Get answers to all your potty training what-ifs, how-tos and now-whats.
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The Big Finish to Potty Training
By Kelly Burgess
Potty training is pretty exciting in the beginning. Everyone’s on board with this big step toward becoming a big boy or big girl. Potty chairs pop up everywhere. Underwear is bought. Successful trips to the potty are praised and celebrated. But what to do when the thrill is gone; when it’s not so exciting…
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Potty Trainer to Moms Like Me – Even Celebrity Moms
Jen Singer
When I tell people what I did, they think I’m making it up. But it’s true. I’ve been giving potty training advice to celebrity mom, Melissa Joan Hart. That’s right: I’m the Celebrity "Potty Training Whisperer."
I’ve been a Pull-Ups® Potty Training Partner for several years now, so I can give anyone…
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Refusing To Use The Potty--My Tips To Success
Heather Wittenberg
Do you hear “NO” a lot these days?
Your toddler can’t help himself – saying no is his first step on the road to independence. It sure makes potty training complicated, though. Keep these tips in mind while you’re dealing with a defiant toddler:
Never use punishments or threats. I promise this…
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Re: Reward Ideas for Your Big Kid
Jen Singer
Have you ever rewarded yourself for a job well done? Maybe you bought your coffee instead of making it. Or maybe you enjoyed a half-hour in the bathtub with no interruptions (or rubber ducks floating around next to you). Or maybe you even snagged yourself a night on the town with friends. Whatever your…
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Top 5 Potty Training Tips
Heather Wittenberg
Potty training happens all sorts of ways, depending on your child’s personality. I’m in the process of potty training our fourth child, and I’m reminded how different each child has been at this stage. One was resistant until he was almost four, and one seemed to train herself overnight! So with all…
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5 Potty Training Mythbusters
Jen Singer
Whether you’re just starting potty training or you’re in the full swing of it, one thing is likely: Somebody has spread rumors to you. Call them potty training myths, these assertions of how potty training is supposed to go can make you wonder if your potty training plan has a few glitches. But before…
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Importance of Consistent Nighttime Potty Training
Gwenn S. O’Keeffe, MD, FAAP
You’ve recognized your child’s signs
of readiness and started potty training.
You’ve switched from diapers to training pants during the day. You’ve incorporated routines into your day to
help your child learn when it’s time to go potty. Now there’s one last step - continuing to
potty…
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Preschool and the Potty Training Question
Gwenn S. O’Keeffe, MD, FAAP
Sending your child to preschool is a big step for every family.
It’s one of the first times a child is consistently away from home, and a
memorable Big Kid® moment that parents and children look forward to celebrating
together.
Of all the preparations associated with preschool, potty training
tends…
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Different Kids, Different Potty Training Needs
Jen Singer
You've pulled out all the tricks that helped your older
child potty train: the Elmo potty seat, the "Everyone Poops" book and
even the beloved fire truck stickers that were such motivating rewards for your
older child. But your youngest child wants none of it. In fact, it appears that
they just want…
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Parent-to-Parent Advice for a Stress-Free Approach to Potty Training
Christopher Lewis, Ed.D.
Realizing every child potty trains differently will make all the difference when training your Big Kid®. What works for one child may not work for another. There are so many tips and tricks to guide you and help you remember every child’s journey is their own. After guiding my two girls through the…
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Memorable Potty Training Moments
Dave Hagler
Time has a way of bringing out the humor in a situation. I laugh now at the time my car ran out of gas, in the days before cell phones, and I sat for hours waiting for help to arrive before finally walking several miles in the middle of the night to find a gas station. Potty training is the same way. …
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Potty Training Crunch Time
Jennifer Shu
Parents know that preschool and potty training often go hand-in-hand. But what happens when preschool is on the horizon and your child still can’t use the potty on their own? As Parents know that preschool and potty training often go hand-in-hand. But what happens when preschool is on the horizon and…
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Big Kid® Independence
Jennifer James
It’s often hard to let go and let your child be an independent individual! July is a month that celebrates independence, which makes me think about my children during their big milestones like potty training. These Big Kid® moments have made me so proud and will continue to throughout the years.
