Potty Training - Grand Rapids,MI

I would try to not use a potty chair as long as she can balance good. The main reason is if she is use to it she may have problems going potty without one at the store or other places. However, if you camp often a potty chair is great for when you have little notice or are placed far from the restrooms.

It all depends. My daughter would not sit on the potty chair the first few months, but now she perfers the potty chair because it is her own potty. I bought the one that you can take the seat off and put it on the regular toilet or you can leave it on the potty seat. Also just an fyi do not use pull ups, use the cotton training pants. Pull ups are just like using diapers. My daughter does not bat an eye at going in a pull up, but will not go in the training pants.

That My Dear....is a Myth! Told over and over by 'Old Wives' - who constantly share their 'Old Wives Tales'.
Yes, it is possible to potty train your child at a very early age....yes it is also possible at 18 months....the statement of 'all children in the 60's were' is a non-truth.
Make this experience fun and non-confrontational....be patient with your daughter....never shame her for any of her mistakes (accidents) Make sure you smile a lot and that the tone of your voice is calm. Be prepared for opposition from immediate family and friends on your decision.
Yes, the task of potty training your child can be done. Practice consistency, consistency, consistency.

who wants to clean out a potty? if your daughter isn't afraid - go for the big potty! then you won't have any transition to do later...we use the insert on the big toilet and our daughter loves it!

well...used to...she's now refusing to go after almost a year of using the potty! we started at 18 mo. because she was very interested in the potty...she took control and insisted on going on the potty...now it's apparently not as fun and now she thinks it's a chore! we were so confidant and thought it would be a breeze since she initiated everything, but here we are a year later, and not much progress! o'well! i have the attitude of if she goes - bonus! less diapers for me to change! we tried the underwear only route...and didn't work so well for us...

good luck and have patience!!

My opinion is to use the toilet they will use in the long run UNLESS they are fearful of how big or loud it is.
Having taught preschool myself I have seen some kids have a difficult time with the big toilet because of fear of falling in etc. But try not to make more of it than it really is. Be matter of fact about sitting on the toilet. This is just what we do. Your daughter has no idea there are other alternatives.
Good for you for being proactive! I too am encouraged. What type of conference was it? Here can I learn more?
Is the sign you use for the potty an actual ASL (American Sign Language Sign) or did you just create it?
I am currently traing my 3 year old son. If I can get my daughter (currently 15 months) out of diaper too - wow! That would really help our pocket book!!!!

YOU COULD ALSO HAVE HER SIT BACKWARDS ON THE POTTY (FACING THE TANK) SOMETIMES THEY FEEL MORE SECURE AND HAVE SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO. THIS WORKS VERY WELL WITH LITTLE BOYS WHO HAVE A HARD TIME AIMING.

Thanks for sharing

Great question! I'll be reading to see what advice you get regarding the toilet vs. potty chair. I've always thought it strange that kids potty train so late, with 3 3 1/2 being the "normal" age, when I was trained at 18months. I've wondered if it has to do with disposables being so "good" and was considering changing to cloth diapers for my daughter around 18month to see if that will make a difference (as the previous answer suggests). What kind of seminar did you go to and was it only for day care providers? I would definitely like to attend something like that! Good luck with your potty training!!! :)

We bought a 3 part potty seat... we started using at as a potty - butnow we put the ring on the big toilet and the potty seat is a step stool.

It is more of a pain to clean.. but the child can put herself on and off the potty without help.

I would be interested if your daughter continues to be trained or has more accidents in the future.

I trained a girl at 26 months and it was so easy..

