Most Effective Potty Training

Whether you are preparing to potty training or dealing with the ups and downs of potty training the one thing you should know is that you are not alone.

Yes, potty training can be totally frustrating for some parents. It was for me as I was trying to potty train my now seven year old son Caleb. I thought I was failure, I was being pressured to get him potty trained and it was embarassing to take him anywhere knowing there was a high chance he would have an accident.

If you are frustrated with potty training, then stop potty training right now. Take a step back and prepare yourself. How, you ask? Take the time to read through the blogs here or visit our sister blog site or you can visit our home site HERE and sign up for our seven week potty e-course series. Another option is to consider purchasing our guaranteed Potty training e-book. There are so many options at pottytrainingsite.com that you can choose from. After all, you are not alone.

Spend some time preparing yourself for potty training along with great ideas to grab your child's attention to get their cooperation. Potty training is about having a positive attitude along with consistency.

As a child gets older they look to expand their independence. When mom or dad tells them they have to do something, they want to resist and do it their way. Potty training is no different. As a child gets older they don't want to sit down on the potty every hour for a few minutes. It cuts into their play time, tv time, outside time and any other fun things that are taking place. Parents must be creative with potty training. As I mentioned before, you want to be creative.

If you are frustrated, take a step back for awhile. Children pick up on a parent being frustrated. They'll resist potty training because they feel the tension. Regroup by preparing yoursel for potty training. You are most effective when you are feeling great about things, especially potty training.

Frustraions of Potty Training

Have you beein potty training for awhile with little to no progress? Potty training problems are common. Many parents potty training boys, for example, deal with a child who refuses to sit on the potty, go poop or even regress.

As children get older they move towards independence. When you initiate potty training during the toddler years it can become a tug of war. It takes a lot of persistence, a positive attitude and reinforcement by the parent to get through potty training. Being consistent when taking a child to the potty is very important. The more consistent and persistent you are with potty training the sooner the child will understand that learning to go potty is important.

There are many factors though that need to be considered when dealing with potty training problems:

Children regress when something stressful has happened in their life recently. Mom went back to work, dad had to go out of town, move to a new house or even a new baby.

Painful bowel movement can leave a child resisting going poop in the potty.

The potty is scary and unknown

Very active children don't want to stop and go potty. Interruptions can turn into a battle.

Anytime a negative reaction/response is made around potty training a child will pick it up as bad. For example, a mom admitted she told her daughter one day that playing in the potty was bad after catching her doing it. Thereafter, her daughter would throw tantrums when taken to the potty. All she knew from that time on was that the potty was bad.

Accidents happen because children are active little people. They don't want to stop playing or be interrupted from a favorite tv show or movie on. In some cases they are even afraid to tell someone such as a babysitter or someone else they are not familiar with that they need to go potty. It can also be an unfamiliar place they are afraid of.

So many parents send their stories to me asking why their child doesn't tell them they need to go potty. In the beginning and until a child becomes consistent AND independent parents do not need to rely on a child telling them. Take a child every time on a consistent schedule until the child shows an effort to go or at least tell you they need to go potty.

What a parents says or does especially during potty training can affect a child's attempt to be potty trained. When a parent becomes frustrated it is time to stop and step back for awhile. Children DO pick up on a parents feelings whether they express them or not. Spanking, yelling ,s screaming or any type of punishment for that matter will result in a child resisting potty training as they will relate the punishment for not going potty correctly as bad and thus will resist all together. It is so important that parents praise no matter what. Let your child know that it is OK and encourage them to try again.

Rewards are not bribes. They are a great way to show your child appreciation and praise for trying. Give bonuses such as an extra cookie, popsicle, sticker or another reward for successful potty attempts. Hug your child each time and let them know they did great.

The more positive environment a child is in the chances are the fast they will become successfully potty trained.

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Potty Training Frustrations

Frustrations with potty training are very common. Children resisting, refusing to use the potty or even just to poop happen everyday all over the world. Parents often feel like a failure especially when their friends and family make a comment or another child the same age is already potty trained.

One thing a parent must know is that they are not alone. If you are frustrated as is your child then take a step back from potty training for at least a few days. Find other things to do that will distract you from thinking about potty training. Allow yourself to relax and for your child to as well.

I understand parents are scrambling to get their child potty trained before school begins, before a big move or even before a baby arrives. The more you push the more they will push back. If a child is excessively resisting it's time to let go and work on other things. As difficult as this may be, it is so important to take a step back.

Potty training is a huge milestone for a child. What a parent does can leave a lasting impression on them. Changing an attitude to a more positive one where it is believable that their child will be potty trained soon and imagining what it is like already can make a huge difference. Praising a child for all efforts made helps. Rewarding them for trying helps.

