Here’s an idea to launch potty training in your house! Why not throw a Potty Time viewing party? Pop up that popcorn, pull out the undies or training pants, grab Hopkins and get ready to celebrate!
Recently, one mom shared with us how this played out in her house. Enjoy!
Adelaide (almost 3) has been interested in using the potty for a while. She has an older sister, Cait, and wants to be just like her. Continue reading
Inspiration and Direction
I recently had the privilege of speaking with co-creator of Signing Time, Emilie Brown, to chat about the making of Potty Time. Some of you might not know Emilie, but she is a driving force behind much of what you see in the Baby Signing Time and Signing Time videos, and sister to Rachel Coleman. You can read about their co-creation of Signing Time HERE. I wanted to learn more about what went into Potty Time, a project 10 years in the making!
Rachel Coleman and Emilie Brown
What was the inspiration for Potty Time?
For years Signing Time fans have been saying that there should be a potty training DVD with Rachel. They even went so far as to tell her, “If you (Rachel) tell my kid to go potty, I know she’ll do it!”
The truth was, neither Emilie nor Rachel ever used a potty training DVD or materials, and they didn’t feel personally compelled to do it. Add that to the fact that Rachel wasn’t in a big hurry to sing about “poop” and “pee”, and the idea of a potty training program from the Signing Time folks didn’t seem like it was going to happen any time soon.
However, most of the Signing Time products are a response to a request or a need that fans have expressed, and the Signing Time creators were listening!
In addition to meeting the needs of the Signing Time fans, Rachel and Emilie (and their family) had a very personal inspiration for the Potty Time approach – their mom, Linda! She has nine children and over twenty grandchildren, and each and every time she would change a messy diaper she would say something like, “Wow! What a great poop! Good Job! Your body is working!” Emilie, Rachel and their siblings found themselves saying many of the same things.
This is a bit of an unusual approach! How often are we instead tempted to hold our noses and say, “Ewwww!”? And what kind of message is that sending?
But this is the opposite approach. How many times a day do you get to send a positive message to your child about her body’s abilities?
What did you hope to accomplish with Potty Time?
The Signing Time team set out to make a program that would be not about a certain approach to potty training, but rather a warm and supportive tool to use with any potty training method or philosophy.
As with all of the Signing Time products, there is a special way of doing things – anybody can teach the vocabulary for bathroom needs, but the Signing Time team set out to do that with their trademark approach: making kids feel good about themselves and teaching values, all while learning a new language.
Potty Time uses the Signing Time signature feature –singing your way through your child’s day… all of their day! Signing Time always keeps it positive, and thus, the message from Potty Time is simple but profound: “You can do it! Your body is amazing. This is part of growing up.”
In our next installment we will talk more about how Potty Time was created and how the creators hoped families everywhere would use it. Stay tuned!
Thanks to our Facebook fans for sharing their hilarious potty training moments!
I think our funniest was the first time my daughter pooped on the potty. She looked at it and was shocked. She said, “What’s that? Where did it come from?” (Jo K.)
While my oldest son was potty-training he had a poop accident. He didn’t want everyone to know so he tried to vacuum it up. My vacuum cleaner was sooo nasty and so was the carpet where he tried to “clean” it up from. (Esmi M.)
Photo Credit: Photography by Angel
A Story About Potty Training and Down Syndrome
By Monica Blouin
Signing Time Academy Instructor Monica Blouin, of Lil Miracles Signing Academy, is mom to four year old Madie, a little girl with Down syndrome. Here, Monica shares with us her journey of trials and triumphs as she and Madie work together to potty train. Continue reading
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
We hear a lot of wonderful stories over on the Potty Time Facebook page. One in particular that stood out to me came from mom Denille, about her son Quinn (now 39 months).
My son is 37-months and loves Potty Time just as much as he has loved his entire Baby Signing Time and Signing Time DVDs. Although he is still scared to sit on the potty (he has Down syndrome and we do things on our own timetable), he seems excited about the new
Quinn at the beach
signs and is stringing them together to communicate in new ways. Today he signed “Body Amazing Time Thirsty” and then signed “drink milk please”. He signs “Potty, wipe, flush, wash” when someone else goes to the bathroom. Potty Time is helping him make more connections and communicate about his world- yet another step toward independence and potty training. Our path will no doubt be easier and filled with more fun and songs because of Potty Time. Thank you!! Continue reading
Facebook is all lit up with early celebrations and success stories from Potty Time! See what some of our fans have to say…
My 22 month old has shown no interest in potty training so we haven’t pushed it AT ALL. I bought Potty Time as soon as it was out and my son has been watching it every day at least once, but usually closer to 3-5 times a day (what can I say…he likes Rachel). Well, in that short time, (what 10 days?) my son asked to sit on the potty yesterday and he went #2. Today he asked and he went #1. I’m sure you can imagine how astonished I am. (Terri R.)
You’re almost there. You’ve been watching and your child is exhibiting many of the signs they are ready to begin potty training. You’re getting excited because you’re looking forward to no more diapers! Yeah!! Hold on a minute, it’s not usually that quick and easy. However, using signs along with training just might pick up the pace.
Potty Time host Rachel Coleman demonstrates the POTTY sign.
First, start using the sign for POTTY (sign the letter ‘T’ and shake it – see photo on right), every time you change the diaper. Toddlers love shaking that potty sign at you to tell you they’ve already wet. You can also use the “potty” sign when your toddler follows you into the bathroom and sees you go.
Next, think of the routine; how is this all going to go down? (no pun intended) Continue reading
Rachel Coleman, co-creator and star of the award winning Signing Time, recently wrote a blog post about what’s in Potty Time and why it only took her short 10 years to create it! Well, we are of course very thrilled that she did, and the approach she takes is supportive, child-centered, and flexible enough to fit any family’s potty training methods.
And while you read the fun back story to Potty Time, be sure to check out her hilarious outtakes! You can certainly see why she is star of stage and screen (and yes, she’s just as much fun, and just as petite, in person)!
Aaron Coleman, Rachel's husband, gets silly on the Potty Time set!
Click here to read Rachel’s blog post:
POTTY TRAINING WITH RACHEL AND SIGNING TIME!