One of my daughters is fully potty trained. It took about 2 to 3-weeks, but she has mastered it (during the daytime). My other daughter is almost trained, but she still goes in her pull-up at least once a day. There are two key lessons that I learned along the way.
1. Be consistent. I cannot reiterate the value of being persistent enough. Children love routine and need consistency.
2. Shout your praise! My daughter becomes so excited when we shout our happiness for her using the potty. Every time she is finished using her potty she smiles brightly and says, “Look, I used the Potty.”
Another aide that has helped is the book, “Once Upon a Potty.” It tells Prudence’s journey from diapers to the potty. The book is rather frank about body parts, but it is important to me that my children learn about their body parts at a young age to limit confusion later on in life. I recommend that you read it first, before you share it with your child to see if you are comfortable with the pictures and what is being discussed.
I was very surprised by how much my girls love the book. Tonight I asked them which book they wanted me to read for bedtime and they both said, “Read about Prudence Mommy.” The book excites them and gets them excited about becoming a big girl using the potty.
I also like the book because the author and illustrator is a mother as well. The words are simple and the pages are colorful. When I read the book, I read it very animated so that my children can see my excitement as well. The book also has a boy version as well.
If you are potty training your child please let me know if you choose to share/not to share the book “Once Upon A Potty” with your little one.