Potty Time Watch

We used the timer on the oven and never used pull-ups.
I didn't start potty training my boys until they were 2 and I would set the alarm for every 20 minutes. My daughter is 15 months and we've just started with her this week and I set it for every 15ish minutes. No diapers or pull-ups at home becuase you can't tell when she peed.

I just finished potty training my almost-3 year old. I didn't use any video or program. She had a little bit of a head start because I also have a 4 year old, so my youngest knew what to do, for the most part. She was stubborn at first, though, because she really liked her diapers and didn't want to give them up!

What I did with both girls is we made a big deal out of saying bye-bye to diapers and we went to the store and let them pick out a pack of underwear (buy cheap so you don't feel bad throwing away the ones with poop!). I bought a potty and we left it out either in the living room or playroom and made sure she knew where it was. I put pull-ups on her only for nap time and night time for the first month (because I din;t want to have to be changing sheets constantly!) and I resigned myself to hunker down at home and work on it. At times I got frustrated when she'd go in her underwear (I tried not to show my frustration to her, of course) and I would just let her go without underwear at times (at home). She did not at all like to feel pee running down her leg and the two times she accidentally pooped on the floor (we have tile, thank goodness) she just kept saying "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry mommy" - it was adorable! All in all it took only a few days until she was there. After the first month when i relized her pull-ups were dry when she'd wake up, I got rid of those and she does great now. Uses the potty and the toilet, but doesn;t wipe solo yet. Sorry this is so long. Good luck!

J.,

I actually came up with the idea of having a "Potty Bell". I went out and bought an egg timer. I think the idea was more for myself - to remind them to go to bathroom - but they loved it (now 3 and 6). I gave them markers and lett them color it the way they wanted to and told them that it was the "Potty Bell". I let them hear what the bell sounded like and told them that when they heard the bell it was a reminder to use the potty. At first, I set it for 45 minutes. When it went off I made a big deal about it - hooting and hollaring about how fun it was etc. Then I went to an hour (after a week or so of no accidents). After a while they just went - usually a minute or two before the bell went off - just because they were conditioned to it.

As for the panty thing - I would go through the 45 minute cycle and once you get past that tell her that it is time to wear panties because she is a big girl. I am sure you have already gone out and bought her special panties with characters on it that she likes. Reminder her that "Dora" (or whoever the character is) doesn't want to have peepee on her so if she has to go then just go.

That's my advice - stick to the bell (even take it with you when you go somewhere - the store and everything!!!). If you want her potty trained, then she has to also learn to go potty in other places (even if we as parents thing the bathroom is horrible - eventually she will have to use one!!).

Good luck!

I personally think PullUps are the worst thing that could have been invented for kids and parents who are going through the potty training process. I have never once bought or used a PullUp and I not only potty trained my own 3 kids but years ago (just before PullUps came out), I was a preschool teacher and trained dozens of 2-3 year olds. Diapers or underwear- not both or something in between. I'd throw a diaper on my child when they slept until I was sure they could stay dry, but otherwise, once we started potty training, it was underwear and no looking back.

I love the idea of any kind of reminder for you and your child to use the potty often, but I don't see the need to spend money on yet another crazy marketing scheme. Buy a cheap bakery timer instead, or just use the one on your stove if you have one.

By the way, it's unfortunately not up to you (or the idea that she will be starting preschool) to decide when she is ready to be fully potty trained. It's totally up to her. If she is not ready to wear underwear with no PullUp or diaper, she may not be ready to be potty trained. My youngest son was not ready, though he liked to take his diaper off every now and then to pee on the potty like his big brother-- but he did not want underwear yet so I didn't start the potty training. I was a bit concerned with school starting in a few months, but I knew there was nothing I could do. One morning he literally woke up and decided he was ready and has barely had an accident ever since. Not every child is this easy, but I really believe that the ones who are difficult are really just ones who aren't ready when their parents think it's time. Not judging you at all-- just saying she may not be ready and I don't want you to be frustrated.

I agree with Jennifer. You just have to take away the pull ups. Once they learn there are consequences, i.e. wet clothes, they become more motivated to use the potty. You just have to do it. You can also do some type on incentive like you get a m&m every time you go to the poty by yourself, or do a sticker chart. Panties are really theonly way to get it done.

I am not sure what the potty time watch is but I had a similar problem with my 2-year-old. What FINALLY made us turn the corner was when I took the pull ups away except for naps and bedtime. She had to wear panties all day. Now yes, I did have a bit more laundry for a few days, but it literally took less than a week and she was using the potty on her own. So I know you are probably trying to avoid the mess of just sticking her in panties but for us it was the only thing that really taught her to stay dry. Good luck! Potty training can be a stressful time!

Hi J.,

I used the oven timer as well. I actually started at 90 minutes and worked to 180. I have a boy but he wasn't ready until he was 3, in fact almost exactly 3. He used the potty occassionally before, but he didn't know that he needed to go. He turned 3 in April and we are fully potty trained now. Took several months. Might want to find another pre-school for a back-up plan.

I agree, no Pull-Ups, just big girl underwear. If you need something more for night, then maybe a regular diaper.

Good luck! C.

i didnt use the "potty watch"... but what i would do is set the timer on my stove.. and every hour we went to the potty. if he went i would reset the timer for another hour, if he didnt go i would set the timer for 30 mins.
i also took away the pull-ups and only used underwear.. then he "felt" it! it took about 1-2 weeks to get him 100%. good luck!

I have the potty watch from OneStepAhead and it worked really well for my DS. It helped that it was the watch telling him to go potty, not me, so he couldn't get mad at me. It really helped when we were out for the day so neither of us could lose track of time. If you don't want to spend the money, you could also use the oven or microwave timer.

I've also found that if you state "time to use the potty" rather than asking if they have to go it helps them a lot. If he didn't go potty I'd give him 30 min and he'd have to go again. If he did, then he'd get an hour. I eventually stretched it to the 90 minutes and if he had a lot of accidents that day, we went back to 60. Now either he just runs in and uses his potty or tells me if we are out.

We started potty training at the beginning of June and he goes on his own now during the day. At night he still wears a diaper because I'm taking it one step at a time ;)

I also recommend throwing out the pull-ups and going strictly underwear. I tried pull-ups in the beginning and it just confused the issue of why it was ok to wear a "diaper" going to the store but he had to wear underwear at home, etc.

Good luck!!!