Best Book on Potty-Training?

We have The Potty Train, which is pretty good if your little fella is into trains...my son loves trains, so we got it to read to him...but he isn't interested in the potty yet, even though he does like the book. Good luck!

I think the best potty is one made by Baby Bjorn (the carrier people) they have a small one-piece model for about $10 that is very easy to clean. If your son is big you might want their 2-piece model for about $20, also very easy to clean. (my son was tall - and older and needed the bigger one) IMO forget all the bells and whistles, flushing songs, buttons etc. and think about washing it every time! All the cracks and crevices get nasty!

re: books, Once Upon a Potty is a classic, we also got some videos -Bear in the Big Blue House Potty Time

Your son IS ready to be potty trained. Start now and you can be done with diapers in 10 days. We have a really cool flip up seat that goes on the big toilet. We got it from one step ahead-love it. Since it works for my 2 year old and our 4 year old still uses it at home. When you decided YOU are ready to potty train. Commit at least a week to it, the first 4 days will be hell. It won't even seem like its working but around the 4th day-you should see success. ONE piece of advice. When you decide to do it, commit, no diapers, no pull up during the day, stick to it. The reason most potty training fails is because the paretns go back and forth between diapers and underwear for conveince and expect the kids to understand. Quit diapers cold turkey. I've potty trained 3 different kids at age 2. Try it, you'll save tons on diapers

Wow, I feel so validated--I totally agree with the previous two posters about both the Bab Bjorn two-piece toilet (so easy to clean without a lot of needless trinkets) AND the book "Toilet Train Your Child in Just One Day." I've used these items with two boys so far and will keep using them. The Azrin book is hokey and dated but the philosophy is sound and works. I've taken more than a day--more like a week or two--to really get the toileting thing down with my boys, but I love the idea of reinforcing "clean and dry" instead of just arbitratily sitting on the toilet.
I will say that my first son started showing interest like your son in using the toilet when he was just two, but it was when he was very nearly three that he was actually reliable about using the toilet. with my second son, I just let himuse the "little toilet," as we call it, before baths when he was already naked and when I'd change his diaper and praise him for learning to stay clean and dry. The full campaign didn't start until just after he turned three and the whole process was *much* shorter and less labor-intensive because he was a bit more mature. He's even dry overnight. So I think waiting has some advantages for speed and throroughness.
I wouldn't suggest a toddler urinal. My first son's preschool teacher (who is pretty much a child development genius) says small children don't know if they will be peeing or pooping or both until they actually sit down to do it. She was in favor of starting the initial process teaching boys to sit down; they will learn to stand up to pee later. A urinal asks boys to make a determination they might not be able to do. Sounds like something else for you to clean, too. The Azrin book advises parents to teach children how to empty the little toilet themselves, and that was so easy to teach with the Baby Bjorn two-piece lift-out model.

When I read your question, I was thinking of books to read to him about it, but maybe (after reading the other responses) yoou meant books for you.
Anyway, my kids loved reading Bear in the Big Blue House's When You've Got to Go (there was also a video of the same). Bear was quite popular at the time, but I don't know if its even around anymore (it was a Disney creation). But they're always making books about potty with whatever characters are popular now. Look for books with big, colorful pictures. I like the kinds that talk about it using characters like Elmo or Bear and not just kids. And I like the ones that don't have too much detail in the picture. I would go to the library for this kind of book, since you'll only need to read it for a short time. (My 7-year-old recently found the Bear potty book and wanted to read it -- LOL!)

I used the book Toilet Training in Less Than A Day by Nathan Azrin. Both my boys were pottty trained by 2 1/2. I think some parts are a little strict but the general idea is really good. Good Luck and stay with it, you'll want to pull your hair out for a couple of days but then it is so worth it.

Hi M.. My daughter just turned 2 in December and has been diaperless during the day for 3 weeks...yay! She loves "Once Upon a Potty" and you can get a boy version. Its cute and matter of fact and it became her favorite book. I can't say I have any experience with a plastic urinal, but my instincts tell me that it may make it even more difficult to get him to poop if he has a urinal. I think its pretty common for kids to avoid pooping on the potty so if he never needs to sit on it to pee, it might be even that much more difficult to get him to sit down and poop. We have a little plastic potty for our daughter and she likes to go in and use it by herself. They come with a little cup to prevent boys from spraying pee. I think the more you make it fun and talk about going on the potty, the more curious kids get. Good luck!

We love "Toilet Training in a Day" by Azrin. It worked for both our boys a bit older than your son, although he is the perfect age for it. The book claims about 90% success, or something like that. I have a ton of friends who swear by it, and only one kid for whom it didn't take. One friend has done it with all 5 of her kids. None of the kids have the issues that you often see asked about on here. GL! This is my least favorite stage so far -- probably why I go with the one day thought. :)