During…
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Potty Training Awareness Month
Jan Faull, M.E.
Through my years as a “potty coach”, I’ve had more than a few experiences potty training children, including my own. I know it’s no small task, but I have some ideas on how to make potty training easier! This summer is potty training season and I’ll actually be helping my daughter and son-in-law with…
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Potty Training – The Year in Review
Jennifer James, Jennifer Shu, Jan Faull and Bernie Dorsey
Readiness has been a common potty training theme throughout 2007. Kids will potty train when they are ready and no one can determine when that time will be except for the child. With the year coming to an end, the Pull-Ups® Potty Training Partners take time to reflect on some of their favorite potty…
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Potty Training During the Holiday Rush
Alison Schonwald, M.D.
With guests visiting from out of town and families taking the festivities on the road, potty training can be especially difficult around the holidays. If you are in the midst of training, there are ways to help ensure that the hectic holidays can still lead to potty training success! To help keep your…
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Steps to Overnight Success
Jen Singer
Your child may be a pro at staying dry during the day, but nighttime can be a different task altogether. Take heart, though, because nighttime is typically the part of the day that takes the longest for a child to master. But a little planning and patience can make it much easier for your tot to succeed.
To…
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Potty Training for the Working Parents
Every family experiences potty training highs and lows, but it can be especially challenging for parents that work outside the home. Whether parents are working full time or part-time – most parents can’t be with their child every time they need to use the bathroom. To help make potty training easier…
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Aiming to Train Before Preschool?
by Julie Anaya, Colorado
“Ready? Set? Go! School is just around the corner. So, if your toddler is ready, now’s the time to take the potty training plunge with a little help from mother of two, Julie Anaya, veteran PULL-UPS® Potty Training Partner.
Parents’ lives are more hectic than ever. According to a recent survey sponsored…
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3 Common Potty Training Challenges...And How to Overcome Them !
by Page Turner, Tennessee
Potty training is a big accomplishment in a toddler’s life and a great source of pride for both parent and child. But along the way, every toddler will run into minor setbacks on his or her path to success.
"Setbacks are a natural part of the potty training process," said Stacy DeBroff, former PULL-UPS®…
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A Little Friendly Potty Motivation : How to Use Peers for Potty Training Success
By Teri Brown
Potty training motivation can come from the most unlikely places: a grandma with a sweet treat, the desire to be like an older sibling or a tempting pair of underwear. But perhaps nothing is as unexpected as when a peer inspires a child to use the potty. My son was almost 3 when he noticed his friend’s…
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Potty Training As A Team
The proverb "It takes a village to raise a child" holds true when potty training your toddler. The process can be easier and more fun when you have got everyone from siblings to grandparents to daycare providers involved, in addition to Mom and Dad. This month, the Potty Training Partners are offering…
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Daycare Provider Inside Secrets : The Scoop from Seasoned Professionals
By Lisa A. Goldstein
The potty training process was not going smoothly at home with Kris Staaf’s 2-1/2-year-old daughter. It had been six inconsistent months – using every method imaginable – with few results. Then the daycare teachers initiated a potty training conversation with Staaf and explained their process. Once the…
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A Potty Here and a Potty There : Potty Training in Multiple Locations
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Very few children will work on potty training at only one location, particularly as they are in the later stages of potty training. Not only do children work on toilet habits at home, but many children spend many hours a day at daycare or at a relative’s house. Some children split time between parents’…
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Potty Training During the Holidays : 4 Steps to Potty Training During the Holidays
By Melinda Copp
Travel, excitement and disruptions in routine are characteristic of the holiday season. And these factors make potty training your child more of a challenge than it would normally be. Plus, bulky winter clothes make getting undressed and into position more difficult, especially for little ones with an…
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Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem While Potty Training
Moms and Dads want to help their child feel good about themselves, whether it’s praise on a good grade or going for ice cream after a soccer game. However, your child’s self-esteem begins developing during the toddler years, before he or she starts school or joins a team. In fact, the potty training…
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Potty Training on the Road
by Mary Santana, Illinois
Whether you’re taking a short trip to grandma’s house or an extended vacation, traveling with a potty training toddler can sound overwhelming. Don’t stress – Mary Santana, former PULL-UPS® Potty Training Partner and mother of three, has great advice for potty training on the road.“My husband and I love…
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Potty Training on the Go : Top Tips for Potty Training Outside the Home
By Kelly D. Burgess
Sarah Kuehn of Enid, Okla., is going to approach potty training a little differently with her second child. Overall, things went pretty smoothly when she went through the potty training process with her first daughter, Katrina, until a bad experience with a high-tech toilet.
