The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree!

Here's a little guy sitting on the can with his reading material... Time magazine! Granted, he is only 4-years-old and can't even read, but it's clear that he is following in the footsteps of the owner of that magazine... following them right into the bathroom and probably not to emerge for a good long while!

Just like everything else about our children's development, some of this bathroom behavior seems to be hard-wired into their very nature, while other aspects of it are picked up from exposure to different elements in their environment. The fact that this little one takes his time while his brother is in and out of the bathroom like Flash Gordan highlights those innate differences, while choice of reading material comes directly from the world around him!

It's a great opportunity if you think about it... just as this little boy's father may find the occasional J. Crew catalog with the pages dog-eared for gift ideas, a National Geographic Kids magazine strategically planted in the bathroom is wonderful practice for budding little readers! So the next time you grab some reading material for the bathroom don't take it too lightly... you may just be shaping the future of your little one more than you realize!

OMG... There's Poop on the Floor!

It takes a seasoned parent to even read this, because anyone else would most likely just roll their eyes (or gag) and move on. Unfortunately, poop on the floor actually does happen from time to time... especially during those early "experimental" stages of potty training! I'm actually curious to know how many lucky parents manage to get through this developmental milestone WITHOUT a mis-allocated poo turning up outside the boundaries of toilet or potty? It's almost a rite of passage!

The first time I came across one of these piles occurred in our playroom where I had placed the potty chair while training my older son. The shock, mortification, and guilt I felt stemmed from the fact that I had no idea this was a normal and common occurrence among young potty trainees, and I thought I must have done something terribly wrong to warrent this defecation disaster! By the time it happened with his younger brother a few years later (outside on the porch, of all places!), I was sensitized by enough hair-raising potty training experiences that I shrugged it off like an ill-fitting pamper.

Fortunately the full-blown 'poo pile' happened only once with each of my boys. I'm talking about the 'I have control over this bodily function and I choose to go on the floor not the potty' type of pile. Of course there were other poo skirmishes throughout the potty training process, but those were mostly contained to bathrooms and underwear. Pooping on the floor is a learning experience for children who are contemplating and experimenting with using the potty. Sometimes learning what to do is facilitated by learning what NOT to do! There is a great little children's book called Once Upon a Potty by Alona Frankel (she writes a version for boys and one for girls) that depicts a small child having an accident on the floor right next to the potty. It's one of the things I love about this book - it normalizes many of the uncomfortable truths about potty training, like body parts, sitting forever on the potty without results, regression, and poop on the floor!

Anyway, if it happens to you, don't panic... just have your child help put the offending pile where it belongs and let him or her know that they've ALMOST got it, next time in the potty please!!!

The Potty Seat Conundrum - Soft or Simple?

The first thing you might want to consider when choosing a potty seat insert that fits on your regular toilet is if you want a soft cushy one or not. Once you figure that out, then you can ponder all the other features that will determine which specific seat you settle on.

Soft potty seats are very popular because they are nice and comfy for little bottoms that are getting used to sitting on the potty. This is so important, because as we know, these little Mr. and Miss independents often do only what they feel like doing! Should the would-be-potty-trainer deem that it is scary or uncomfortable to engage in this new thing called "going potty", then potty training could be out the window until further notice!

An added benefit of the soft potty seats is that most of them are offered with an appealing array of popular kid-friendly characters tattooed all over them. Perfect for catching the fancy of discerning little toddlers and for tackying up mom's pretty powder room!

So what's the decision factor, you might be asking? Unfortunately, a rather notable downside to the soft potty seat is the issue of getting it clean and keeping it that way. With soft potty seats that are all one piece, that intersection where soft seat meets hard plastic base is a collection crack for whatever comes it's way. Washing it off in the tub or wiping it down with Chlorox wipes goes a long way in keeping the seat clean and sanitary, but over time you may really start to wonder about those cracks...

Some of the soft seats come apart into two pieces, so they are easier to get in there and give them a thorough cleaning. This is fine, except for the fact that there is now an even bigger crevis between the soft seat and the hard plastic base, and you really need to be conscientious about taking it apart and cleaning both pieces after every use. You really want to do that anyway with any seat, it's just an extra step to take the soft seat apart, clean it and put it back together.

The other issue here is that over time and with repeated washing (e.g. in the tub), water can get inside the soft seat, soak the cushy material inside, and sometimes cause cracking in the soft plastic material covering the seat. This has been the experience of some parents who have used the soft potty seat.

