Help Potty Training - Fort Benning,GA

The DVD "Elmo Goes Potty" helped my daughter. I borrowed it from the library. My daughter watched it all day and then that was it....she didn't want her diaper on any longer. She wanted to be a "big girl" and use the potty.

My daughter was slow to potty train. Finally I bought her the regular Disney Princesses panties and when she didn't go to the potty and messed in her underwear, I would throw them in the trash. She was very upset that I would throw away her favorite panties, but she didn't have to have but 1 pair thrown away before she really started going on her own.

Oh, and whatever you do, try to avoid taking her into the restrooms that flush by themselves with a motion detector. Kayla was afraid of the "big" potty for a very long time after it tried to "eat" her.

First thing you can do is throw away the diapers and pull ups! When you committ yourself to doing it go all the way. Next, the best time to take them and actually get them to pee pee is after they just wake up fo us it was nap because she lounges in bed to long. (you can use pull ups at night) That first time she has success sing and dance and act like a nut! Giving m&m's to her and your oldes wouldn't hurt either. That is what we did and she was trained within 4 days at 2 years and 4 months. We have since weaned her away from m&m's but we do still reward once a day with some type of chocolate. Consistency is key!

I have a little different advice. I know that you are tired of the diapers, and I definitely feel your pain (my oldest two were 18 months apart). However, your daughter is probably reacting to the fact that the diaper changes her baby brother is getting is taking time away from her. Stop pushing for a few days. Instead, continue to change her diapers but make the changes quick. Then set aside a few minutes everyday for a special activity that the two of you can do together. That one on one time will help her realize that she still has your sole attention from time to time. Then, after a few days, start bringing the potty back into the picture. And she will let you know when she is really ready. Good luck!

My advice, once you decide and you think she is ready (you see that she is a pretty smart child). Is your daughter waking up dry? Then once the decision is made you have to stick to it. NO MORE DIAPERS, thats it! Dont go back and fourth. I think that this confuses them. Dont even use the Pull UPs. My daughter thougt it was fun to use the potty in the Pull Ups. When I witnessed this I got rid of them.

Anyway, I followed my mothers advice and went straight to the toilet. No potty chairs. Keep her in panties, even no underware when she is at home. Carry extra clothes with you. Dont give in. Its going to be tuff initially but it gets better. Get her some princess panties. They also have the thick cotton training panties that I love. Target has them. Let her know whos the boss. Good luck, M.

Hi J.,

I completely know what you are going through. I finally got my 2 year old little girl potty trained by taking the advice of my WIC representative. I was told that what I needed to do was just put her in big girl underwear. Much to my amazement it worked. The first few weeks were really rough...she had alot of accidents. Which I was told was completely normal. She eventually got to the point where she didn't like being wet or dirty. She still has accidents occassionally but hey she's two. I still put her in a pull up at night but i've greatly reduced the accidents at night by not allowing her to have anything to drink after 6pm. All cups disappear. If she gets thirsty I give a small drink of water and that's it. I hope my advice helps you. Good luck.

B. M.

Hello J. my name is A. my little girl's name is Ragan. Potty training is always a little hard or it was for my girl she was about 2 1/2 when she finaly did it. I would do any thing to just get her to sit on the potty. she was not interested @ all.Finaly as stupid as this sounds I made up a song one day before i went to work she used to stay with my mom. My song went like this. I'm going to PeePee in the potty like mama. I'm going to PeePee in the Potty like daddy. I'm Going to Pee Pee in the potty cause thats the way. I'm going to PEE PEE in the potty today yeah. I'm going to pee pee in the potty today Yay and I would clap my hands. And to my surpise it worked. Yes I said it was stupid but from that day on she done it.I was so very happy. Good luck maybe my song will work try it maybe it will.And good luck with the move also.Take care.
A.

I have read alot of the posts and they are all good ideas. One thing you could do is either go to the library and get pooty training books. There are books that show the little one sitting on the potty and talks to the child. Another thing that worked for us was awarding the kids for using the potty. Also, take her shopping and let her chose which panties she wants. I wish you all the luck.

Hi J.
the potty tapes works, you might want to encourage her to follow you when you go then if she is for that not only you'll be done with the diapers she'll use your toilet with of course the toddler size seat; be patient after 1w or 2 she'll let you know which one she preferred. good luck

J.-I am a preschool teacher of 2 yr olds and have raised three kids myself. Hope this isn't too long. I told my son that they didn't make diapers for three yr olds. You could come up with your own timeframe. Then, when the time hits, use the last of the diapers but tell her every time you change the diaper that she'll have to wear panties. I have a hunch that Eliana is holding on to her diapers because she is either in love with them (my son was) or, she is holding on to mommy time. Right now, she knows that when you are changing her, she has your UNDIVIDED attention. And she probly doesn't feel like she has that. Thats not just because of the new baby so much as that is the way 2 yr olds are. They don't EVER want to give up being the center of the universe. (When you get right down to it, none of us really do, we just grow up and realize thats the way it is) I also used a timer to tell him to go potty. That took the discussion out whether she thinks she needs to go or not. They can't argue/engage with a timer! It also helped ME stop whatever I was doing. Otherwise, I'd think I could fold one more towel, make one more bed, etc. and as to be expected, I'd go too long and he'd have an accident. I have a few other tricks, let me knwo if you want more ideas.