And rewarding is NOT bribing. It's telling the child I appreciate your efforts and lets try again. Give bonuses for successful attempts such as extra treats, and make a BIG deal out of it. Motivate your child to keep trying.

Think about this: your child is just learning how to use the potty. In the future they will be trying many other things. Motivating them leaves a lasting impression on them for the future. They'll know if they keep trying and trying eventually things will work out.

A child may scream and cry out of frustration, being distracted, tired, fear or even sickness. Does your child find comfort in a toy? Then integrate it into potty training. Do they have favorite shows they watch on tv or a favorite movie? Then put the small potty in front of the tv. GRAB their attention!

Potty accidents are inevitable. Continue praising them even when they have accidents. Don't make them feel bad for something they are learning about. Reassure them it is OK while having them help you clean it up. This alone can deter them quickly from having anymore accidents.

Be consistent. Time and time again I receive emails from parents at wits end because they immediately expect their child to tell them they need to go potty. This is a super high expectation in the beginning! Take your child to the potty and keep doing it until they start to make the effort to tell you they need to go. This may take a week to a few weeks to even montths. They will eventually get it down and be independent.

Be patient. As much as we want our children to learn things quickly, all children are different. Make potty training a positive fun experience. Hug your child often and view this time as a wonderful time to bond even more with them.

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Effective Potty Training for Boys

There came a time in my life that I literally thought I was a failure as a parent. My son refused to use the potty. I had friends and family on my case all the time lecturing me about being stern with him and that I was being too weak on him. I had just became a single parent of three kids with the youngest a newborn baby.

Caleb's dad and my ex husband used every excuse in the world to not take time out to visit with him. "He is not potty trained. When he is I will start taking him places."

I was exhausted, feeling like I was at wits end and I never thought Caleb would Ever potty train. It was humiliating enough that neighborhood kids as well as his sister would come in and tell me Caleb had pooped in his pants. Caleb was nearing his fourth birthday and kids were making fun of him already.

I wanted him in Headstart Pre-K but they would not accept him until he was potty trained.

Had it not been for meeting an acquaintance at church I cannot imagine what my life would have been. That acquaintance turned out to be the owner of pottytrainingsite.com and author of a very popular and effective e-book on potty training in three days.

Both he and his wife sat down with me listening to my story. I was just about willing to scrape up what money I could to pay them to potty train Caleb. Instead they gave me a couple of potty training tips to try. If it didn't work they were willing to take Caleb home with them and get him potty trained. But they knew it would work.

The first thing I had to do was step back. I was stressed, frustrated, pressured and nearly depressed that my son was almost four and not potty trained. I had to focus on other things that made me feel good. I had to build myself up to a level that I was an effective potty training teacher for my son and giving him the feelings he can be potty trained.

I let Caleb pick out a favorite toy to take with him to the potty. He loved getting to do this. It was comforting as well as entertaining for him.

In ONE weekend (three days) he was potty trained! It took a change in attitude, preparation, a way to encourage Caleb to try going (in this case, a favorite toy) and a lot of praise.

After this I was Very happy and glad the ton of bricks on my back finally fell off. I was glad to throw away the pull ups and buy more underwear. Caleb felt good about himself and eager to start Pre-K.

At Pottytrainingsite.com we care about you. We all understand the difficulties, frustrations, setbacks and even the developmental delays that go with potty training, especially boys. We offer unconditional support through our blogs, 7 week email series, email support and our e-book plus our home website.

Frustrations of potty training a boy

Frustrated with potty training your son? I know the feeling. As a mom of three with two being boys, I do understand.

When my oldest turned two I decided to start working on potty training. He peed in the potty a few times and that was it. He wanted no more of the potty. So I waited. Then disaster struck. His dad and I separated, his sister went with their dad, I lost my job and then we had to move. On top of that a new baby would be arriving soon.

I tried countless times to work on potty training to no avail. He was nearing his fourth birthday and it didn't look like hope was anywhere near. I got tired of neighbor kids or his sister letting me know he had pooped in his pants. I was already changing diapers on a baby and changing his pull up was getting annoying and exhausting.

Believe it or not I was getting pressured to get him potty trained. It was obvious some people were on the edge of wanting to criticize me for not taking the time out to get him potty trained. Others were coming out and critcizing me as if I was a bad mom.

I was frustrated, pressured and at my wits end with potty training my son. I wanted him in Head Start Pre-K in the Fall 2006. They would not take him unless he was potty trained.