My personal experience with the soft seat has  been great. We had an Elmo one at our house that lasted through two kids potty training and we had a Dora one at the grandparents' house that also lasted really well. The one we used at home even doubled as a travel potty seat that we carried around in a diaper bag for use in public restrooms.

The non-cushy potty seats are also a good alternative. Many come in one molded plastic piece that are a cinch to clean. The downside is that some parents complain about a red ring on their child's bottom after the child sits on these harder potty seats. They also don't tend to come with popular animated characters plastered all over them (which some parents may consider a plus!).

Maybe the soft seat is not for you if you're hoping it will last through hard use of four children, but to help get a little one comfortable on the potty it can be great. These seats are well-priced and appealing to kids. The trick is to wipe it down the cushy part as opposed to submerging it in hot water all the time to avoid serious long term wear and tear. My five-year-old still takes it out occasionally at his Mamma and Papa's house even though he hasn't needed it in years - it's like another little luxury that he enjoys there! [See top 10 potty seats rated by Just for Parents Expert Panel]

What do you think about the soft seats, yay or nay? We would love to hear about your experience with them!

Is a Potty Training Doll Necessary?

Some potty training approaches specifically instruct you to use a potty training doll. The purpose is for your child to 'teach' the doll how to go on the potty. If you are using such an approach, then you will need a doll. Many of the 'quick train' approaches, where you train your child in a very short period of time (e.g. a day), use a doll as part of the training process. If your child is ready to potty train, these approaches can be very effective. However, it is critical to follow the directions carefully, step by step.

Perhaps you'll take a more casual approach to potty training your child. Even if the training method you plan to use does not requre a doll that goes potty, it certainly can't hurt the potty training process to have one. The doll is a motivating way to introduce your child to the concept of going on the potty, and also a convenient way for your child to learn about the body parts involved in going potty! 

These dolls that drink and go pee can be very pricey though, and a good alternative is for your child to learn about going potty by watching someone else (e.g. sibling or parent) use the toilet. Another less expensive option is to role play using the potty with a stuffed animal or doll that your child already has (and loves!). Granted, your average Elmo doll doesn't actually produce anything on the potty, but it's still a fun way for your child to become familiar with the whole idea!

Of course, there is something very appealing about having a doll that drinks real water and then goes pee! Plenty of children have been successfully potty trained without one, but they are kind of fun... Have you used one of these potty training dolls to train your child? If so, how did it work and would you recommend it to other parents?

Why Get Both a Potty Chair AND a Potty Seat?

On our short list of potty training essentials, the Potty Train Gang recommends starting off with a potty chair AND a potty seat for your little one. Why both? When you're first getting started with potty training, it's really helpful to have one of each on hand so you can offer your child both and see what they end up liking the best. Most children begin with the potty chair and then transition to the potty seat placed on the regular toilet. [See 10 top potty chairs and potty seats]

The potty chair is a safe and convenient way to introduce your little one to the idea of using the potty. Placed right on the floor, there is no precarious climb onto the large toilet using a step stool. This not only keeps them safe, but also eliminates the possibility that your child is turned off to training because he or she feels scared or unsafe. 

The potty chair has the added benefit of mobility - you can bring it right to that special corner where your child likes to hang out and do their business! The chair can also be placed strategically so you child can sit on it while watching a T.V. show. Sometimes the longer a child sits comfortably on the potty the greater the chances are that they'll produce something in it. Let's face it, television can be an effective way to capture little attention spans for more than 10 seconds in a row! Watching a show that your child enjoys while he or she is sitting on their potty also creates a positive association with the potty. The more your child likes the potty, the more likely and the more often they will sit on it and be motivated to use it!

Once your child moves on to using a potty seat placed on the big toilet, you'll most likely be jumping for joy because there's no more messy clean up that goes along with a potty chair! Even if your child goes to the potty seat very quickly, you may still find the potty chair useful as a car or travel potty when you're out and about. Toileting and travel... that's a whole other can of worms!!! [Do I need a travel potty?]

What did your children like best when they started potty training - the chair or the seat? Do you have any advice for other parents trying to decide what to get for their little potty trainees?

What Do I REALLY Need to Potty Train My Child?

