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any tips on getting a 3 year old girl to potty train? we find that if we ask...no interest but we will randomly see her using the potty. are we just lazy parents?”

Asked by Heather on 12th April 2008

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Kids love to mimic other kids/adults. They also like to get to things they are not pushed to embrace (sometimes they also like things that are forbidden to them).
An alternative way is to leave them no choice but to use the potty. My mother in law spent 5 hours with my daughter one day, until she decided that having no pamper, combined with a pressing need for no. 1 and no. 2 means that she absolutely needs to use the last resort: the potty. She made a lot of fuss about it, but once she tried it, she understood that this is actually not a bad idea and she immediately loved it. I still think that she was afraid of it before she had to try it ...
Hope this helps!

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Lorena on 15th April 2008
It's unfortunate to say, but every child is different. You try and follow one person's advice and usually it doesn't work for your child. You've got to find what works for your child by reading and educating yourself and trying all things. I have 4 children and not one potty-training adventure was the same. My oldest was the easiest. She learned in 1 day and never looked back. Just put her on and she got it.
The other 3 boys - NIGHTMARE CITY! They weren't even ready until nearly 3 years old and 1 was a bed wetter. The other just refused to get it no matter what we did. And the third - still in diapers right now and I'm ready to battle with him over it in the coming months.

Kids will tell you when they're ready. Put potties all over the house, get plastic pants, keep asking all the time, establish the potty routine, and NEVER USE PULL-UPS! The most important piece of advice is always, always, always, PRAISE AND REWARD them.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by caramelsugarberry38 on 14th April 2008
Establish a routine. In the morning when she wakes up first thing is go to the bathroom and have her sit on the potty, 30 min. after drinking, and before bed. Just take her to the bathroom even if she won't sit on it or anything. Praise her for every step closer she gets toward using the potty. For example if you take her and she won't sit praise her for going into the bathroom. Read potty books and take her to the bathroom with you. You can try having her sit on her potty while you sit on yours, develop some type of reward system to give her the inventive to use the potty. Just like the Jean and Nataly said just try to be patient. Probably within the next month when you're about to lose all hope she'll come around! And remember she won't be 15 and wearing diapers!

Flag as inappropriate Posted by ancgan on 14th April 2008
Our daughter was like this -- she didn't want to be asked but would do it if we weren't around. I figured this was her way of showing her independence. We put a potty in her room, in both bathrooms and she slowly started getting used to using them. It took a while... I was getting frustrated -- but there is light at the end of the tunnel, don't worry! I always felt like with the potty-training, it is really true what they say -- kids do it when they are ready, not much parents can do.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 12th April 2008
I know how you feel! My kids were really hard to potty train!! When my son was three he said he would never go potty in a potty and boy I thought he really meant it! lol. I tried every trick in the book! Even Dr. Phils have a potty party thing. Nothing worked. Eventually they just got it, saw other kids were doing it and on their own started. I say first of all don't stress, it will come, some just take longer. Also incourage her when she does use it and let her know what a big girl she is.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Jean on 12th April 2008