Potty Training

I don't know about you but nothing has stressed me out as much as potty training my little man.  He is 3 and 1/2 and I thought it would never happen.  Most people were understanding, most remembered, but there were some that always were there to give their unsolicited opinion.  They're the same ones that hand out parenting advice without bothering to ask if you want it or need it.  I am here writing to tell you this:  YOUR CHILD WILL NOT GO UNTIL HE/SHE GOES.  This does not mean, that you or anyone has to decide whether the child is ready or not.  Follow these words, let him or her go when they want to.  Have pottys available, let them know that you are ready to help them when they need it.  

Also make sure that you choose a method that complements your child.  My son is big on security, he needs to feel safe, so starting out with our toilet with those covers for children was not going to happen.  Only you know your child so go with your gut. My husband and I had a few different styles of training pottys, but I knew that my little man would go with this one.  The splash guard is wide enough to not get him wet or spray all over.

You should also go to the library and looked at the books they had about potty training.  Choose a book that your child can relate to.  My son loved these two: 

Next, know what your child really wants.  Mine wanted a video game called SONIC and he also wanted his father and I to let him play it.  I sincerely don't know how it happened, how I came up with it but when the commercial came on for the game and our little man started on how much he wanted it, I told him that we would get it for him if he went pipi in the potty.   Well, within a day, guess what?  HE DID!  That took care of the first time, but how to keep it coming?  Well, every time he went he was allowed to play it for 10 minutes.  We even went on a long road trip, we took his potty and he kept going with the promise that we would deliver.  Today, my little man went number two for the first time.  This is just the begining, like every parent that has gone through this before.  We will have our ups and downs but we will keep at it with positive reinforcement and lots of love.  Good Luck!