My two year old daughter is doing great with potty training. When we're at home she goes to the potty without having to be reminded or prompted. When we go out, though, I always put her in a diaper. She tells me when she has to go but when we try to go in a public restroom, she never goes. I know that using a big toilet is a lot different than her training one. For this reason we always put her in a diaper. However, I'd like to try to go sans diapers all the time. How should we handle this when going out?
I would say transition her to the regular potty at home first....then the big toilets out wont be as scary?
It's just something you'll have to bite the bullet and do. She is going to have an accident at some point, so just make sure you have a spare change of clothes. It's scary those first few times, but it has to be done.
That is a donut hole in the potty training arena.
I'd do a pull-up when going in to town. But definitely take her to the ladies room if she tells you she needs to go, put down the dumb paper and all that other trauma that goes with putting our kids on a public toilet seat. She'll either go or she wont.
Eventually she will have enough control. Sounds like you guys are doing very well.
I had boys, didnt have to mess with them sittin on the shi**er... it was pretty easy potty training them.
have you tried with the small toilet seats that fit on the big potty? You can get some that fold up, that you can put in a carry bag and keep in your bag, possibly. If she starts getting enough confidence on the big potty at home, it might make it easier going on the big potty in public, with or without the potty topper.
http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/Folding-Travel-Potty...
Just do it, get rid of the diapers and take a change of clothing (or two) in case of accidents, and transition her to the regular toilet at home.
You can try to use a smaller training seat on the regular seat to help her feel safer, my guy refused it, but if she prefers it just take it with you when you go out until she can handle big toilets without it.
I'm at exactly the same stage as you. I just "bit the bullet" as the gal below me said, from the get-go. Except the very first day we started when I put herin a diaper to go out to eat. But as of day 2 she's worn underwear every outing since then. She won't pee in a public restroom either, though we "try" all the time. Its day 10 or so now, I think we're getting there... I honestly just avoid going places where it would be mortifying to have an accident (like a fancy restaurant) and mostly she holds it but we have had a few accidents. I bring a change of pants everywhere just in case.
I'm of the "cold turkey" philosophy of potty training where once the diapers are gone you don't go back... that's just me. But I am still using a diaper at night, that's it. Sounds like you'd daughter is doing great, you should just go for it!
Hahaha...boys are so much easier to potty train in public, I agree! When we started, my son was afraid of the big toilet too. Try getting her used to it at home by letting her cling to you until she feels confident enough to let go.
We just did it - got rid of the diapers all at once. We did get one of those portable seats that fits on top of the regular toilet. Make sure to get one that feels sturdy so she doesn't feel like she will fall in. Also, my son HATED the automatic flush. If you carry post it notes, you can put one over the little electronic eye and it will not flush unexpectedly and scare her. Be prepared that once she starts going in public restrooms, you may be visiting EVERY SINGLE public restroom at every single place you go. We never used a 'potty' at home - we did the Bjorn seat cover which just fits over the regular toilet so DS never really had a 'transition' in potties.
do you use plastic pants over the big girl panties? That's what I require for my daycare kids to prevent accidents on my carpet.
& just switch her over to the real potty at home. :)
Sh'e really really young to be doing so well so you have plenty of time to worry about trying to go without a diaper when going out. I would think by the time she's 3-3 1/2 she'll be mature enough and physically able to manage holding it for extended time frames. That way when she says she has to go and you are out in the middle of the highway and can't get off and find the nearest bathroom she can hold it for half an hour or so.
We found a foldable potty chair that fit in the diaper bag. It worked wonders for us. Even though my girl is now 6 I still keep a potty seat in the truck because she has a hard time going pee outside if she cant sit. So we use it hiking or camping when there are outhouses.
With my 2nd we skipped using the little potty to train. That has helped with using the big potties. My 2 year old is a TINY little thing. We have a fold-up seat that fits easily in my bag. That helps a lot. Also be prepared for the scary automatic flush. You can either take post-it notes or toilet paper and cover the "eye" until she is done and away from the toilet.
You might also consider getting the thicker training panties for going out in public (and maybe even the plastic covers??). We use those when we expect an accident (like after being on vacation and overusing pull-ups and diapers). We also keep her in a dress most of the time.....less laundry to wash. The dress hardly ever gets wet when she does have an accident.
She sounds like she is doing great! I'm having to find a stool that mine can use to go independently. She is SOOO tiny, she can't even get on the seat with a regular stool yet. :(
