Potty Training - Long Beach,CA

Hi S.!
I would make a day of this... I would let my little one wear just a long tank top/tshirt all day and leave the potty in the living room in front of the tv... slowly moving to the bathroom with each "move". yep, just a long top, no diaper... the long tank top/tshirt will allow them to sit on it and have their bottoms protected when just playing.

This takes a lot out of you because this will require your undivided attention... that means no computer or "me" time... because all your time will be spent getting to know his "vibes" and when he has to go...

I would sit my little one down on the potty every hour or so and talk about how fun it was! Kids like it when you are all goofy and funny...

when I would go I would tell them i was going to the big potty... and that potty was for big people and they have one for little people...

i also tried other methods and mixed them up with each of my children.

1) reward poster that they could put stickers on every time they were successful or even if they missed but really tried... i awarded trying...

2) i read them stories about using the potty...

3) i told them how yucky it was to have a nasty bottom and how stinky they would be if they did not use the potty.

4) i let them choose their own "big kid" undies

5) I always prepared them mentally with funny, silly, and happy tones...

6) I always praised them when they did good... and when they didn't do good, I would give them my sigh and say "oh, no! look what happend!" I would then explain to them what went wrong and give them a solution to fix it. If they missed the potty for example, they would come with me to get the towels or whatever to clean... I would not let them clean with me, but they seemed concerned when I was disappointed. Their concern is short as they quickly go play in the midst of you cleaning, but the care is there... =) Little by little, it will build up to them having empathy and respect for you as their mom... my youngest is 5 and they all help me when they see that I need it... I don't ask.

7) I never yelled at them when they missed or make mistakes (I don't recommend yelling at/hitting your kids... they just close up on you)

8) out of the three kids that i have, one was a success in just one day... the other two took mixtures of methods... but I always started with that one day... and of course building the hype up to that day always made it easier...

hope this helps =)

Well, it's not an all encompassing answer...but, my boys absolutely loved it when we threw cheerios into the toilet, and they would try to aim their pee stream to hit them.
It's totally a boy thing. :)

My tips

1. use a little potty
2. set aside 3-4 days where you will not leave the house
3. feeds lots of liquids, popsicles, juicy fruit, smoothies
4. do not use pull ups
5. if the weather is nice, play in the back yard in just underwear and a t shirt. you'll have lots of pee laundry, so why mess w/ pants? put the potty outside w/ you. w/ my 2 boys I had them sit to pee w/ the pee shield. there is too much splash on the lttle potties when they stand.
6. stick w/ it
7. have him try frequently, every 1/2 hr. if you are pushing liquids he will need to go.
8. I sang a pee song (that I made up) every time they went.

remember to be patient, and every kid is different. one of my boys took a day when he was 2 1/2. The 2nd took 4 days, and then some....and he was closer to 3. good luck

The goal is to build up potty training as an awesome exciting adventure - the thing that is going to CHANGE HIS LIFE!

1. Find out his favorite character (cartoon, etc.) and take him to pick out BIG KID UNDERWEAR with that character on it. Let him loose in the underwear section and LET HIM PICK.

2. Take him to the bookstore and see if you can find a book about potty training with featuring that same character. This should be the book he takes to the bathroom with him every time to browse through as he sits on the potty.

3. POTTY SONG and POTTY DANCE. Make up a little jingle/song to sing with him EVERY time he sits on the potty. Make up a dance to go along with it. Again, do the dance with the song EVERY time he sits on the potty.