Potty Training in Public - Lutherville Timonium,MD

Updated on September 11, 2009
C.W. asks from Lutherville Timonium, MD
27 answers

I am in the process of potty training my 3 yr old son and we are finally making some progress. When we went to the gym tonight he announced he had to go potty, which is an accomplishment for him. When I took him in the bathroom he looked at the toilet and said "it's too big" and refused to use it. He ended up wetting himself 20 minutes later. He will use the toilet at home, but we have one of those inner rings, but it is a bit too big too take out everywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions or products that they used when going out? My daughter used to love the public potties, couldn't keep her off of them (gross but true) so I didn't have to deal with this with her.

4 moms found this helpful

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.S.

answers from Richmond on

I have a travel potty called the "Caboose Travel Potty"
It's come in handy many times. :) What I love is that I can use diapers with them. No need to worry about dumping the contents and having to clean it. Just throw out the diapers.

http://www.bonacoproducts.com/

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.S.

answers from Washington DC on

The Potette Plus 2-in-1 trainer was the absolute life saver for us! http://www.babyant.com/potette-plus-2-in-1-portable-potty...
It can be used as a ring on the regular toilet, or it can be a stand alone potty, so you can use it anywhere. We keep one in the car at all times as well as one in the jogging stroller we take to the park. You don't have to buy the refill inserts, though they're nice. I just use bags that go in a small wastebasket and they work just as well and cost less! It's still something to carry around, but it's smaller than the padded toilet rings we use at home. Great tip from a previous poster about using masking tape on the automatic flush sensor- that freaks my girls out too!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi

When I was potty training my son I either took the soft/padded seat we had that went on a regulat toilet , it fit nicely into a plastic bag and was less hassle then him having accidents , or if he didn't want to use that & wouldn't sit on the toilet I would let him do a standing up pee and he used to stand on my feet so that he was high enough to reach.

Good luck

K.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.U.

answers from Richmond on

You can get a seat that folds up. I got one from toys r us. I folds up and will go in your bag.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

they have inner potties that fold. look for one at walmart.

i also have a portable potty in my car just in case where we go doesnt have a potty.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I LOVE the Pottette Plus. My son uses it out all of the time. It is a seat that you can put a liner on (the legs stand up). It also can be used as a seat to put on a regular toilet (the legs splay out). It comes in a plastic bag and you can buy the liners in ten packs. I bought the potty and the liners at Babies R Us. I bring it EVERYWHERE. I even stop on the side of the road if my son needs to go.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.F.

answers from Norfolk on

Hi Christy,

We have one of those folding potty chairs w/ liners in our truck. It's really small and fits in a pouch so it doesn't take up space. Our son is 3 and it seems a little small for him, but it works when he doesn't want to use a public toilet and it's come in handy on road trips with no toilet around.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.F.

answers from Washington DC on

If it's just pee, try teaching him to aim in the potty, instead of sitting on it, and give him something to aim at....I'm not used to 3 year old boys (got our daughter when she was three and she had no problems sitting either...), but I have read that it makes it fun for little ones...get one of those toilet aiming targets and throw it in there - http://www.pottytrainingsolutions.com/shop/product_info.p....

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Washington DC on

there are fold-out seats that you can travel with. They can be purchased at babies-r-us. good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.H.

answers from Norfolk on

You need to do one of two things you either need to keep your ring with you or you need to stop using it. I would loose it if i was you. We were potty training our daughter when she started to go to daycare. The first thing they told us on start day at the daycare is you can't use one of those at home. When we asked how they potty train the kids and we asked about the ring. The reason why is there won't be one everywhere. Kids for generations have set on a potty with out assistance and have all successfully potty trained. If you want to be able to go in public you need to stop using them. It only causes more trouble than it fixes.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.H.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter had trouble with the size of the seat too. She found that sitting sideways worked for her. When we're in the handicap stall, being sideways also lets her easily hold onto the side bar to stabilize herself. At 5 now she still sits that way. The only hard part was teaching her not to grip with her lower leg and touch her clothes all over the side of the toilet, yuck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.B.

answers from Dover on

My daughter was the same way. I ended up buying one of those fold up potty seats at Walmart. They fold up "quarterly" and they are very easy to carry in a purse or a diaper bag. Now, she's managed to work out balancing her little butt on the potty without the need for it (but we still carry it just in case we need it).

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.L.

answers from Washington DC on

They make the toilet seat rings that folds up real small. I have seen them at Babies R Us.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.L.

answers from Washington DC on

Babies r us sells a couple portable fold up potty seat for kids.