“It was one of those automatic…
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All about Potty Seats
By Kelly D. Burgess
It’s all about independence. That’s the word on potty seats from family practitioner and parenting expert Dr. Jody McVittie.
“Parents need to take a pretty casual attitude toward using the toilet so the children take it for granted as well,” says Dr. McVittie. “That means providing them with something…
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Keeping it Clean
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Laura Giardina of New York State is working on potty training with her 2-1/2-year-old son. Part of her potty training routine is making sure he practices proper potty manners.
“That includes a lot of things, [including] making sure the toilet is flushed, that there are no ‘pee-pee drips’ on the toilet…
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How to Dress for Success
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Toddler clothes are adorable. Who can resist the cute little overalls or the colorful onesies or the soft footed pajamas?
For children who are in diapers full time, those outfits are just fine, but when a child begins potty training, it is time to put them in the back of the closet or give them to…
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Load on the Praise and Rewards
“Potty trainers thrive on positive reinforcement. Praise and rewards can help kids feel more comfortable with new skills, keep interest high and build confidence.”
It’s a Celebration Of course you’ll make a big deal out of major accomplishments, but don’t forget the little milestones that also deserve…
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Recognizing the Urge
By Kelly D. Burgess
Parents usually recognize when their child has to go to the bathroom (the wiggle, the crossed legs). The trick is turning those signals into teachable moments so your child recognizes that what’s going on can go in the potty!
Wiggles and GigglesChristine Louise Hohlbaum, an American living in Paunzhausen,…
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7 Secrets to Planning for Potty Perks
We’re all motivated by a little encouragement when learning a new skill. Students strive to make the grade. Athletes look for coach’s approval.Potty trainers work the same way! Rewards for a job well-done are an effective way to cheer on potty training progress. Here are some secrets to planning successful…
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Make Potty Time, Party Time
by Page Turner, Tennessee
We know the potty training process requires consistency and patience, but be sure to have some fun while youre at it. Page Turner, mother of three successfully potty-trained girls (including twins) has some hints for making potty time, party time.
"Celebrate successes," says Page. "After each successful…
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Consistent Potty Training
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Lindsey Taucher of Austin, Texas, spent her spring break working on potty training with her daughter.
“We talked about it a lot beforehand,” says Taucher of preparing her daughter for the big event. “And I had been offering her the opportunity to use the potty intermittently.”
So, during her week’s…
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The "He Said, She Said" on Potty Training
Boys and girls present unique challenges in every area of parenting - and potty training is no exception. Though girls and boys take roughly the same amount of time to train (eight months on average), there are many differences between boys and girls throughout the process.
"Biological traits can make…
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Potty Hygiene - A Clean Routine
by Chris Winicki, California
Each spring, cleaning is on the top of everyones mind. As you vacuum behind the couches and wipe out your drawers, theres no better time to teach your toddler a little spring cleaning of his own - potty hygiene. Below, former PULL-UPS® Potty Training Partner Chris Winicki, mother of three boys, provides…
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You Asked…We are Answering
by Maggie Dugan, Wisconsin
In an effort to provide a support system where parents can get the scoop from other parents, PULL-UPS.com provides a Sharing Space where you can "talk potty." While many of you are giving and receiving helpful advice, we've noticed not everyone is getting their questions answered on our message board.…
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Make Potty Time, Party Time
by Page Turner, Tennessee
We know the potty training process requires consistency and patience, but be sure to have some fun while you are at it. Page Turner, mother of three successfully potty-trained girls (including twins) has some hints for making potty time, party time.
