Potty Training Thoughts

When you decide to start potty training, there’s a plethora of information at your fingertips.  There are ebooks you can buy, pretty potty inserts, toddler toilets with bells and whistles, pull ups that have disappearing images or change temperature, cloth trainers, etc.  I think we’ve tried them all.  As we near potty training success, here’s my thoughts on what has or has not worked for us.

ebooks – You know all of the “Get Rich in a Week” books and tapes?  This is kind of like that.  “Potty train in only 3 days” screams at you when you go to the websites.  A friend of mine bought an ebook, let me look at it before I decided whether or not to make the investment.  Maybe if I was at home and had nothing to do but potty train, it may have worked.  If you have to work, clean, have other kids, etc, I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Elmo’s Potty Time – Very entertaining DVD, did nothing for our potty training efforts.  I still recommend getting this, simply because it has some good lessons in it.  One of the best is Grover talking about accidents.

Cloth Trainers – If you’re looking for them, they’re with the baby layette items, nowhere near the diapers.  They do hold in some of the accident, but you’re still going to have to clean up the toddler and the floor.  There are covers for them, but they can be hard to find.

Pull-ups – After debating myself on whether or not to attempt Pull-ups, I broke down and bought them.  I was set against them, they were another item on my “I’ll never” list.  I went so far as to buy the cool effect ones that were supposed to get cold when wet.  My justification for spending more money was that if they worked, we’d need to buy fewer packs, therefore making them a bargain.  I didn’t notice a difference.  The ones that had hearts that would disappear when wet helped me know when she had an accident but she certainly didn’t watch the hearts to see if they were still there.

Toilet insert vs. Toddler Potty – Being on this side of potty training, I’d say skip the fancy potty and get an insert.  After our sitter started having more success than we did, I looked in her bathroom.  She didn’t have a special potty, just an insert.  I was worried that it would be too big for Khaila, but she loves it!  She likes feeling like a big person.