First thing. Stop buying diapers! She should be in pullups or the thick terry cloth panties. Let her feel the wetness, the uncomfortableness. I have 3 girls and i started potty training around 16 or 17 months. I would just let them sit on the potty at first. Around 18 months, I focused on it a little more. An hour or so after they ate or drank something, I would let them sit on the potty. When at home, I put the terry cloth panties on them (they are thicker and hold a little more). If they soiled them, I would take it to the potty and let them know that that is where the poo-poo belonged. It does get frustrating after awhile but stick to it. You can also buy the rubber pants to put on with the panties. If we had to go out I would put on a pullup but only when we were going out or if by chance she had wet all her panties and they were being washed. Most importantly, praise her when she does something good; i.e. sits on the potty for a long period of time or any amount of time, or pees or poops in the potty. Let her know it's a good thing and also be patient. There will be many wet days ahead. Good Luck!

I've potty trained four of my children, and just have one more to go. (He's 18 months). With the first two, I tried everything under the sun. It wasn't till I gave up on the idea and changed their diapers as if I didn't even think about how they really should be going potty that they trained themselves. My oldest was 3 1/2 when I gave up, and he trained himself within 2 weeks. My second was almost 3 when I gave up, and he told me a week later that he didn't want a diaper anymore. He day and night trained right then and there. With my daughter, I introduced her to the potty and made no effort to coerce her into going. She trained herself at 2. My next son trained himself day and night at 19 months...I think he really wanted to be like the big kids. I haven't done anything except pull the potty out. I personally don't like to have my children trained when they can't even pull their pants up and down on their own or get on the potty alone. My biggest recommendations are to relax (I had 2 in diapers and one due in another 2 weeks when my oldest finally trained) and not make a big deal about it, and to make sure Eliana has learned how to pull her pants up and down and get on and off the toilet successfully by herself. The only child I've ever known not to train herself at a decent age was my friend's daughter. My friend started working on potty training her (also known as reading her cues) at the age of 9 months. By 18 months, the two of them had it figured out and she was declared "trained," but at 2 1/2 she decided she didn't care any more and peed and pooped in her pants till she was over 7. Sometimes she did it just for the attention (even negative attention is okay with her). Anyway, my friend had a much more relaxed approach with her son, and he trained at 2 just fine! Good luck, and tell your husband that we respect and honor him so much for what he has sacrificed, and you as well for supporting him so beautifully. God bless you.

I have 4 daughters and my last one was hard, I tried mini M & M's, its called bribery but it worked. I would love to shake your husbands hand right now...Tell him thank you!! Good luck with the training! Susan B

J.,
My heart goes out to your husband and family. My husband is also military. He 's been deployed 3 times but we've been very lucky. You have your hands full! None of my children potty trained early. I can tell you when they were ready they did it in a day. My four year old daughter was in diapers until 3 1/2. When she decided to use the toilet it took one day and a lot of Dora stickers! Best of luck to you and your family!

2 1/2 was the magic time for both my son and daughter. Maybe she is not quite ready yet. When 1st child showed interest in the potty, I held a potty party. We went in our smaller bathroom with books, toys, and treats. It took a little over two hours for her to go, but we had a lot of fun in the meantime. When my husband got home, we went out for cupcakes and sang (God help us) "poopy in the potty" all the way home!

When my son was 2 1/2 my daughter took it upon herself to hold the "party". She really potty trained him for the cupcakes, but it worked!

good luck

my son is 3 1/2 and is just now interested in potty training. My daughter, now 10, wasn't potty trained until 3. Some kids aren't ready at that age. My daughter loved to watch tv so I would put her little potty chair in the living room in front of the tv and let her sit on it while watching it. She was so excited that she could do it that sometimes she would go in the chair and sometimes she would run to the big potty. With my son I have noticed that he is lazy and if he has a diaper or pull up on he doesn't bother going to the bathroom to go but I leave him naked and he will go to the bathroom every time. I am currently looking for ways to get cloths on him to go but it is a work in progress. Girls are easier so just keep taking her into the potty again and again. It helps if it is not just you to take her as well. My sister-in-law uses charts with stickers on it. Every time she fills in a row she gets a reward. Hope this helps.

I have two potty trained so far. The trick is to find their "trigger" so to speak. My son I did the old fashioned way, just put him in cotton pants, put him on the potty several times a day and he eventually got it. It does take them a while. However, with my oldest daughter, none of this worked. I tried cotton pants instead of pull ups (same result) putting her on the potty did nothing. And we have this old-fashioned potty chair where you can sort of block them in so that they stay there as long as you want them to (which worked for my son) but she's a little Houdini and just worked herself out of it as soon as I put her in. One day, I was about to put her in the bath and noticed that she suddenly ran to the potty by herself and went! AHA! I figured out then and there that she couldn't stand the idea of having pee run down her leg. So, she stayed without pants for about a week and had maybe ONE accident, but after that she was potty trained!

Also, it is a matter of knowing whether or not they are ready for it. Not all kids are ready at the same time and they almost certainly aren't ready when you are. Then again, I know my second daughter regressed a bit when my third child was born. Now she (#3) is showing a lot of interest in the potty and asks to sit on it (although most times she never does anything) but we make a big deal out of it when she does. She is currently only 21 months and is showing an interest a lot sooner than my first daughter did. Since I am expecting #4 in a couple of months though, I'm sure she will regress to get attention and I'm fully prepared for that. I just have to give her a chance to gain interest again. I think what really helped is that she saw her older siblings doing it and she wants to be like them. So I suspect that, like my second child, yours is stuck between wanting to be like her older brother and wanting to be "babied". I'm sure she'll either decide which way she wants to go or you can keep watching her and find the trick to having her go potty.

I created a sticker chart (on a poster board) that had a picture of Cinderella with a trail of boxes (for stickers)that lead to a picture of my daughter at the end. Every time she sat on the potty for 5 min (use a timer) she got a sticker. Everytime she went, she got a sticker. Once the trail was full of stickers, she got to pick out some big girl panties or a toy....

Also, just out her in panties!! you will have accidents...but plan on spending a day or 2 at home in panties.... and remember to constantly ask her if she has to go potty.