Potty Training Tips: Advice from Experienced Moms

I had such a difficult time with my daughter. My husband and I tried almost everything until one day I took off her diaper/pullup and said to myself, 'If she pees on the floor...she pees on the floor'.  Believe me it wouldn't of been the first time! But you know she went to the potty all by herself! Since she didn't have a 'barrier' I guess she felt like she had to go sit somewhere. Then I purchase a plain white poster board, star stickers, and some cheap prizes from 'Oriental Trading Company' (web: www.oriental.com or 1 800 875 8480). They bulk prizes I just keep in an old shoe box with pretty contact paper on it. Every time she went potty we danced around the house, put a star on her colorful decorated poster, and got to pick a prize. Now I let her take a prize when she is a good girl or does something extra sweet. Letting her take a prize is better than giving her candy or a cookie... although she does get treats like this every so often. -- Chana from GA

When we were ready to train my oldest daughter, I made a big deal out of buying the "big girl" panties. Then we went home and she put them on. We went through all of them the first day! I did laundry, and we started over the next day. I also kept the potty chair in the room we were in, only seconds away! Within a few days, she had the hang of it! -- Jessie

I ask my daughter about every hour if she needs to go potty. If she sees remotely interested then I take her to the restroom (I do not use a potty chair, we have one but she is not interested in it) and ask her what color she would like in the potty. I use food coloring and put in two drops. She loves it.  At Christmas we had names for the colors like Christmas Tree Green and Santa Red. Also, when she gets through (even just sitting on the potty) she gets a sticker, or I use a novelty stamp (we have about 3 different colored stamp pads, they even come in rainbow). You can pick up some really cheap things at your local dollar store. 

My mother in law said she would give her little girl one jelly bean for going number one and two jelly beans for going number two. If you did not want to use candy you can try stickers or something they are interested in.  I took my girls to the bathroom with me and sat them on the potty chair every time I went to the bathroom.  I also learned that the diaper and pull up hold the water away and they can not feel them going to the bathroom so what I did was bought the thick training pants and plastic pants. You just have to be prepared to do laundry. Before they can be potty trained they have to have enough muscle control to be able to stop it when they feel themselves going.  They say that when you give them something to drink take them potty within an half an hour after they drink it and every half hour thereafter when first starting. -- Verna

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When I was training my four kids, I found it helpful to take about 4 to 5 days and concentrate on doing just that....getting them out of diapers. I would put training pants on them and push fluids all day long....water...juice...etc.. About 20 minutes after giving them the drink I would put them on the potty. If they didn't go in a few minutes, I would try running water, sticking their hand in a cup of cool water or even pouring the water over them. Everyone of us can attest to the fact that water makes us need to go. Just like if you get in a pool, it's like almost automatic that you'll need to go. -- Sandy 

I always put my daughter on the potty after she had had an accident, it did help a little and sometimes she would go more. What worked the best was spending a day with her cousin who is her age and was already potty trained. Seeing someone her own age use the potty made her want to do it more! -- Lisa

When I trained my boys, I sat them on the potty every 30 minutes. When they actually went, they got a sticker to put on a chart I made them. If they got 6 stickers in a day, I let them choose what we had for dinner. We had some pretty interesting dinners, but it worked. -- Christy

When my daughter was training I got her a calendar and knowing her love for stickers, let her pick a sticker out and place it on her calendar herself when ever she would go on the potty. she would love to fill up the pages w/stickers. as she got a little older I still used the same reward for staying dry at night, etc. -- Beth

A lot of people recommended using candy such as M&Ms to reward my daughter during potty training. My daughter was not into candy though, so I came up with "potty toys" - little cheap toys and trinkets that I kept in a box for when my daughter went potty. At first I gave her a toy just for telling me she had to go - later she got to pick out a toy when she actually had success. My sister-in-law was struggling with her son and I told her my secret, she tried it and loved it. The toys can be whatever interests your child - plastic jewelry, zoo animals, army men, whatever. I got a bunch of stuff from a second hand store so was able to get some larger stuff for less money. My daughter who is now 10 still remembers getting a toy barn for going potty when she was 2 1/2! -- Amy