Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>For All You Potty Training Experts...
Daycare_Mama 08:44 AM 01-07-2011
I'm going to start potty training my DD soon. She's been showing signs for a few months now, so I think it's time.. telling me if she went pee/poop, staying dry for periods of time, etc.

I've heard so many mixed opinions on training in pull-ups vs. underwear, but I haven't heard much of WHY people do one or the other.

I don't have a preference or opinion either way since I've never potty trained a child before, but I don't want to allow my daughter to go around in underwear and then when my DCB is ready to train, not allow him to go around in underwear, kwim? I want to pick a way to train my daughter that will be the same way I will require other DCK's to potty train in my home. Or is this unreasonable...will every kid need to train differently?

I'm just so confused as to how to go about it and everywhere I look, read, talk to people, everyone has such different ideas about the best way to potty train.

So to those of you who have potty trained many, what is your strategy? Do you prefer them be in underwear while they are training or pull-ups? And why? If you do let them be in underwear, do you have a rule such as one accident and they are in pull ups the rest of the day?

And one more thing about being potty trained and rates? I'm debating on if I should have my toddler rate stay the same UNTIL they are potty trained. For example, I charge $175 for my toddler rate. I originally figured I'd drop it to $165 when they turn 3. But now I've also heard many providers don't drop the rate down until they are potty trained...whether they are 2 or 4. This makes a lot of sense to me, but for those of you who do this, do you find that parents push potty training too soon to get the lower rate? And at what point do you say child is officially potty trained and able to go down to the lower rate? Because I know kids will still have accidents from time to time.
Reply
kidkair 09:08 AM 01-07-2011
I've potty trained from diapers before. The key is to get the kid to recognize what they are doing and how to control it. I have found the best way to potty train is a lot of potty time. I take daycare kids to the bathroom every 10 minutes and have them sit for 3 to 5 minutes until they succeed. Once they succeed I wait 45 minutes before starting the 10 minute routine again. The more successes the better. Always encourage them to follow a routine. There is no need to reward other than simple praise but some kids respond a little faster if given added incentive such as stickers, a special toy, or small bits of food. After awhile the kid can tell you when they need to go and once that occurs you can usually get them on a routine durning daycare at least starting with every hour and gradually extending to 2 hours or whatever fits best with normal routine. I personally prefer to train from diapers vs underwear or pullups because diapers catch BMs better and lead to less messy stinky clean ups. Once the kid is successfully keeping a diaper dry all day on a schedule I change them to underpants and try to keep them on schedule. Some times we have to go back to every 45 minutes and extend it back out but that usually goes quick.

Biggest things: Find a routine that you are comfortable with and follow it. Don't give up and start over repeatedly. Give it two weeks of being as consistent as possible before you give up and give it a rest for awhile if the kid is still not getting it. Rest for about a month unless the child asks to start again. As long as the kid is interested keep going because it is very hard to build that interest back up again.

Good Luck!
Reply
daysofelijah 09:12 AM 01-07-2011
My rate goes down when they are 3 AND potty trained. Only $5 a week though.

I keep them in diapers until they can stay absolutely dry for two hours. If they can stay dry while being reminded to go to the potty every two hours then they can wear underwear. If they have more then one accident they go back in diapers for the day. The majority of the kids I have trained or help train are ready at 2-2.5 and can pick it up pretty quickly (within 2 weeks) of taking them to the potty on a 1.5-2 hour schedule. My dd was the hardest, but she had poop-holding issues that made it a little harder. She did finally train at 2.5 though.

