in there-she'll be potty-trained soon and you'll look back and wonder why you fretted! Good luck!