I started potty training my daughter at about 12-13 mths. She will poop and pee consistently on the potty. She is 17 1/2 mths. now. Reading your post made me think maybe i should just try underwear and see how it goes! Anyways, we have the little potty chair b/c it's much safer and easier for the little ones. Plus, it's more enjoyable b/c you can sit down on the floor w/your daught. and read to her while she's getting accustomed to just sitting on the potty. :) Hope that helps!

hi M. !

i don't think you're crazy at all! all my boys have been pt'ed by 18 mos and my daughter was at 22 mos.( i have 5 kids - 7 yrs b/t 1st and last) i use cloth diapers, it makes all the diff in the world. when they can feel wetness as a consequence of emptying their bladder/bowels, they make the association much more quickly. i also start leaving them naked when they start walking and really watch their cues and try to get them on the toilet when i know they should have to go. luckily i have all hardwood floors so any accidents are no biggie !

to answer your question, i much prefer to use a real toilet whenever possible. in our house, we permanently attach those potty seats that raise up like the toilet ring. i was always worried if we tried to go in public, they'd not use a real toilet if they were used to a potty seat. for my boys, i stand them on the rim of a public toilet and let them pee down into it. my daughter actually would do this, too, but i could only let her wear skirts and dresses when we were going out until she was big enough to sit on a reg toilet w/out falling in. i have a lil guy now who is 16 mos but very tiny - is is the size of a 3-6 month old. he also won't stand and pee, he likes to sit. so for him i have to bring a portable toilet top seat along. a nice padded ring, they sell them at target. i have a huge diaper bag and carry it in there when we go out. they also make foldable ones, but i found they were not sturdy and were likely to pinch!
pre-verbally, my kids liked to make the noises to let me know they had to go. my lil guy now hisses at me to say he has to pee and grunts for poo. i wish i'd made up a sign, too - LOL

Personally I found the one that goes on the toilet to work better. My DD wasn't scared to go on the potty and she even likes to take the seat off sometimes to use the toilet without. With the little potties you have to clean them out and they don't have to learn to sit on the big potty. Good luck. Oh and my DD started potty training at 13-14 months.

We bought both the potty chair and the one that goes over the toilet, and my daughter didn't anything to do with either one. She just wanted to sit on the "big" potty and balance herself. This may work for your little one too. Good luck and have fun with it!!

The conference does sound interesting. I know I read a great online book about potty training, including the interesting history, and trained my daughter at about 21 months. 18 months is pretty early but I wouldn't say you are crazy. My mom trained my brother and I at 12 months! I think it definitely works for some kids and for others, it just isn't worth it. I remember introducing the kiddie potty at about 18 months. Just letting her see it and sit on it and get familiar with seeing it, sitting on it, etc. Once we started the training, we used the potty chair because we had it right in the family room in the beginning. The central location and ease of it seemed to help in the beginning weeks. However, it is more of a pain to clean and all that so we quickly worked into the toddler seat over the big toilet and had both for a few months. You will definitely need a step stool or something to help your child get up to the big toilet. The extra time it takes to get up to the 'big' toilet can be detrimental :) We also used the sign for potty and although there were accidents, all in all, i had a great experience with potty training at that age. You may want to prepare yourself (mentally) for inevitable future accidents as your child will be figuring out how long they can hold it... or she doesn't want to take a break from playing or some cases, i think my daughter just wanted my attention. That can be the frustrating part as you know they know how to go... my daughter regressed a few months later when i was really sick with morning sickness and just wasn't myself. We had our share of accidents but that is all part of the process! I am thinking of starting my one year old even a few months earlier. Keep us posted as to how it all works out and any advice you can give.

I think it's great that you're training her now, my son was trained in a week at 21 months (he virtually did it himself) and my neice was trained by 18 months. Don't let anyone tell you you're crazy because your daughter is obviously responding to training well. Don't be surprised if she does have setbacks and regress a little at times, just keep encouraging her.
I think a potty is great because she'll get to the point when she wants to just take herself, and being so little she will find it easier using a potty chair. I used both with my son from the start so he was used to using the toilet with a potty seat, this is a nicer option for you because you don't have to clean up after lol. The toilet is also good if you want her to stay on, she has no option but to wait.
You've just got to do what works for you and your daughter.