Last summer we decided it was time to potty train our oldest son. He was going to start preschool in September and had to be potty trained before it started. So I started doing some research.
I found a book and method by Teri Crane called Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day. Who wouldn't be interested in that? I read the book and since our son scored high on the potty-training readiness quiz, we set a date and got ready to potty train in just one day!
Here's what you need to get ready for the big day, and some tips from our experience:
- Pick a day that you will be home have someone available to take care of your other children if necessary. My husband's day off is Friday so he could take care of our baby.
- Buy a Potty Scotty or similar doll that can "use the potty." I recommend you practice with the doll the night before. I had to get the hang of it before I could do it in front of my son.
- You will need treats and small gifts. We used a muffin pan and filled each hole with treats. Throughout the day, our son got to open gifts from family members that went along with the theme of the day (see below for details on the theme).
- You'll need underwear. Lots of pairs of underwear. And you may want to put a sheet or protector on the couch where your child will be sitting during the day.
- Stock up on books and videos about using the potty to read and watch together.
- And finally, you may want to use a sticker chart. You will need one for the doll and one for your child.
On the big day, you and your child teach the doll how to use the potty in the morning. In the afternoon, your child uses the potty himself and gets lots of liquids, praise, and attention!
The book suggests hosting a party that night to celebrate your child's success. Your potty party can have a theme, and that theme can be used throughout the day. We did a "Surf's Up" party. Because we live states away from our families, we invited over a few friends. Our son talked about his party for days afterward, so we were able to remind him that everyone was celebrating what a big boy he was!
Overall, we were very pleased with the method. Taking one day to really focus on the process helped our son understand that using the potty occasionally wasn't an option. He was a full time big boy! We had a few accidents, but no more than any other child learning. I highly recommend Teri Crane's book Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day.
Sandra Peoples is a stay at home mom who keeps busy with her two young sons. She blogs about family life at Celebrate Every Day, and blogs with friends at Today's Housewife. You can also find her on Twitter @SandraWP.
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I tried this and it didn't work..not sure where I went wrong, however two weeks after trying my little man went all on his own and we have never looked back…he's dry at night and everything…bizarre!!!
So is he fully potty trained now? Had you worked with him before the one day party? How old is he? Does the book say when you should start this? Thanks for the info.
Lori- He is fully potty trained now. We didn't do much with him before, besides reading the potty books and modeling for him. I think he sat on the potty a couple times in the month before the big day. We potty trained in May and he turned 3 the following Oct. The book provides a potty training readiness quiz that was helpful for us.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm sure that was a day you'll never forget:)