Please note that I'm not writing this because I think I'm an expert at potty training. I do know more than I knew before I had a child, but that isn't saying much at all. I'm only writing this so I can compare these notes when I potty train a second child (if there ever is a second child, and that looks doubtful right now) and so that Annabelle can look back one day when she has a child of her own to know how her Mommy potty trained her. Of course, everything will be different in 38 years (when she's allowed to actually start dating and consider marrying to have a child), but hopefully she'll get a kick out of these notes.
Tips for Potty Training (a girl)
1. Start talking about the potty very early on (probably between 12-18 months).
2. Begin setting her on the big girl potty around 15-18 months in the morning and at bath time.
3. Start reading potty books a month or so before you decide to start potty training.
4. Buy a child sized potty and let her start using it. I bought Annabelle's at 2 years of age. I think that was the perfect time to buy the child sized potty. Any earlier and I think she would have gotten bored with it.
5. Encourage her to go with you and pick out the big girl potty. If they pick it out, I think they are more inclined to like it and use it.
6. Buy a potty that is bright and colorful and cute (if you can lead the child towards those potties while shopping with her).
7. Start potty training with no panties, only a bare bottom.
8. Do NOT force the child to go potty against her will. With Annabelle, once she was naked, she did not want to go tee tee anywhere else except the potty. Just let her go at her own will when she's ready. I think when she first started potty training back in October, I would ask her every 20 minutes, but once she got frustrated with me asking her, I stopped asking her and just let her go on her own.
9. Don't introduce the big girl panties until the child shows interest in the potty and actually starts using the potty all the time without any accidents while naked. I actually didn't do this and instead introduced the big girl panties early on. I think next time I'll talk about buying him/her big girl pants/panties if he/she starts using the "big boy/girl potty like a big boy/girl."
10. Once the child is potty trained with a bare bottom, let her go with you to pick out big girl panties.
11. Then, start potty training with the big girl panties.
12. Encourage her to not tee tee on the princesses on the big girl panties.
13. Reward her all along (even before the big girl panties) with a small treat (M&M's or jelly beans) for going tee tee and poo poo in the potty. Tee tee = 1 M&M. Poo poo = 2 M&M's. Tee tee and poo poo at the same time = 3 M&M's. I know they usually do both when they poo poo, but Annabelle understood the difference between 1 M&M for tee tee and 2 M&M's for poo poo, so it was just easier to start teaching her to count.
14. And, I'm not here yet, but I've offered to take Annabelle to get ice cream when she stays dry all night. When I told her, she said, "Ice cream?!?! With the cow? And rocking chairs? And little girl?" She remembers the last time she went to Mayfield Dairy for ice cream with Grandmama and Granddaddy. She is still wearing diapers at naptime and bedtime. I had previously tried putting the big girl panties under the diaper (back in October), but as long as she had a diaper on over the big girl panties, she still would just tee tee on the big girl panties and in the diaper.
15. Only potty train when you have many weekdays and weekends ahead at home.
16. Potty train in the spring and summer! This way, little girls can run around bare bottom and not look naked with dresses on. I probably wouldn't advise going out in public this way though as the authorities may arrest you.
17. Hide the M&M's from hubby and yourself. Otherwise, potty training can get very expensive and fattening.
Best of luck potty training! It is yet another "one of the hardest things" you'll do as a Mommy! But, the payoff is rewarding! A dry bottom and at least $30-$40 saved per month! Any other tips from other Mommy's are welcomed!
2 years ago
2 comments:
Congrats on the successful potty training!
We had to take a break because I got sick, but we are starting back up this week. I like the bare-bottom method too. It has so far seemed to work better than leaving on "big boy underpants."
Great tips, Jenn. Thank you for sharing them. Annabelle sure did well with the training it sounds like. I need to find a reward system that works besides candy (you know about Audrey's lack of sweet tooth, right?) so maybe stickers? And I need to get that potty once and for all! Maybe I can take Audrey out to choose one today.
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