I do not care for pull-ups (except at night). They are just glorified diapers. Usually they are more expensive and you have to take pants off to put them on if they don't have the velcro sides. So they take more time to deal with than plain ol' diapers.
Reply
AnythingsPossible 09:12 AM 01-07-2011
For my own children I preferred underwear rather then pull ups. With daycare children, I generally go with pull ups till they get the idea of what we are doing then prefer to switch them to underwear. I have only had complete success with potty training once transitioning from pull ups to underwear.
As far as daycare and potty training, a lot of it depends on how much time you have to dedicate to potty training and how dedicated the parent is. Potty training is all about time and consistency. I currently have a little boy who is 3.5 and still not potty trained. Still in pull ups, parents who could care less about working with him, and he has no desire, and why should he. If he makes a mess in his pants, no big deal for him. Took him to the bathroom this morning and not 15 minutes later messed his pants. Drives me nuts. I also have one little girl who just turned 2, and usually I have them working on it by then, but she shows no interest what so ever!
Personally I prefer no pull-ups but for sanitary and clean up issues, they are certainly better. Especially if you have a child who could care less if they are wet or not.
Reply
Unregistered 09:27 AM 01-07-2011
For my own 3 kids who I trained and 3 daycare kids so far this is what I did. Required underwear ONLY no pull ups except for nap/bed time I never used pull ups because they are just like diapers and the kids will use them as so. I would take the kids potty EVERY hour and have them sit for 5 minutes if they went pee/poop I would give them LOTS of postive praise clapping my hands jumping up and down and saying YEAH BIG BOY/GIRL when they would go in their pants I would say big girls and boys dont pee/poop in their pants they go pee/poop in the potty. It usually took around 1 to 2 weeks and thats it but you HAVE to stick to it and do it everyday and your little one will get it. the ages I trained are anywhere for 1 and half to 2 and half.
Reply
Lilbutterflie 09:31 AM 01-07-2011
I have trained 3 so far; & I definitely believe if they are truly ready, potty training can only be successful if done in underwear. You can start in pullups to get the idea, but if you are going to fully potty train you've got to use underwear. Gerber makes a training pant that is just like underwear but super thick and absorbent. They still feel very wet, but it definitely decreases the mess.
My son was definitely the hardest to train. His body would expel fluids little bits at a time about 20 times a day. It wasn't until recently that he was able to physically hold it for long periods of time, & we are finally potty trained!
I have a dcg that I trained who was no problem whatsoever. Until she went with her dad out of state for 6 weeks, and when she came back her mom said she had to be in pullups b/c she was having so many accidents. Well, I'm about to tell mom that since she's had no accidents at my house outside of nap, I want her to bring underwear for her. Or I may just buy her some.
Anyway, however you decide to do it; Good Luck!
Reply
lvt77 10:21 AM 01-07-2011
how do you control BMs from happening all over your house if you use underwear? I tried that and it was a disaster...DCG had BM in UW and poop went all over the daycare. Other DCK stepped in it, one touched it with hands it was even on toys and our crawl through tunnel. I had to give the little girl a bath it was so bad. Meanwhile all the other kids were having to be confined to one part of my house becuase I still had to clean up the poop in the DC.

Then I had to pull out chemcials to clean the carpet, something I never do while kids are present. It was one of the worst daycare days ever....lol
It took me almost two hours or more to get the daycare back to a healthy state, but took me the entire weekend to correct it...UGH
Reply
Lilbutterflie 10:25 AM 01-07-2011
I've been fortunate that all that I've trained started off fully trained on pooping in the potty. That was the easy part. The very rare BM accident that occurs in underwear usually is fully contained b/c of it's consistency (not too loose).
Reply
Daycare_Mama 10:27 AM 01-07-2011
Originally Posted by lvt77:
how do you control BMs from happening all over your house if you use underwear? I tried that and it was a disaster...DCG had BM in UW and poop went all over the daycare. Other DCK stepped in it, one touched it with hands it was even on toys and our crawl through tunnel. I had to give the little girl a bath it was so bad. Meanwhile all the other kids were having to be confined to one part of my house becuase I still had to clean up the poop in the DC.

Then I had to pull out chemcials to clean the carpet, something I never do while kids are present. It was one of the worst daycare days ever....lol
It took me almost two hours or more to get the daycare back to a healthy state, but took me the entire weekend to correct it...UGH
This is exactly what I'm worried about. I think that underwear would train them faster, but I don't want this scenario either!

Not so much worried about my daughter because she only has a BM once per day and it's always in the evening after dinner, but my DCB goes at least 3 times a day here and it's never predictable!

I am fine with training my daughter in just underwear, but then when it comes time for DCB to train, it seems wrong to require pull-ups when his parent's will have seen that I didn't train my daughter that way.

I dunno... what about pull-ups OVER underwear..so they feel that they are wet, but if they do get wet or have a BM, it won't go all over?? anyone do this??
Reply
Blackcat31 10:35 AM 01-07-2011
I've been lucky too with BM's because most of my potty trainers have a routine enough already that 99% of their BM'ing occurs at home. When my dck's start potty training I ask the parents to NOT use pull-ups and to buy plastic pants along with the super thick absorbent training underwear. When they have a pee or poop accident it remains in the training pants. No one ready to potty train should be having really loose poo. The BM I get from my potty trainers can be shaken out into the toilet and not too much fuss. I also prefer the plastic pants with thick trainer underwear because the kid can still FEEL the wetness where as I don't think pull ups are anything but a diaper that gets put on differently. After they go for at least 2 weeks to a month with no accidents do I let them go with normal underwear. Each kid is different. I alsolet my trainers run around all day with only the trainer undies and plastic pants for the first whole week. No pants to take on and off while we are learning. They aren't naked and no one else seems bothered by it. It is easier for the kid and we introduce the pants back to them once they learn to master going potty on a basic level.

