juggling the jones': potty training take 3

I am now on my third girl to potty train, and I am just glad that we are on the up side of it. Potty training has been the worst, and to be honest I don't even think my girls were that difficult. I started potty training at around two years old for all of the girls. We waited a little after Stella turned two simply because there are so many holidays around her birthday plus we were going to see disney on ice and I wasn't about to tackle a brand new potty trainer during the show. I figured I would write down how I did it, in case I have to potty train again and maybe it will help out someone else.

potty training tips:

#1- Get them introduced to their "own" potty we have mr.frog, whenever I would use the restroom I would bring stella and sit her on mr.frog so she could see what we do in the bathroom.

#2- When we started potty training I pumped Stella FULL of juice (which was an extra treat because she normally gets water ;) But as soon as she was done drinking her cup of juice, I would fill it right back up. This way she was getting a ton of opportunities to learn & notice what "the feeling" of having to go to the bathroom is.

#3- On the first day of potty training you have to except accidents, and LOTS of them. Whenever Stella would have an accident I would *kindly*(even though I was totally over the accidents) tell her uh oh we have to go potty on mr.frog & then I would take her over to her potty & sit her down.

#4- TREATS!! As a reward we chose skittles for stella and whenever she went peepee on the potty she got a skittle. We would also do a "potty dance" anything that was super exciting and made her feel proud I did.

#5- At the end of day number 1 I was ready to throw in the towel and just keep her in diapers, she had 8 accidents and maybe went on the potty 2 times, one of which being a total fluke. But that is something I couldn't do, I didn't want to confuse her so I had to keep pushing through.

#6- I never did the timer thing. Stella only likes doing things if it is her idea, so instead of getting her on the potty every 15 min, I would tell her stella stay dry every 15 minutes that way she was connecting it rather than me just setting her on the potty.

#7- the first two days I let stella run around with no knickers on, I have read that sometimes it will confuse them if they feel something they assume its a diaper and will just go. I noticed that on the 2nd day when we had knickers on she had accidents as opposed to not having them on she would tell me she had to go potty. Obviously at some point she had to get used to wearing knickers, so mid day on the 3rd day I put them on her and she did great with them on.

#8- I don't worry about potty training at nap/bed times, I just don't want to clean up all of those messes, however I also don't use diapers. We got pull-ups and they have a picture on the front that if she pees it will disappear. So every time we put them on Stella I remind her that we still have to stay dry. She also wore them to church on sunday, but told her nursery leaders when she had to go potty, and stayed dry.

The first day was rough but it went uphill from there. By day 3 when she started having an accident she stopped until I got her to the potty. Actually having to potty train is the worst but once its done it is so awesome! Happy potty training ;)