Dora toilet seat

Potty training sends some people… well, a little potty. When we toilet trained Princess Ella just before her second birthday it took all of a week and she was trained. So you can imagine I have these incredibly unrealistic expectations for Li’l Holly, who has started repeating the words “nappies are yuck” and pulling her nappy off to do a nudie run up the hallway at every opportunity.

The real challenge is she doesn’t like the turtle potty and only wants the “big girl toilet”. This means it’s hard to tell if she’s actually done a wee on there yet. She has made some lovely facial expressions though as if she’s squeezing something out. She is also highly fascinated with wiping her own bottom, even though she hasn’t done anything.

So, how are we going to tackle this one?

  • Dress her in big girl pants when she’s around the house so she can literally see when she’s done a wee. Then take her to the toilet straight after and give her praise.
  • Dress her in training nappy pants when out so she can feel she’s done a wee, but not make a mess in public.
  • Put her in proper nappies of a night till she starts to have dry night nappies (although, she’s already having dry night nappies – but I’m not taking any chances).
  • Keep up the praise around her asking to go to the toilet. I’ll buy her a unicorn when she finally does that first wee on the loo, I swear.
  • Taking the fold-up Dora potty seat in my handbag with us everywhere.

fold up Dora toilet seat

When we went hard with this strategy for Ella we had wee spots everywhere for three or four days. Then nothing. Sure, there was still the odd accident – and the smell of urine in the air for weeks afterwards until we got the carpet cleaner in.

I will be honest and say that No. 2s were a whole other story. That did take a while. One of the tips we were given by a child carer was to sit her on the potty and read her a book. Surpringly, this worked. Whether it was allowing her to relax or just simply slowed her down to give her time to “do her business”, I don’t know. But I’ll be adopting that method again, complete with an appropriately titled Pooh Bear book.

What are your toilet training tips or favourite toilet training products?

 

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8 Responses to How do you toilet train a toddler? (potty training)

  1. Rebekah says:

    Weve only potty trained once… BUT… we did the train in a day method and he wanted to do nights and days at once so… We did. Took about two days and then lots of close supervision that first week but overall it was super quick and GREAt! He also liked the big potty so we got a family seat from bunnings which has an adult and child seat option. for $30 I figure this will really serve us!

    • Kel says:

      That sounds like a fabulous plan, Rebekah. We’re doing OK – she’s at least interested and asking to go – but still lots of accidents! I like the sound of the seat too. Might have to hunt one down. Thanks. 🙂

  2. With Miss C we did Disney Princes all the way her Fav. I eneded up gettin 2 pottys as her first one did not look like a big girl toielt – Her words and with that she chose her next one and did it mainly on her own from there.

    • Kel says:

      Them having a decision in it certainly helps, Linda. The turtle potty was chosen by Ella, which is probably why she took to potty training so quickly. We may have to go shopping with Holly to see if that makes a difference! 🙂

  3. Salz says:

    I potty trained two children with some ease. The third is a nightmare that never ends. Sorry thought I had the answers but I guess not lol. Good luck. And where can I get me one of those seats.

    • Kel says:

      Oh dear, Salz. LOL! As some people are telling me, they will train when they’re ready – no matter what we do! The seats were both from Kmart, I think. I know the foldup one certainly was. Not sure about the one on the big toilet though.

  4. Lisa Wood says:

    Our last was the most laziest of all of our boys with toilet training! He was still in night nappies until recently.
    And he had lots of “Accidents” for ages.
    Funny enough our first was very easy~ he wanted to use the toilet so he did. Simple as.
    Not sure why our last one was so lazy…maybe because we were more relaxed about it everything he did so we didnt go out of our way to encourage him enough.
    All the best with toilet training. At least you will save money on nappies!

    • Kel says:

      Thanks Lisa. It’s certainly a challenge.
      You would well have had your hands full by the time you were training your last, so I imagine responding to his needs quickly would be difficult. And sometimes, as they say, some kids just take a little longer to catch on! x

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