L.
Centreville
Mom of a 2 year old girl

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.S.

answers from Norfolk on

We used a fold up potty seat, but we also taught our son to stand up. If the seat was too high, he stood on my feet or on the toliet seat.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.I.

answers from Washington DC on

Might not be the answer you're looking for but I got myself a really nice big purse (almost a fancy tote bag) and found the smallest potty seat I could find. I carried that seat (in a grocery bag) inside along with a change of underwear and shorts as well as a can of clorox wipes. We used it on public potties then I would wipe it down and we'd go about our day. The bag had some fancy pockets on the front for my wallet and keys etc.... so it wasn't too bad. I only had to carry it a few weeks. ---- I also believe that they sell potty seats that fold up but I've never tried them. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.P.

answers from Washington DC on

I had the same issue with my daughter. I had to hold her up which was fine, unless she had to do number 2 and my legs hurt after squatting for so long. They do have travel potty rings that can fold. They are a bit awkward but when you get the hang of it they get the support.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

Z.B.

answers from Washington DC on

There are fold-up portable versions of the inner ring you have at home...they fit in your purse. However, my son did not like them as they are not as stable as the solid ones and they made him fear falling in....had I tried it at home first I may have had more success. I ended up carrying a pull-up so if it was #2, he would go in the pull-up and we'd transfer it into the potty....#1 he stood.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from Washington DC on

We also use the Potette Plus. I carry it everywhere. My daughter has asked us to stop the car so that we can use it at the back of our minivan. The Potette Plus can be used with bags or over a regular toilet. My daughter has used it both ways. We bring it with us on vacations too. In public toilets, I actually also carry disposable changing pads which I put on the floor, then put the Potette on top so the Potette doesn't touch the floor. Or you can use old plastic bags.

I like the bags that come with the Potette Plus. You can buy refills or use old plastic bags but most grocery bags have holes in them so I prefer to use the Potette bags. Another plus about the bags is that it has a soaking pad in them so the liquids don't splash or spill as easily.

Potette seat itself is sturdy when set over a big toilet seat. It is a little short when used as an independent seat with the bag but that's the way my daughter prefers.

Once, I forgot to bring the Potette Plus and I got my daughter to go potty over the toilet by squatting over it with her feet on other side of the seat. That's another option.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi Christy,
I keep a small portable potty in our car and ask my daughter to use it before we go in somewhere, especially if we are on an errand-running marathon or at a park that has no toilet. It's been great! It has a cup that slides out so you can just dump the junk and carry on. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm sure one of the products mentioned will work...I kept a potty chair in the car. I don't know if this helps, but we live in a rural area and when my son was potty training I asked him to "pee on our tree" in the yard before getting into the car. This way no struggles to empty what was in his bladder on the toilet inside, prolong leaving, etc. Also, I'm sure you're on top of it, but keep stickers in your purse for those darn auto-flushers. They are loud and go off when the kids aren't even close to ready. Put a sticker over the auto-eye and it won't flush by itself. Doesn't hurt to give a sticker to your son afterwards either :)

D.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.M.

answers from Norfolk on

My son was afraid of the big potty too. I got a folding potty seat at Walmart for only $10. It has Lightning McQueen on it and we haven't had any trouble since.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.D.

answers from Washington DC on

We have the inner rings at home too for our grand-daughter. We tried the plastic folding travel one and she would not sit on it. She also would not sit on a toilet by herself or with one of us holding her so she "didn't fall in". So, we just got another inner ring and we put it in a non-see through bag and take it with us. We also carry a container of sanitizing wipes to wipe down the ring after each use on a public toilet. My theory is "when potty training - do WHATEVER works for the child!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

The folding ring others have mentioned was good for us. It's thin plastic and not padded like the ring you insert for home use, so your son will need to get used to it and as another parent noted, he may feel it doesn't give him enough support and he's "going to fall into the toilet" at first. But if you have him use it successfully at home first he should be fine. Mine came with a carrying bag and if yours doesn't, buy some of the very large ziplock bags to carry it in. I also always had a ziplock bag of disinfectant cleaning wipes with me to wipe it down well after use before I put it into its carrying bag, since public toilets can be a mess. Another tip -- you may or may not have found this with your daughter -- but many kids HATE the automatic sensor toilets that flush on their own. If a toilet "goes off" under a kid who's sitting on it, that can spook them and they'll resist public toilets after that. I carried some masking tape with me and stuck a small piece loosely over the sensor eye. That prevents it from flushing on its own. After use I'd pull of the tape and flush it manually. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.V.

answers from Roanoke on

My mom got my son (also 3) to sit on her big potty the first time by turning him to face the tank, and letting him rest against her hands or whatever behind him. Of course, that was one that had a whole seat and not one that is open in the middle/front! If you are teaching him to stand and use the potty, and he can't quite reach, I have always let my boys stand on my shoes to reach in the public restrooms! Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from Washington DC on

i bought a potty ring from onestepahead.com they have one there that folds up and will fit in most diaper bags.

hope that this helps

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.F.

answers from Norfolk on

I bought one of those folding potty seats when we were at the same point. However neither of my boys liked using them at all. So thats when I decided it would be easier to let them stand. And even though most toilets are too tall for them still at this point (they are 2 and 3). I have no problem lettting them stand on my shoes to go (as long as I have tennis shoes on). I even have to help them sometimes b/c they dont like the loud sound of the toilets flushing. So they cover their ears instead of holding themselves, but we are working on that one. Good luck w/ ur lil one.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions