Suggestions for Potty Seat and Potty Training

Mostly for the sake of your daycare provider I would skip pull-ups and go straight to big boy underwear. Ask them because they might not feel the way that I did, but I HATED pull ups in the daycare setting- I would have much rather changed poopy underwear. Also, though, I think that pull ups are still too much like diapers and kids feel more like "big kids" when they get real underwear.

I would also avoid using rewards. If you need rewards to get him to go then he's not ready. And if he is ready, you won't need them. Using rewards teaches children to expect external motivation and underrates internal motivation. Teach him to instead feel pride in his accomplishment by giving him ownership ("you did it!", etc). Also, rewards will be difficult to do in the daycare setting because, depending on what you use, the caregivers may not be able to use them because it would be unfair to the other children. Similarly, you couldn't save them up to give when he gets home because children need immediate feedback- he won't relate the reward with the behavior.

I like my potty, and it turns into a bench like you want. It's by boon (I bought it at mom4life.com, but I've seen it since at babies r us, too) and it's also really cute- just a little more expensive than you want, at $40, though. But really, I don't think that the potty matters. Your sister may have been struggling because her son wasn't ready, not because of the potty she chose. If he's ready it shouldn't matter. Just find one that suits your needs. I don't even think they all three need to be the same because at his age he understands that a potty is a potty, even if one looks different than another. One step ahead has a lot of neat choices, especially if space is an issue at any of the sites or if you want to buy something portable. I just looked at that urinal and was like "seriously, what a waste." You would still have to buy a potty, so why buy both? I mean, is it realistic to teach your son to go in a urinal when he is going to have to go in a toilet more often than not? Plus it's just an unnecessary expense. As far as the big boy underwear, I would talk to your daycare providers and see what they prefer. I think you could be effective either way as long as you are consistant. While I don't think small rewards are effective it could be really exciting for him to help pick out big boy underwear after he has gone two days (or whatever you feel is appropriate) without an accident- again, it's empowering to him because instead of you just giving him something he's helping to pick something that he will actually use and that will make him feel like a "big boy."

Another suggestion- potty books. Anything you could find is probably good.

I highly recommend these potty training pants. The system is nice but not necessary. http://www.pottyscotty.com/Potty-Training-Pants.html

Like the other poster said, a good book is also a great tool. The one thing I've learned from my daycare is that boys initially like to sit not stand, so as neat as those little urinals are, I'd stick to a chair.

Good Luck!

N.

Hi H., Welcome to potty training 101, first off 2.5 is late not early, my two sons were potty trained, one by 21 months one by 19 months, my daughter was 22 months. Also when you start potty training get rid of the diapers, and NO PULL UPS they are diapers with out the tape. n my daycare I only use traing pants, and I am willing o wash them if need be. Also reward and discipline in inportant, I always kept a real pretty clear jar with M&M's and every time they used the pottty they got a couple M&M's if they pooped in the potty. When I felt like they understood, and they wet or pooped, on themselves, they got a good swat on the butt. I am a daycare provider as well, and I have potty trained many kids, and I have learned that potty training or lack there of is more about the parents than the child. Also I allowed my kids to have the potty chair in the living room agaist the wall, so it is right there and they don't have to run to the bathroom. Another thing put clothing on them that is easy to remove, i have parents bring their kids in here in overalls, belts, snaps and zippers, that is to hard for small kids to take that off to get to the potty, also what I did with my kids, NO LIQUIDS after dinner, so they can stay dry at night, what some parents don;t realize is that staying dry at night and nap time is a part of being potty trained. Let me know how things go. Mom for 24 years J.

First off- My son started showing intrest about the same age. He would OCCASIONALLY pee in the floor potty, but never with consistancy. At 33m, he decided he wanted a certain potty that was bright and ugly and took up 1/2 our our bathroom, but was only like $20 at Burlington. Well, it was the 3rd potty we'd bought, but 1st HE wanted. I kid you not, the next day (Sept. 17th) is the last time I had to change a daytime diaper for pee. It was about a month alter that he figured out the poop. It wasn't until 3 weeks ago that he started consistantly staying dry over night. (He is 3y 5m.)

I do recommend a seat that fits the adult toilet. In the end, they are MUCH easier than the floor potties. I might consider getting one seat (something like this http://www.target.com/Disneys-Cars-Soft-Potty-Seat/dp/B00... )and 3 stools (maybe like this one http://www.target.com/Disneys-Stool-Delta-Childrens-Produ... ). The seat by its self is pretty portable!

I also recomend using whatever training method motivates your son. My son is easily reward driven... when it's a reward HE wants. If I try to "reward him with somethng he doen't care about, such as a sticker, he has no motivation. However, a jellybean was a desired reward.

And- last but not least, let him lead, but you guide. suggest things like "do you want to try to make pee pee in the potty for a jelly bean?" If he says "no" then leave it go, but DON'T given him the reward for anything else.

Good luck! He will be using the potty beofre long, and will no longer be your "baby boy". It is a sad and joyus transition.

hi -
it sounds like he's ready! We trained our son at 2.5 years. I got the simplest toilet seat out there with no bells & whistles...the Safety 1st toilet seat. It connects to your own toilet and you just lift it up when grown-ups use the toilet. We started with pull-ups but he kept having accidents and wasn't consistent. So during my 2 week christmas break, I put him in Gerber Training underwear. These are cotton underwear you can find at target, walmart, babies r us. He was potty trained by the end of the 2 weeks! We did not use the reward system. We initially took him every 1/2 hour to pee. Then gradually lengthened the time. We did not force him to go if he said he didn't have to at the time. Pretty soon he would just tell us when he had to go. After he was trained, we taught him how to pee standing up. He's been taking himself to the potty ever since. we're working on the poop training now. it's a long process. good luck!

H.,

Since you are so gung ho, may I suggest you read a great great book!? The No Cry Potty Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. Buy it or check it out from your library. My son is newly 3 and I attempted potty training since around 2.5 and had to take breaks from it because he and I both were getting frustrated. Two weekends ago, I read this book, we are on day 7 of potty training and it has been nothing but a great success! This book will answer all of your questions and put you on the right path to toilet learning with your little guy.
M.

Hi H.:
Just A suggestion,but because toddlers,have to ajust to so many different changes. Such as crib to toddler bed,that to eliminate another is benificial to you and him.If you start him on a (normal potty seat) Adult size.You won't have the problems,that alot of parents have in getting their children to switch later on.I know, that once they get use to the little porta pottys that some get scared and overwelmed with the regular ones. If you buy a few of the padded seats that fit over the regular toilet bowl,you could leave one at dads and school.He wont feel as though he will fall in, and when he is out anywhere with you,shopping or dinner,he won't have the fears of using public bathrooms,as he'll be accustom to the larger toilets.He sounds like hes ready to start wearing big boy underwear. Putting him in a diaper, at night,in my opinion will make him lazy,in keeping up his progress. I'd try pull ups at bed,to see how he does,as he will feel you trust him to be A (big boy) all the time now.I've heard of some that believed in putting their 7 year olds and up in diapers. In my opinion this lowers their confidence,and self esteem. Prolonging things.I'd like to add,that it is not appropriate or benificial to punish A toddler for accidents or relapses.The best to you and your toddler