Potty Training Ideas

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The following potty training ideas were written by Cindy to answer a parent’s question about helping her daughter know when to go number one.

Each potty training idea is reprinted here in full. Enjoy!

Potty Training Idea #1
We have found that it is best to monitor the amount of liquid intake and time it accordingly. In our preschool the children were on a schedule and we kept them hydrated. We all took bathroom breaks together. If you were in a diaper you were changed.

If you were in the process of potty training you sat down and tried to eliminate. If you were potty trained, then you modeled for the others by putting it in the potty (note: parents modeled at home, but as a teacher I did not sit on the potty with my students).

Mommy to Mommy with my daughter, I always said, “Come on it’s time to go take care of business,” but you can word it however you would like. She knew it was our job to sit on the potty. She sat on hers and I sat on mine and we went through the motions.

It was hit or miss in the beginning, but by 3 days in she knew the routine and by 3 weeks we were well on our way. It is a process and you are training your daughter to feel, observe and be aware of her body in a different way.

Potty Training Idea #2
Try to keep it simple and almost clinical. We are taking care of bathroom business. If the process becomes too entertaining or high maintenance this becomes a very hard act to maintain.

Children can pull on your heart strings and demand that they have a performance and confetti parties every time they eliminate.

Beware of this form of emotional manipulation. Children are born professionals at twisting a parent’s heart strings into oblivion.We used potty training charts to track the success.

When we were not successful we kept it filled with affirmative positive comments like “We’ll make it next time!” or “Good try, you are well on your way. We are so proud of you for being such a big girl.” or “The best part of my day is how hard you are trying to get it into the potty. I am so excited we can do this together now.”

Potty Training Idea #3
We would also sing a song and say hip hip hooray or something to that effect.

We let our daughter pick out new special underwear when we were experiencing success consecutive times and I also kept a stash and brought out a new pair when the time seemed right for a tangible reward.

New underwear seemed appropriate.

Potty Training Idea #4
Rinse and repeat. You will find yourself feeling like a broken record with the amount of “let’s go to the potty now” repetition.

In the beginning, we went about every 30 minutes to try. Don’t ask if she needs to go, tell her that it is time to take a bathroom break. This is helping her train and time the process in her body.

The novelty of her telling you that she needs to go and your excitement of her wanting to go will run its course. However, in addition to listening to her needs, we have found more success in being assertive and saying it is time to try and go.You may want to limit the time she sits.

An hour is a long time for number 1 and then 10 minutes later doing it on the floor. Asserting the bathroom break and pretending to sit down and go along with her may be more helpful.

Potty Training Idea #5
Number 2. This is the last piece to fall into place.

Does she eat 5-6 fruits and veggies a day? We also eat flax seed in our yogurt, applesauce and eat lot of nuts and whole grains to keep our colons clean and moving smooth.

Our children had a definite pattern of when they eliminated their waste so I used that as an indicator to time it appropriately. They are 5 and 7 and to this day I know when they will go and their body works like clockwork in this regard.

We feel it is healthy and they do not worry about what if I need to do this at school because their bodies have established a concrete schedule of elimination.

Potty Training Idea #6
Your daughter’s situation is different from our experience, but we feel if she feels security with you being present, then you shouldn’t take that away right now, especially since you are trying to get the number 1 in the potty with success and consistency.

Potty Training Idea #7
You might want to think of other ways for her to seek comfort  to transition to in the future so that it is more of a private affair when eliminating waste and not so dependent on you being there physically.

A plastic bin of books in the bathroom, a special stuffed animal that is  an exclusive potty training buddy and the chart that is visible when she successfully puts it in the potty. Best of luck!

Potty Training Power…. AWAY!!!