http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com...ing-Pants.html

Oh and I also charge a higher rate until they are completely trained even if that means they are 5.
Reply
kitkat 10:36 AM 01-07-2011
I do pull ups alone the first week, once they can show they can go potty on the toilet. After I can see that they can, then they can wear underwear with the pull ups over the undies. I do think underwear trains faster, but I'm not about to let dck make a mess all over my house. They have to be able to go 2 weeks no accidents before I'll let them go with just underwear.

My rates change when a dck is fully potty trained. That means no accidents for 2 weeks and goes without me keeping them on a schedule. I've been spoiled with great parents, so I haven't had any issues with parents trying to train when dck is not really ready.
Reply
lvt77 10:37 AM 01-07-2011
that sounds like a good idea....UW do feel different....
Thanks
Reply
Daycare_Mama 10:40 AM 01-07-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I've been lucky too with BM's because most of my potty trainers have a routine enough already that 99% of their BM'ing occurs at home. When my dck's start potty training I ask the parents to NOT use pull-ups and to buy plastic pants along with the super thick absorbent training underwear. When they have a pee or poop accident it remains in the training pants. No one ready to potty train should be having really loose poo. The BM I get from my potty trainers can be shaken out into the toilet and not too much fuss. I also prefer the plastic pants with thick trainer underwear because the kid can still FEEL the wetness where as I don't think pull ups are anything but a diaper that gets put on differently. After they go for at least 2 weeks to a month with no accidents do I let them go with normal underwear. Each kid is different. I alsolet my trainers run around all day with only the trainer undies and plastic pants for the first whole week. No pants to take on and off while we are learning. They aren't naked and no one else seems bothered by it. It is easier for the kid and we introduce the pants back to them once they learn to master going potty on a basic level.

http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com...ing-Pants.html

Oh and I also charge a higher rate until they are completely trained even if that means they are 5.
Do you know if they generally sell the training underwear in stores or do you have to order them online? I always see people mention this, but the only thing I ever find in stores is pull-ups (huggies), easy ups (pampers) or the generic pull-ups (target and babiesrus)..but they aren't underwear..they are thick like a pull-up... the training underwear sounds like a good idea, but I never see any in the stores!
Reply
Blackcat31 10:43 AM 01-07-2011
Originally Posted by Daycare_Mama:
Do you know if they generally sell the training underwear in stores or do you have to order them online? I always see people mention this, but the only thing I ever find in stores is pull-ups (huggies), easy ups (pampers) or the generic pull-ups (target and babiesrus)..but they aren't underwear..they are thick like a pull-up... the training underwear sounds like a good idea, but I never see any in the stores!
Most of my parents get them from Wal-mart or K-mart. Both of those stores do the order on-line and deliver to the store too. I dunno of other stores who sell them but we have Target, Wal-mart and K-mart in my town and I know they all sell them.
Reply
Missani 10:46 AM 01-07-2011
I used to work with someone in a toddler room who swore by the diaper OVER underwear method. It does work. They still feel wet and it does contain some of the mess. She had great success with it. If I were you, though, I'd consider diapers instead of pull ups to make it easier for you and to keep it cheaper (although with the underwear it doesn't make much of a difference.)

Personally, I am an underwear gal just because I really don't see the point of pull ups. The point of potty training is to learn to go potty-not to learn how to pull up and down your pants. I don't get why someone would pay more for that. However, I do understand why people want to keep the mess contained! With my toddlers (I was a toddler teacher in a center for 9 years) and my oldest son I kept them in diapers until I was seeing a pattern of dry diapers for long periods and they were showing an interest in potty training. Then I talked to the parents and came up with a plan we could all agree on. Then it was underwear time-taking them to the potty about every hour to hour-and-a-half. (Remember, they were already showing that they could keep a diaper dry for 2 hours or so before we started this.) After we had some successes, I just put them on the regular every 2 hour or so "diaper/potty shift" schedule but asked if they had to go in between. Most got it in a week or two at the most. Asking them if they have to go is also good because they actually have to think about it and get used to that question. However, most will respond "no" because they don't want to stop playing, and that's okay because you already know they can stay dry for an extended period.

