12 GREAT TIPS FOR POTTY TRAINING GIRLS

And the battle of the bathroom begins...
After years of changing wet and dirty diapers (millions of them), at all hours of the day and night, and in the most inconvenient places you can imagine (fancy restaurants, airplanes, trunk of your car, etc.) we are so excited to put an end to the Diaper Era. We can finally stop spending the family fortune on poop catchers. We can happily escort our little princess to the public throne without a lugging a back-breaking diaper bag around all day. And then, reality comes and crushes all of our dreams. 
If you think changing diapers is a pain in the ah hem, tush, you have no idea what a nightmare it is to drop everything (whether dining, shopping, driving, etc.) to do a mad dash to whatever bathroom you can find before your little one wets herself. Unfortunately, once you reach the bathroom stall, you'd almost rather her just pee all over herself. The toilet is covered in filth, the floor soaked with urine, cheap toilet paper that comes out one shred at a time, and a stench that makes you want to stop breathing. There are few moments more mortifying to a mom with a newly potty-trained girl. I, myself, made my little girls where potty pants after they were already potty-trained just so I didn't have to worry about using a public restroom. So, here is some advice to help you navigate these murky waters. 

Get Her Excited. Get Yourself Ready (You Will Need LOTS of Patience)

First and foremost, make sure both of you are ready. While some children are ready earlier (lucky devils), most are not ready until about 30 months. Make sure that even though she might me at the right age physically, that it is the right time emotionally. If you have just moved or will be moving soon, now is not a good time. If you are about to have a new baby or just had one, now is not a good time. If there is a major illness, recent death or some other family crisis, now is probably not a good time. So wait. While potty training does take work, you don't want it to be overly stressful for you or your child. 
Look for signs that your child is ready. These might be any of the following:

• She can stay dry for about 2 hours at a time during the day or is stays dry after naps.
  
• Her bowel movements become regular and more predictable. 
• Her facial expressions and posture indicate that she needs to urinate or have a bowel movement.
• She is able to help undress herself or at least pull down her underwear. 
  
• She has become uncomfortable wearing wet or dirty diapers. 

Get the Gear: Pick a Potty Chair

 Look for something cute, but you certainly don't need to pay extra for fancy sounds or lights. Although, a fancy potty might look more enticing to your little one, what you really need is a potty that is easy to clean and transport around the house. I found it was a better investment to get two potty chairs - one for her room and one close to where she spends most of the day, for us, that was the playroom. This is especially handy for the kids who have a hard time parting from playtime until the last possible moment. Also, it is a great idea to protect the floor underneath from drips and accidents. I used the same changing pads (waterproof urine mats) I had used for the crib and changing station. 

Take Her on a Shopping Spree for Brand New Pairs of Big Girl Underwear

Everyone, especially little girls, loves something new. So take her out to the store and let her pick out a few new pairs of underwear. It is best to get potty training underwear, these are thicker 

Invest in Potty Training Books and a Video - Or Check Them Out at the Library

There's no doubt about it, kids love to read books and watch videos. There are a lot of cute books and videos to choose from, and they really help your little one to understand what she is trying to accomplish and help her get excited about it. We liked the video Once Upon a Potty and The Potty Book for Girls by Alyssa Capucilli. Also, put yourself out there and let her watch you. Every little girl likes to copy Mommy, and you can actually have some quality time together on your respective thrones. When she has a success, get excited and wave bye-bye as you flush it down the toilet. Make sure she understands that while flushing is fun, she only gets to do it after she has peed or pooped in her potty.

Provide Entertainment

I put a small basket of books next to the potty chair to encourage them to sit patiently while we waited for the magic to happen.

Encourage her with Stickers, Small Treats or Tiny Toys

Create a Schedule

Just like everything else, kids need to be reminded to go to the bathroom. Following a schedule can help them learn that using the potty is an important part of their day. Children usually need to relieve themselves first thing in the morning, 1-2 hours after they eat and just before bedtime. Try to create a schedule around these times, using a timer can be very beneficial to you and her. If you happen to see any signs that she needs to go (Also, have her try to use the potty before leaving the house.

Once She's Mastered Using It, Teach Her to Clean It

Think about wether or not she could empty and rinse it out all by herself. Trust me, you will tire of cleaning this out as much as changing diapers. 

Move Her Up to A Potty Seat for the Toilet

Teach Her to Use GottaTinkle!