Tag Archives: potty training girls

Book Review: “You Can Go to the Potty”

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By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

We are reviewing some potty training books! Our entire collection of reviews will be housed HERE.

You Can Go to the Potty
You Can Go To The Potty book
By William Sears, M.D., Martha Sears, R.N., and Christie Watts Kelly

This book is from the Sears pediatrician team, particular favorites of those who like the attachment parenting method. It’s also one of the books I (Colleen) used with my own son! It actually starts out with tips for parents, and explains some of the choices in the book, as well as giving a few tips if you are experiencing any difficulty during the potty training process.

The story starts out talking about the baby days. In line with the attachment parenting approach, the illustrations show both nursing and co-sleeping, which some families will greatly appreciate and others may not as much. It then transitions into what big kids can do, and talks about where pee and poo-poo might go, first in a diaper and now into the toilet.

This book takes a specific approach to the timing of potty training, telling children they will switch to underwear when they can keep their diapers dry. Some families will do well with this timing, whereas others may find a different approach is going to work better for their child.

The book moves on to the process of potty training, including a supportive take on accidents and of course lots of great celebrating. A particularly nice aspect of this book is the little insets on some pages called “Answers for the Very Curious”. These boxes contain questions children might ask about going potty and simple answers that they can understand – very helpful!

Hopkins Uses the Potty board book

As this is geared towards little ones but is very factual, it would make a nice companion to a more playful approach, such as our book “Hopkins Uses the Potty”

Book Review: “Diapers Are Not Forever”

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By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the MANY potty training books on the market. Here’s the first one!

Diapers Are Not ForeverDiapers are Not Forever book
By Elizabeth Verdick

A very simple prose, along with the inviting illustrations, will draw children into this book that explains how diapers are not forever. It starts with showing how the children are growing and now they can do what the big kids do – go potty! It then takes the reader through the steps of going potty, with noted differences for boys and girls, and stresses the celebration a child can have with his family. As a bonus, there are tips for parents at the end.

Parents who prefer not to reward with tangible items will appreciate the idea that the family will celebrate with a “clap and cheer”. This book fits great with the Potty Time philosophy and songs, especially the “Potty Dance” and “Let’s Celebrate” (Click on the songs to hear a sample!)

Potty Time DVD + Music CD

These songs are included on the Potty Time DVD + Music CD.

 

To read our other book reviews, click HERE

Is My Face Red?

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Sometimes children ask to go potty at the most inopportune times!  Here’s one little girl who managed to do it on national television.

I really love the author’s take on the whole scenario… Sometimes, you just have to roll with it!

Article: http://thestir.cafemom.com/toddler/137539/
3yearold_genius_uses_potty_talk

Video:

Making Potty Training a Family Affair: Grandparents

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By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

grandpa and grandmaWe’ve looked at how to get dad and siblings involved in potty training. Today, let’s take a look at grandparents.

1)   Get on the same page: Sometimes navigating child-rearing philosophies with your parents or in-laws can be tricky. Parenting methods have changed a great deal in the last several decades, and Grandma may have her tried and true method that just doesn’t jive with your approach. Continue reading →

Making Potty Training a Family Affair: Siblings

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By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

monkey see, monkey do!We’re taking a look at different ways to get family members involved in the potty training process. To read about dads, click HERE. Today, let’s talk about those older siblings.

1)   Monkey see, monkey do: Toddlers are often in awe of their older siblings.  Use this to your advantage. Continue reading →

The Making of Potty Time: Part One

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Potty Time Starts with The Signing Time Story

By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

We may have some people in our Potty Time community who don’t know the Signing Time story. Learn about the history behind this amazing series, and the people with a passion for bringing communication to all kids.

Rachel Coleman and husband Aaron welcomed their daughter Leah in December of 1996. When Leah was 14 months old they discovered she was profoundly deaf. Rachel and Aaron immediately began teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to Leah and by 18 months old it was clear Leah’s signed vocabulary was outpacing the spoken vocabulary of her hearing peers. People took notice, including Rachel’s sister Emilie, who began to also teach ASL to her infant son Alex.

Rachel, Leah and Lucy

Rachel, Leah and Lucy

A few years later, Rachel and Aaron had Lucy. Lucy was born with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and doctors wondered if she would ever speak, never mind sign with her sister, Leah. As is so often the case, with the right love and support (and a little help from sign language), Lucy would grow to defy expectations and shine in her own way.

Throughout all this, Rachel and her sister Emilie teamed up to create a program that would teach sign language to children in a fun and playful way. In May of 2002 the first volume of Signing Time was released. Rachel, three-year-old Alex  (Emilie’s son) and four-year-old Leah taught signs set to music and simple animations.

The response was overwhelming, and word spread fast. Within a few years, people all over the United States, and even the world, wanted Signing Time in their homes, daycares, and pediatric practices. Children with communication needs, including Lucy, were showing tremendous growth. Families with typically developing children discovered Signing Time as the trend of signing with babies took off all over the country, and Signing Time was the perfect vehicle to meet these needs.