Then I met someone from my church who was a teacher for the 2 year olds at the church's daycare. In her class is when they would start potty training the kids so she gave me some advice on potty training Caleb. She could tell I was about to lose it with potty training him and wanted to help. I was willing to listen I just wasn't sure anything would work anymore.

I was told that I have to relax. That, I wasn't so sure about. I was pretty much a single mom raising three kids with one old enough to be in preschool and the other barely and infant. Here are the three things she told me to do:

1) Relax. Find other things to focus on for awhile besides potty training. If I am frustrated he is picking up on it and of course, will resist going.

2) Be consistent with potty training. Take him often, yourself. Don't wait to have him tell you he needs to go because by then it will be too late.

3) Praise him for his efforts. This means no matter what happens you put on a smile, hug your child and praise him for trying to go.

4) If he has an accident, have him help you clean it up. This can deter some boys from continuously having accidents. After the third or fourth time of having to clean themselves up it gets tiring. Thus, they'll try to make an effort to go potty instead.

5) Utilize things that bring comfort. Some children are just scared to go potty. It's an unknown to them, especially when trying to get them to go poop. For my son, I let him take his favorite stuffed animal with him to the potty. In this case, it was his large Blue's Clues.

Within ONE weekend I was able to get Caleb potty trained! I felt so good inside yet I had my doubts it would last. It did last and three years later at age 7, he is a very rambuncious active boy.

There are a few things I found out about Caleb shortly after he started Pre-K: He had some developmental delays. His speech was delayed as was his motor skills. He could barely hold a crayon or pencil because he had almost no muscle strength. Stressors in a child's life can affect them being potty trained. If you are going through a stressful situation, step back from potty training until you can get things under control or you will hit a brick wall with them. I had to find ways to relax and find time to prepare myself for potty training. When I felt good I worked with him and it worked.

Potty training is possible even when you have hit that brick wall. Take a step back, focus on the things that make you feel good while preparing yourself for potty training. Resume when you feel you are ready to dedicate a few days to it.

Potty Training

"I think my child is getting ready for potty training..."

So many parents, particularly first time ones look to us at pottytrainingsite.com for questions regarding potty training. They want to know what to do to begin potty training their child. Other times it is a second time parent perhaps with a child of the opposite sex of their first one, just like me.

I remember with my oldest child, my daughter Shiloh, that I had many friends, family and co-workers giving me advice on potty training. Some of her friends were already potty trained and I was beginning to feel behind. One friend though reassured me that she would get potty trained at the right time. And she did. At 2 1/2 she was potty trained.

So when my son Caleb arrived, I thought when he is old enough for potty training it will go as smooth as it did with his sister. Wrong! At first things were going great with him sitting and peeing on the potty here and there. Then our world got turned upside down with the separation of his dad and I, loss of a job and later, a new baby arrived. Caleb began resisting potty training for over a year and a half. Countless times I tried resuming potty training and it failed. I was becoming miserable, pressured and feeling like a bad mom.

I finally took a break and focused on other things that helped me feel better such as college. Within a few months thanks to the advice of a friend who has worked with hundereds of toddler children and potty training, Caleb was potty trained!

As a mom of three, from my own experience it is so important that parents are ready for potty training. If you are not in the right mindset that includes a positive attitude, it's not the right time. Girls can potty train between the ages of 18 months and 3 years while boys can potty train from 2 to 3 1/2. Now with that said, potty training a child varies. There are some parents who as soon as their child is walking will have them potty trained. Others discover their child has a medical issue or a developmental delay contributing to problems potty training. Be aware of how your child is acting about potty training. If you are concerned about a dealy with potty training speak to the pediatrican or even his/her nurse.

After Potty Training

What happens once you get your child consistently going to the potty? Well, many things can happen. Most children will continue on smoothly while others will hit bumps in the road. There are also the times when they have accidents every so often. It's all common and it is okay.

Reassuring your child that it is okay after an accident or a time when they go backwards is so important. Keep it as positive as possible and always praise them for their efforts.

Just today my youngest son who is 4 years old (and been potty trained for six months) had an accident while we were eating lunch at Burger King. I had just taken him to the potty prior to eating and he went pee. A few minutes after going to the play area he informs me he pooped in his pants.

Kids around his age or a little older were staring at him because he obviously smelled. I let him know nicely that he needed to tell me when he has to go potty otherwise the other children will smell him and say something. It upset him and rightfully so.

He didn't like the fact he had soiled his underwear and that I had to clean him. There is also nothing like trying to take your child's soiled underwear off of him and then getting some of it on you in the process.

It wasn't fun for me although my son got a laugh in. I wasn't mad though. I just wanted him to understand he has to tell me when he need to go both pee pee and poo poo.

And yes, I scrubbed my wrist and hands very well.