Strange Potty Training Issue

She's still to young to have a firm sense of the difference between boys and girls. She might know the words, but it's not until they're three or so that they come to understand that gender is something that doesn't change [for most folks anyway, :)]. As that understanding comes into place, she'll be more and more into imitating you and insisting on doing things in a "girly" way. Then your problem should evaporate. And though she may have other ideas, for health and hygiene reasons, she's better off waiting on the toilet training anyway. So for now it can just be fun and silly.

ok I am not sure what anyone else wrote because I didn't look, but she is still young and maybe you can start explaining a little that you and her are girls and have different body parts than her brother and dad. There are some great materials out there for kids now a days. The Elmo potty doll is great. He has his own chair and in order for him to make it to the potty he has to "sit" on it. My son and niece still love to play with it even though they have been potty trained for over two or more years. There are also some great chrisitian videos out there that you can find that explains "their" body parts to children. But like I said she is pretty young. I hope this helps a little atleast.

I think it is great that you are introducing the potty to you daughter at this age. One thing is, I don't think that when you are using the bathroom that she should sit on it with her pants up, isn't that sending the wrong message?
When I taught my daughter(at 17 months also) we kept the potty in the living room, and when she made a poopy face we sat her on it. Now, about her wanting to stand up, I'm sure that is normal, don't you wish it could be that easy for us. Maybe the book thing could help, or maybe if you have her do some kind of small activity where she would have to sit while on the potty.
Maybe read her a book, or buy a little table, or stool that could sit in front of her, so she can color. If she stays occupied maybe she'll want to sit. One more thing, if you make a big deal about her sitting, like that it's special that she does sit, maybe that will encourage her . GOOD LUCK

dont have her go in while anyone but u is going

Wow A., I'm reading this and laughing, thinking, this girl at 17 months is so SMART that she's copying what she sees Dad and brother doing! Then I get to the bottom and read your kids names and realize it's YOU! :) I wish I had an answer for you, i don't... my mom trained my daughter Crissy back when she was 25 months old, and I'm working on training Gina, who's 25 months at this time and having NO luck (she peed on her floor/a book/a piece of paper she colored on today!) but I think you're doing it right, having her at least go to the bathroom fully clothed to get the idea! Crissy was trained in ONE weekend, my mother just went cold turkey, azz naked all day and encouraged her to sit on the potty now and then, and kept reminding her "do you feel like you have to pee or poo poo?" in one weekend of hardcore training she was trained! I haven't done the nonstop not-in-a-diaper training method yet cause with the new baby who's got the energy to clean up all the pee pee messes all over the place?! Keep doing what you're doing, and when you're ready to get her TRAINED... just go all the way, no turning back, that seems to be The Way that works, but you have to be dedicated for it to work, and prepared to do a lot of messy clean ups in between! At 17 months that's too early of course to expect her to BE trained, but surely a great time for introductory things like trying to get her to make the connection between her bodily function and the toilet/bathroom experience! Theoretically you COULD have her trained before you go to California! But again, I was reading the post, not knowing who it was from initially, and I"m laughing picturing this little girl standing at the toilet like a dude, that's too funny, must be a funny sight to see, but at the same time, what a smart little thing she is! :) Talk to ya soon :) -K.