The formula for Signing Time and Baby Signing Time has been simple and profound: provide a tool for communication for families and teach kids values like friendship, responsibility, and compassion in a fun and interactive way.

10 years later, Potty Time came about. Following the same formula, Signing Time fans and people new to the brand alike were introduced to a fun and interactive way to teach children about the potty. More importantly, Potty Time teaches children to listen to and respect their bodies, and celebrate the amazing accomplishments they are capable of. Time to celebrate with your kid, teach a life skill, and get out of diapers? What could be better?!

My Potty Training Adventures: Three Children, Three Lessons

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By LeeAnn Mason

LeeAnn the Marketing Assistant for Signing Time, which includes a roll as Signing Time Academy Administrator.  She has been a fan since 2002 when her oldest received Signing Time on VHS for her first Birthday.  In July of 2003, she became the first Signing Time Distributor and started volunteering for Two Little Hands Productions where ever she could. In June of 2005 she was offer a temporary position helping with a special project and her responsibilities have grown and changed based on the needs of the company.

Here LeeAnn shares her own potty training story!

While working in a childcare center before I was even married, I worked with the 2 year old class which meant potty training. At our center the policy was to assist the parents with which ever method they chose. Some preferred to use Pull-Ups® or Easy-Ups®, some preferred us to leave their children in diapers and take them to the potty every half hour, and others preferred bringing several changes of clothes letting their children tell us when they needed to use the restroom. We accommodated all of these approaches. At the time, I was confident that I knew how to potty train. I also believed I knew exactly how I would potty train my own children when the time came. Boy was I wrong! Here’s what I learned from potty training each of my three children: Continue reading →

Working Moms: Potty Training Approach and Daycare

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By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

Here’s an interesting blog post on how one working mom went about starting to potty train her little girl: From The Potty Training Trenches

She has some interesting thoughts at the end about a challenge of potty training when your child is at daycare:

“I’m worried that with nobody paying as close attention to her body language as we do at home, they will not know when she needs to go, and that Abby will forget about holding it or talking about going potty. They know we have begun potty training and when they are changing diapers and such they do have her sit on the potty, but she has yet to have any type of successes with them. I’m thinking we need to just ask them this week to talk to her throughout the day about the potty and encouraging her more than just once an hour.”

How have you approached potty training with other people who watch your child?

Working Moms and Potty Training

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By Colleen Brunetti, MEd

Are you a mom working outside the home and trying to potty train a toddler? It is a lot to balance!

We really enjoyed this honest article about some of the challenges that can happen even to a mom who appears the most put together – a TV reporter!

Working Mom Potty Training Article

How about you? Any funny (or frustrating!) potty trainer/working mom stories? Share them here in the comments, or join the conversation on Facebook!

Potty Time Wins Parent Tested, Parent Approved Award!

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Potty Time You Can Do It PackThe Potty Time “You Can Do It” Pack is the winner of the Parent Tested, Parent Approved Award! Independent parent volunteers from across the country gave Potty Time a big thumbs up after testing out the Potty Time DVD, Potty Time Reminder Watch, and other accompanying products. Here’s what they said:

  • Potty Time has given my daughter the confidence she needs to potty train. She’s learning all about her body. This video is engaging and full of fun songs! My daughter loves to sit on her potty and sing along. Potty time has never been more fun.
    It took the stress out of training!
  • I liked the video, my daughter picked up the signing right away (we used to sign before she was a proficient talker) and it was friendly and brightly coloured. The songs were easy enough to remember too! But the watch – that’s the real star here!
  • When I had my first-born my mother told me to place him on the potty every half an hour to ensure an easy transition from the diaper. Once he conquered the half an hour mark, I increased the increments so that he could hold his bladder longer. This method worked! Within a few short days he was trained. The hard part was getting through those few LONG days with my eyes glued to the clock and the worry of finding a potty! Well, thanks to Potty Time the second time around was a BREEZE! I’ve found that MY diligence with potty training wanes as I become frustrated with her accidents…this watch helps to remind ME!! And when I see my daughter’s face light up when the music comes on, it lightens the mood of the task 🙂
  • We are a signing family and this fit us just perfectly! The DVD is fun, educational and interactive. My son loved the music and was so thrilled to start his journey to the thrown! Best of all, the package came with a colorful watch that uses music and blinking lights to remind your child that it’s time to go! I started him off at 30 min intervals then increased to 60, and eventually 90-minute intervals. My son loved when the watch sounded, we all danced and made our way to the potty with ease! It took 3 short days to potty train him without having the stress of watching the clock or having to place a screaming child on the potty–instead he wanted to go because he felt ‘special’ and it was fun! *note* I also used the potty watch on the night-table and set it to 90 minute intervals. This was a perfect stretch for our night-time routine. 1 accident later….and the rest is history!! YAY Potty time! AMAZING PRODUCT FOR ANY FAMILY OF CHILDREN! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! GENIUS IDEA!