Potty Training - Longmont,CO

I have four children and when I potty train them I give them as much flavored drink as they will consume. I buy a pretty new potty chair and you could even let her pick it out. I explain what they are to do and let them know for every pee they get a piece of candy. If they poo they get even more candy. I buy big girl panties and have them put them on. In doing this they learn what it feels like to be wet, and they get the rewards of the "candy machine". At night I always have them wear a pull-up until they are able to go over a month with out wetting. Most likely this needs to be done until atleast four.

Make it fun!! Go to the library and get books and videos. Mr. Rogers, Bear in the big blue house and sesame street all have cute videos. I really like a book about a grandma who buys a potty for her granddaughter. I think the name of it is the potty book? Good luck that is a really hard one. Don't put preasure on her. Let her go at her speed. I learned that the hard way. Trust me let her go at her speed. Good luck!!

Wow -- what a lifesaver you are for your daughter and precious granddaughter! Kudos to you for being there for your girls.

Question: did the "I'm scared of you" thing start when you began working on potty training? Sounds like she's connecting it with that, so I wouldn't take it personally -- although I know that's hard to hear from someone you love so much.

Another question: Is "doing her business" referring only to pooping? I'm guessing it is. Many kids have a fear of pooping on the potty, so that is normal. If it's just pooping she's afraid of, I would let it go for a while. Let her use a diaper for poop and relax on the issue for a while to give her an emotional break from the pressure.

Encourage her and cheer for her every time she pees on the potty so she can start connecting positive emotions with the potty instead of negative ones. And I mean make a HUGE deal about peeing on the potty. Maybe start a "big girl potty poster" where she gets to choose a special sticker to put on the poster every time she uses the potty. It can be as simple as a piece of paper taped to the bathroom wall. Focusing on the postitive should be a great start and should also alleviate the "I'm scared of you" business.

After a while you should see her being more excited about the potty... maybe then you can very slowly start again with suggestions to poop on the potty. At this point my advice runs out, because this is where we are with my 3-year-old daughter, too. Sometimes she runs to the potty and poops but she often still either holds her poop altogether or waits for us to put a dipe on her. I'll watch your request for others' responses so I can get some ideas too!

Good luck!

I think she is finding reasons not to go on the potty.
First, have her explain why she is afraid. Explain the toilet is safe and what a big girl she will be for going.
Do a chart and reward for every ten times she goes.
My son used to run and hide when he pooped and I knew he knew when it was time to go so we started the potty training.
Ask her why she is scared of the toilet. If she is afraid of the toilet get her a potty chair (though is kind of old for that) but that may help her get comfortable. Go with her to pick out beautiful big girl underwear and praise her with all the great things big girls get to do.
For my daughter at 3, it just took a secret phone call from Santa to get her to just be done with pullups and ready 100% for underwear so figure out what makes her tick, like a certain character she loves (Disney princess) and have someone outside the home call her on the phone to be this person.
Give her a spray bottle to take in the bathroom too with water and tell her if she sees a monster the monster spray will chase it away!! :) Good luck and you sound like a great grandma being such a help to your daughter and to be so concerned.