Potty Training with a Signing Time Academy Instructor

As told to Colleen Brunetti, MEd

Our fantastic Signing Time Academy instructors are using Potty Time right along with you and their clients!

Meet Elisha Hamburger. Elisha is an Academy instructor in Holden, MA (you can contact her HERE) and she had this to share:

I have 2 daughters; Lucy who is 4 and has special needs and Macy who is 3. They both love Signing Time so I was thrilled when Potty Time came out!  I know Lucy will take longer due to her developmental delays, but she loves the video and signs potty.   Continue reading

Community Questions

By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

Here’s another question/comment from our Facebook community:

“I don’t know what to do about the regression. It’s so frustrating.

Regression is frustrating, no doubt! Just when you think you’ve gotten somewhere with this whole potty training thing, your sweet little ones get another idea in their heads and it’s back to accidents, wet clothes, and maybe even diapers.

Continue reading

Keeping Little People Motivated to Potty Train

Using Non-Tangible Rewards

By Cynthia Noell

Many parents like to use stickers or candy as rewards, and if that works for your family, great. Others prefer non-tangible (sometimes called “intrinsic”) motivators: things that are not “stuff”. Perhaps a combination of the two will work as well. In this article, we’ll discuss some ideas for non-tangible rewards. Continue reading

Potty Training in Daycare

By Kristy Simons, ECE

Potty training in child carePotty training is a significant developmental step for your child, so it’s important that you and your current (or potential) child care providers are on the same page before potty training begins. Discussing the following aspects of potty training can help you clearly communicate your preferences and expectations– and help you determine if your provider’s approach to potty training will meet your child’s needs. Continue reading

Top 10 Tips for Potty Training

By Your Friendly Potty Time Contributors10 Tips for Potty Training

10) Don’t feel pressure from other parents or family members to train at a certain age: Rely more on cues from your child and your insight as their parent.

9) Learn where every restroom is in every store: You just never know when they’re going to have to go!

8) Always carry extra clothes in case of an accident: Do this for quite a while after training seems finished too. It’s not unusual to have an “oops” after a long time of staying dry.

7) Use lots of positive reinforcement and motivators: Find out what motivates your child: little candies, stickers, small toys, etc. Or, you may choose not to use tangible items, and just CELEBRATE! Likewise, taking your child to the store and letting them pick out some big-kid undies may be a great way to start building excitement.

6) Consider investing in a portable potty or potty seat cover:  A portable potty or seat cover makes the size of the seat much more child-friendly. You can place a self-contained unit around the house near your child, or even take something with you on trips and errands (which is likely to be much more clean than a public restroom!)

5) Realize that night training may take significantly longer, or just come later, than day trainings: Some night training pants or an absorbent pad under the sheet may help with sleepy accidents.

4) Be prepared for, and okay with, occasional set-backs: Due to changes in routine, family structure, or just child temperament, there may come a time when a little break from potty training is needed. This is perfectly okay – you can always start up again when things settle.

3) Be Consistent: Once you have decided to take the plunge into a potty training routine or ritual, maintaining that routine as consistently as possible is very important!

2) Keep your sense of humor: Accidents in embarrassing places and small voices suddenly shouting out loud potty-related words just might happen. And if you can’t laugh right in the moment, try to laugh about it a little later.

1) Most importantly, realize every child and family is different: Accepting differences in timing, methods, and even duration of potty trainings will reduce your stress tremendously!

Four Decisions to Make Before Potty Training

By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

So, you’ve decided to officially start potty training! This is an exciting time for you and your child, but it can also feel quite daunting.

There are many methods and philosophies out there on how to potty train, and they range from promising a diaper-free baby in a few days to letting the process be completely child-led, from advocating for pull-ups, to insisting that going cold-turkey and using only underwear is the only way to go.
Continue reading

Potty Training 101

By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

Potty training can be a little bit of trial and error. One method may work for one child and not for another. That’s why we created the Potty Time program to support whatever method you use. It is so easy to use on the My Signing Time app – on the go watching for anywhere in your home or away.

In this list of tips, our wonderful Signing Time fans share their thoughts on what worked best for them. Continue reading