"Celebrate successes," says Page. "After each successful…
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Being a Good Coach
by Jan Faull M.Ed., Washington
Anyone who has ever played a sport—whether at school, a club or a game with friends— remembers that person who led them through the game with words of encouragement, advice on perfecting their technique, and a hand to help them up when they fell down.
These people are teachers of more than just sport…
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Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
By Lisa A. Goldstein
You would think that using the bathroom should be a guaranteed way to get a few minutes to yourself. But now that you have a child who’s in the process of mastering potty training, should you give up that privacy to help him learn? Is it OK to let your child watch you or a sibling use the toilet?
“In…
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Double Duty
By Teri Brown
Sometimes potty training can seem like quite an undertaking. As a conscientious parent, you know you need to watch for signs of readiness, create a plan keeping your child’s personality in mind and stay consistent with that plan. But what happens when you’re potty training more than one child at the…
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No Two Kids Train Alike : Finding the Method That Works for Your Child
Sue Marquette Poremba
Alana Morales’ son was ready to begin potty training when the dampness was uncomfortable enough to motivate him to use the toilet regularly within three days. Morales’s daughter, on the other hand, is the opposite.
“My son was so easy to train,” says the Gilbert, Ariz., mother. “My daughter, on the…
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Study Up on Potty Training
What's "normal" when it comes to potty training? Should it take a month? A year? What age should it start?–and finish? By following hundreds of potty trainers through the process, the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) went straight to the source in an unprecedented study that revealed some long-awaited…
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Making the Big Switch : Transitioning from Diapers to Training Pants
Katherine Bontrager
One of the first steps parents take as they face potty training is determining if their little one is really ready to begin working toward real underwear. And for many, the next step is helping their child transition from diapers to training pants. But how should parents encourage their child to make…
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Potty Training Multiples : Great advice whether you have one or more to train!
Potty Training MultiplesGreat advice whether you have one or more to train!
Congratulations, you made it to the toddler years with your multiples! And just like you had to buy multiple cribs, strollers and high-chairs – when your children reach that stage of readiness – it will be time to buy multiple…
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Tuning in to Your Child's Learning Style
Do you have a watchful observer? Or an interactive do-er? Understanding your child's prevailing learning style not only does wonders in the potty training department-it can go a long way in helping you adapt life lessons as your child discovers and grows.
Set Your Sights on LearningDo you have a child…
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My Patients’ Top Potty Training Concern
Dr. Jennifer Shu
I’m often asked by my patients about the best way to make potty training successful. While all children are different and there are many ways to approach potty training, several common themes come into play when it comes to achieving success.Ready or not? So you’ve decided that you’re ready to…
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Potty Training From One Father to Another
Bernie Dorsey
Sometimes time with our kids creeps by, and sometimes it flies. Either way, our children are learning something new every day. Potty training can be one of those “will they ever get there?” or maybe even a “geez, that wasn’t so bad” kind of situation for parents. And just like all of your children’s…
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Let’s Put on a Show! Making Potty Training Fun
Jen Singer
A friend of mine recently asked how I manage to maintain my sense of humor throughout some of the most trying tasks of parenting, specifically potty training. Her question brought me back to when I was potty training my sons, so I wanted to share a glimpse of how I managed to make potty training fun…
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Potty Training as a Team
Bernie Dorsey
Most people know about teamwork. In some form or another we’ve played, worked or volunteered for some sort of a “team.” The sports pages are riddled with quotes from athletes saying, “we succeed only if we work as a team” or “achievement never matters to us as individuals, it only matters…
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Dishing Advice at the Pull-Ups® Potty Dance Party
Jen Singer
Max, 2½, and I were sitting on the floor in my booth at the Pull-Ups® Potty Dance Party, a special event in New York City where I was doling out one-on-one potty training advice as one of the long-time Pull-Ups® Potty Training Partners. In recent years, I've counseled parents and grandparents on all…
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Rewarding Potty Training Efforts without Promising Disney
Jen Singer
They looked like three-foot-tall
decorated generals. Well, decorated generals with Thomas the Tank Engine stickers
all over their jumpers. But you get the point. When I was potty training my two
boys, stickers were their rewards. First for sitting on the potty,…
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Dads and Potty Training
Dave Hagler
Dads can be particularly apprehensive about the potty training experience, and can end up taking a secondary role to mom. But, it doesn't need to be that way. On the contrary, there are many reasons why dads should be excited and eager to enter into the potty training process with their child, and take…
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When Your Kids Potty Train Differently
Jen Singer
My younger son had absolutely no interest in the bright blue, yellow and green plastic potty that his big brother (my first son) had potty trained on a year-and-a-half earlier. But the toilet? Yes, he liked the toilet, because his brother used it.