Good luck! I actually enjoy potty training! (when the kid is ready, and DON'T let a parent talk you into it when you know the child isn't ready. That is just frustrating for everyone most of the time!)
Reply
Lilbutterflie 12:12 PM 01-07-2011
Originally Posted by Daycare_Mama:
Do you know if they generally sell the training underwear in stores or do you have to order them online? I always see people mention this, but the only thing I ever find in stores is pull-ups (huggies), easy ups (pampers) or the generic pull-ups (target and babiesrus)..but they aren't underwear..they are thick like a pull-up... the training underwear sounds like a good idea, but I never see any in the stores!
Target and BabiesRUs use to have them in the aisle with the baby blankets and cloth diapers. Gerber makes the ones they sell in stores. I actually have about 14 pairs of white and blue ones size 18 mos (up to 28 lbs; my DS is tiny!) along with two pairs of the plastic pants that go over them. Only used for one weekend when he was 2, I determined he just wasn't ready & when he finally was ready he was too big for them! PM me if you are interested in buying them.
Reply
QualiTcare 12:47 PM 01-07-2011
Originally Posted by Daycare_Mama:
This is exactly what I'm worried about. I think that underwear would train them faster, but I don't want this scenario either!

Not so much worried about my daughter because she only has a BM once per day and it's always in the evening after dinner, but my DCB goes at least 3 times a day here and it's never predictable!

I am fine with training my daughter in just underwear, but then when it comes time for DCB to train, it seems wrong to require pull-ups when his parent's will have seen that I didn't train my daughter that way.

I dunno... what about pull-ups OVER underwear..so they feel that they are wet, but if they do get wet or have a BM, it won't go all over?? anyone do this??
i used underwear with my own kids. i don't think it has to be "fair" to the dck's. their parents can let them wear underwear at home and pee on their own carpets/furniture. that WILL happen, but not much if she's ready. you said she poops once a day after dinner. when i knew about what time my kids were going to "go" i would sit the potty in front of the TV and let them sit on it butt naked while they watched whatever they were watching. i'd be right there and as soon as i noticed they were "going" which was surely an accident, i started clapping and jumping and acting like an idiot. they caught on quick that i wanted them to go in the potty. both of my kids were trained by the time they were 2.
Reply
AmandasFCC 12:50 PM 01-07-2011
I'm potty training my dd right now as well. And I DO use Pull-Ups. I think they are great for ensuring that your furniture and carpet stay pee-free, and it teaches them how to pull up/down their own pants. And I don't use a lot of cloth for her for the same reason as you - I don't allow potty-training daycare kids to come in cloth so I'm not going to be a hypocrite.

I have dd on a schedule. She goes to the toilet when she wakes up, and then:

9:45ish
11:15ish
3 or when she wakes from her nap
4:45/5
Before dinner (around 6)
Before bath (around 7)

Usually she stays dry, but every time I put her in cloth, she pees her pants? I don't get it.
Reply
QualiTcare 12:57 PM 01-07-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
For my own 3 kids who I trained and 3 daycare kids so far this is what I did. Required underwear ONLY no pull ups except for nap/bed time I never used pull ups because they are just like diapers and the kids will use them as so. I would take the kids potty EVERY hour and have them sit for 5 minutes if they went pee/poop I would give them LOTS of postive praise clapping my hands jumping up and down and saying YEAH BIG BOY/GIRL when they would go in their pants I would say big girls and boys dont pee/poop in their pants they go pee/poop in the potty. It usually took around 1 to 2 weeks and thats it but you HAVE to stick to it and do it everyday and your little one will get it. the ages I trained are anywhere for 1 and half to 2 and half.
i agree with this. this is what i did and mine were trained quickly also. i didn't use pull ups at night either though. i would get them up and take them to potty after a couple hours of sleeping. they would still have accidents, but that's why most toddler mattresses are plastic, i guess.
Reply
Former Teacher 08:41 AM 01-08-2011
Whenever I potty trained a child, I go straight to underwear. After 2 accidents, they are back in a diaper for the day. At nap, I would put a diaper on and then the underwear over the diaper so that after nap, you can just take off the diaper.