This is a big question for many soon-to-be-potty-trainers. It's important because you want to make sure you are ready with all the right gear when your little one is ripe for training. On the other hand, there are so many different products available, and you could go hog wild buying potty paraphernalia. So here is the consensus from the Potty Train Gang:

Short List (Must Haves):
Potty Chair
Potty Seat [Why seat AND chair]
Underwear and/or Pull-Ups
Child's Potty Book
Child's Step Stool
Wipes
Waterproof Mattress Cover (for night training)

Long List (Might Want to Haves):
Parent Guide to Potty Training
Travel Potty [More on Travel Potty]
Extra Potty Seats or Chairs 
Potty Training Doll
Training DVD [Free Pull-Ups DVD]
Reward Chart
Timer or Potty Training Watch

Armed with some good information and the items on our short list above, you should be in good shape to start potty training when your little one is ready! (How to tell if your child is ready) With input from family, friends, and the abundance of information on the internet, a parenting guide to potty training (i.e. book) may not be necessary. Some families get along fine without one, while others run into difficulties, get frustrated, and then eventually look for advice in the pages of a potty training guide.  

Consider starting out with a potty training guide for the following reasons:

1.) If you would rather be prepared ahead of time with all the information needed to choose a potty training approach, train your child, and deal with any challenges or obstacles that pop up. Sometimes it's nice to have a book on hand that you can refer to. If you think you might end up purchasing one anyway, then you might as well buy it in the beginning and be that much more prepared when you start.

2.) If you intend to use a more intensive approach to potty training where your child is trained in a very short period of time (e.g. a day). These approaches typically involve specific steps that should be followed closely for effective training. In order to make sure you know just what to do, it's probably a good idea to have book that walks you through step by step.

Just for Parents offers potty training packages for girls and boys that contain top-notch products from various manufacturers. These products have been tested, reviewed, and well-rated by our expert panel of parents and child development experts. 

Perfect if you want the essential potty training gear but you're not sure exactly what to buy. Packages include a potty seat, potty chair, step stool, child's book, and parent guide to potty training. Also included are expert tips on potty training exclusively from Just for Parents. $75.00 (over 20% savings) + FREE SHIPPING!

Of course we had to take this opportunity to mention our potty training package... but what do YOU think are the essential items that are needed to potty train successfully? Is there anything that you couldn't have done it without? Let us know about it!

Pottying on the Go: The Travel Potty

A travel potty is a potty chair or potty seat that is specifically designed for traveling and pottying on the go. Is it absolutely necessary to have one? That depends. Many regular potty chairs can be used as a car potty, while potty seats that you use at home can be stashed in a large sized diaper bag for use on public toilets.

Potty chairs like the Baby Bjorn, for example, have a removable basin that you can place a plastic bag in for a liner and then re-insert in the potty chair. Voila, perfect little car potty! When your child is finished using it, just remove the plastic bag and throw it away. Many parents like having a car potty like this available for when they are out and about with little ones who are training or new to the potty. It is more comfortable and sanitary than the large public restroom toilets, plus it is immediately available when your little one has the urge to go.

If your child is more comfortable using a potty seat that fits into a regular toilet, these can also be used for pottying on the go.  Seats like the Disney (Cars or Princess) Soft Potty Seat are portable enough to place in a plastic bag and keep in your diaper bag for use in public restrooms. Just be sure to bring some anti-bacterial wipes to clean off the seat when your child is finished with it, and stash it back in your bag!

The nice thing about some travel potties is that they have the advantage of being especially lightweight and compact. If you are going on a trip where you need to pack very lightly in order to carry everything, you should consider a travel potty such as the Kalencom 2-in-1 Potette Plus instead of your regular potty chair or potty seat. You may prefer something like this anyway if you are out and about a lot with your young trainee. This seat is small and stash-able while still being sturdy enough when it is set up properly. Be sure that the legs click into place, otherwise the seat could collapse when your little one sits down on it. Many parents find that plastic grocery bags with napkins inside can be used as a liner instead of the more expensive replacement bags that need to be specially ordered.

Public restrooms are one of the big challenges involved in potty training. I'll never forget an experience my older son and I had in a public restroom one time... he was probably three years old and was sitting there in the potty seat that we had placed on the big toilet. In typical 3-year-old fashion, he began touching everything around him and I quickly reminded him with my best 'whisper yell' not to touch anything. He instantly pulled his hands away and placed them both directly into his mouth with an expression that said 'Sorry Mom, I forgot!'. I managed not to throw up, cleaned his hands off, and carried on. That's what we do best as parents sometimes, just carry on...the best we can!

How do you handle pottying out and about? Do you have a favorite travel potty that has worked great for you and your child?