While I have now potty trained two children and am almost on the other side of training my youngest, this isn't an area where I feel like an expert, or even someone with a tried and true method... or even someone with a good method. It's okay... it's decent. So--I'll share it basically jus for posterity.
My two girls came first (3 yr age difference) and were both more challenging to potty train than my son. I began potty training my oldest ar 2.5 yrs when the pediatrician recommended she sleep bare bottomed because of some rash problems that were persistent. She was night potty trained in a few days. We kept a lot of towels under her, but she held it all night--crazy! So, you'd think day would be easier, but... nope. She really resisted. It took another 6-9 months to really get her to stop having daily accidents.
My middle child was the flip. She went to preschool 2 days a week from age 2 years 4 months. She saw her friends pee in the potty and wanted to try. She trained fairly quickly in the day but still had many accidents for a long time. By the end of that school year (3 yrs 1 month) she was day trained. Night was a struggle. She stayed in a diaper at night til 4.5 yrs. She really wanted to make it happen...in face for almost 2 yrs she refused the diaper and fell asleep in underwear... but she'd pee the bed every night, even if we woke her to pee. So--we would come in around 10pm and put a diaper on her.
My son... well, after potty training two girls, I was exhausted just thinking about it. But, he kind of took it up on his own this summer. And with 4 people there to cheer everytime he'd pee in the potty, he was trying it all the time! (Attention from all 4 family members at once is so rare-- everyone's always trying to get a word in.) He first got interested August 1 and now only wears diapers at night. He even naps in underwear no problem. I've taken him on errands and he has only had 1 accident. Frankly, we deserve an easier time on the third round, so I am happy!
Here are my tips, for whatever they are worth:
- Keep a ziploc in your purse or car with: Two clean underwear, two clean bottoms, or dresses (dress is better for girl because you're not left with no top if she happens to be wearing a dress), a washcloth to dry their legs, a bag for trash & poop to toss and a bag for wet clothes to bring home)... And I assume you carry wipes as a given
- Before you leave for an errand, ask if she wants to sit on the potty and try
- I used M&Ms... 2 for pee, 4 for poop, and extra if he does it on the big (actual) potty in the bathroom. It makes it easier. And if pee got on the floor I gave only 1 M&M and said "Good try, but we can't get any on the floor, okay! I know it's tough, keep trying!" I gave every single time (it was a LOTof chocolate) the first 2 days. After that, I didn't give treats unless he asked. He asked about 50% of the time.
- If she says no, do not push it. Ask again when you get to destination
- I say "George, do you need to pee on the potty before we go inside the store? If you go now, you can use George's potty, but inside it'll be a big potty and we'll have to stop what we are doing, wanna try?" If no, I don't push it. If he has an accident, he learns.
- Accidents will be happening--probably for a year--just embrace it. Be prepared.
- Buy a Potette Potty for your car. I don't use the liners, I just pull in a parking spot next to grass or mulch and let them go right into the ground (pee). This was invaluable to me with all 3 kids--- sometimes you cannot get to a potty.
EMERGENCY ZIPLOC---