I’d potty trained my first son using that plastic potty.…
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How to Keep Potty Training Light-Hearted
Dave Hagler
Potty training is a big, important milestone in your child's life. If you wait too long to begin training, or start too early, or go about it the wrong way, your child could go through their entire childhood, adolescence, and maybe even adulthood in diapers. OK, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. …
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5 Tips for Surviving Potty Training
Jen Singer
I've been a Pull-Ups® Potty Training Partner for five years now, and during that time, I've confirmed one important hunch: potty training is the most labor intensive of your child's milestones. Don't you think?
It takes work to make potty training successful, but if you stick it out, you will reach…
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A Recipe for Potty Training At Daycare: One Part Consistency, Two Parts Flexibility
Gwenn Schurgin O’Keeffe, MD, FAAP
Pull Ups® Potty Training Partner
September Article
Are your kids in daycare? If so, you are likely worried about how daycare may affect your potty training process. If you manage the situation with a dose of flexible consistency, you can help your child feel incredibly competent and empowered!
Daycare offers kids wonderful opportunities for socialization…
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Aligning with Your Partner on Potty Training Methods
Dave Hagler
You and your spouse may have different approaches to parenting from time to time. In general, presenting a united and consistent front to your child is a good idea. This is especially true when it comes to potty training. Before beginning the potty training process, you and your partner might want…
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Potty Season Is About Awareness First, Success Second
Gwenn S. O’Keeffe, MD, FAAP
Did you know that June is National Potty Training Awareness Month?
Typically, things only fall into the realm of “awareness” when they impact our kids’ lives in a major way. And, these special awareness months are not just to raise the level of chatter about important topics, but to help all of us…
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4 Steps for Potty Training Before Preschool
Jen Singer
The date looms on your calendar: The first day of preschool. How come? Because your soon-to-be preschooler isn't yet potty trained. You remind him of this every single day, and yet, he seems unfazed, as though you've just mentioned that you're out of cauliflower. He just turns away and keeps playing…
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How to Help Overcome Your Child’s Potty Fears
Dave Hagler
October Potty Training Article
“How to Help Overcome Your Child’s Potty Fears”
All toddlers have some sort of fear - "the dark," "bugs," "under the bed." When starting the potty training process it's important to keep it fun and positive so potty training doesn't get added to the list. Here are some common "potty fears" to look out for and how to deal with them:
Falling In
Toilets…
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How to Help Overcome Your Child’s Potty Fears
Dave Hagler
October Potty Training Article
“How to Help Overcome Your Child’s Potty Fears”
All toddlers have some sort of fear - "the dark," "bugs," "under the bed." When starting the potty training process it's important to keep it fun and positive so potty training doesn't get added to the list. Here are some common "potty fears" to look out for and how to deal with them:
Falling In
Toilets…
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5 Tips for Potty Training During the Hectic Holiday Season
Jen Singer
Ah, I remember it well. It was the middle of December, and my son was staying dry through his marathon naps, talking about the potty and asking to be changed from his wet diapers. I knew these were signs of potty training readiness, but I also knew that my calendar was filled with crazy-busy holiday…
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