To me: pull-ups are a waste of time and money.
Reply
broncomom1973 09:42 AM 01-09-2011
Originally Posted by kidkair:
I take daycare kids to the bathroom every 10 minutes and have them sit for 3 to 5 minutes until they succeed. Once they succeed I wait 45 minutes before starting the 10 minute routine again. Good Luck!
There is no way I could leave the room every 10 minutes..... I take potty training kids every 45 minutes to an hour. It never fails that someone starts crying or screaming when I leave the room. I have one little boy who I think intentionally watches to see when I leave the room so he can tease another dcb who then starts screaming.
Reply
kidkair 09:52 AM 01-09-2011
Originally Posted by broncomom1973:
There is no way I could leave the room every 10 minutes..... I take potty training kids every 45 minutes to an hour. It never fails that someone starts crying or screaming when I leave the room. I have one little boy who I think intentionally watches to see when I leave the room so he can tease another dcb who then starts screaming.
If anyone starts misbehaving when I leave the room I make them all sit in the hallway waiting for the potty trainer to be done. I do it the entire day and then the next they behave much better. I don't have many issues with the kids because I'm direct in telling them what I expect and have no tolerance for misbehaviors.
Reply
Unregistered 01:17 PM 11-07-2011
I feel very confused as to why I'm having so much difficulty potty training my daughter who is now 18-1/2 months, and would really appreciate any advice. Back then my son was around 23-24 months - it took about 4 days for him to grasp the concept of eliminating in the potty and he had progressively fewer accidents relatively soon. I started potty training my daughter at 15+ months using the same methods as she had displayed clear interest in sitting on the potty, and also watches her older brother, etc. It has been about 3 months, and I've had mixed results.

My biggest confusion is I feel that my daughter understands the idea of eliminating in the potty, but for the most part, she still relies on my keeping an eye on her closely. For lack of better terms, she still doesn't know how to pee "on command" when i put her on the potty. The times she has gone in the potty are mostly when she is SO close to peeing, and I end of rushing her over, etc. It's about 3 months since i've started potty training, is this normal? Perhaps is she still too young for potty training?

I would be so truly grateful for any advice you may have for me.
Reply
mac60 03:45 AM 11-08-2011
To me 18 1/2 mo is extremely young to potty train.
I require pullups only,no cloth underwear, until the child has went potty for 2 weeks straight, on their own, with no accidents. They must be able to recognize they have to pee, be able to go to the potty and try to pull their pants down,etc. There is not going to be any peeing on my new floors or new furniture. My rules are easy to understand and I don't deviate from them.
Reply
Solandia 05:09 AM 11-08-2011
i don't potty train with pull ups or underwear. Parents put pulls up on kids way to early in the potty training process, and they hold practically nothing, and I would rather clean up BM in a diaper, not a pullup. It is akward to me, and messier in a pullup. AND I have to take off their pants completely to put on a new one. Time consuming.

Potty training is ongoing from birth on...we talk about changing diapers while changing them, what was in them, etc. As they get older, we talk about those things going in the potty and wearing underwear instead of a crinkly diaper. When they have a dry diaper at diaper changing time, I will sit them on the potty for a minute. About half the time they go at first....eventually they will go right away. If I can tell they are starting to 'hide' or have a special spot for their BMs, I grab then quick and put them on the potty. It has worked for several children over the years, some as young as 16mo, some as old as 3.5yo. It is low stress, no pressure, no making into a huge project of success & failure.

My limits: I will not have an incompletely trained child in underwear. Not taking the child every 15min to the potty. It becomes too stressful for the child AND for me. I will not have a child under 3yo sit on the potty for more than a minute without success. I cannot leave a child under 3yo in the bathroom alone, and I cannot leave a room of toddlers and preschoolers alone. I will not use some overly complex treat/reward system for peeing & pooping in the potty that the parent came up with, and I have seen some real crazy ones, too.
Reply
nannyde 06:01 AM 11-08-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I feel very confused as to why I'm having so much difficulty potty training my daughter who is now 18-1/2 months, and would really appreciate any advice. Back then my son was around 23-24 months - it took about 4 days for him to grasp the concept of eliminating in the potty and he had progressively fewer accidents relatively soon. I started potty training my daughter at 15+ months using the same methods as she had displayed clear interest in sitting on the potty, and also watches her older brother, etc. It has been about 3 months, and I've had mixed results.

My biggest confusion is I feel that my daughter understands the idea of eliminating in the potty, but for the most part, she still relies on my keeping an eye on her closely. For lack of better terms, she still doesn't know how to pee "on command" when i put her on the potty. The times she has gone in the potty are mostly when she is SO close to peeing, and I end of rushing her over, etc. It's about 3 months since i've started potty training, is this normal? Perhaps is she still too young for potty training?

I would be so truly grateful for any advice you may have for me.
I don't have any experience potty training a child that young. The youngest one I have ever done was 22 months and that was only once with a child who I was doing one to one care on.

The average girl in my home is trained in the first quarter of the third year. The average boy is in the second quarter of his third year.

I think there are some providers here do before two training. Maybe they will come on to advise.
Reply
Tags:potty training
Reply Up