It has been a struggle potty training my toddler.
For a long time it was one step forward and 802 steps back.
But I think (knocking on wood) that she is almost at the end of this journey.
So I thought I would share some of the phrases and/or bribery tricks I’ve used while potty training this crazy hair child.
Potty Tricks
1.) “Minnie Mouse wants you to go potty.”
2.) “It makes Dora sad when you pee in your pants.”
3.) “After you go potty you can have gum, candy, chocolate chips, whatever has sugar in it.”
4.) “Have some of my coffee while you are on the pot” (luckily I only drink decaf. I would hate to see this kid wired on caffeine).
5.) “Here, have the iPad to watch D-D-Diego or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” (Another reason why YouTube is awesome).
6.) “It makes me sad when you don’t use the toilet.”
7.) “You make me so happy. I’m so proud of you.” (Of course she repeats this back to me whenever I do something she likes).
8.) “I’ll buy you *insert item she wants from the store we are at.*”
9.) “Look, your baby doll can use the potty” or “show your baby how to be a big girl.”
Some days these tricks worked, some days she plugged her ears and went about her day.
But at least I tried.
And now it’s time for me to move on from the big pink diaper bag I’ve been carrying for the last almost 3 years to a real purse. Perhaps one of these Piazza handbags to start with? Because really, a girl can never have too many pretty bags.
A girl can also never have too many martinis which is why we have a Peeps Martini recipe posted over at One Martini. Just in time for Easter.
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Twitter: elenawollborg
says:
I’ve heard Dora gets pissed at me when I pee my pants too. Dude, I totally have stuff in common with Layla.
However, I would never plug my ears and go about my day.
Elena recently posted..‘Tis better to have been thin and lost, than never to have been thin at all?
Maybe she should teach you how to plug your ears when you are in trouble. It seems to be a great skill to have because it makes people laugh instead of staying angry.
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
says:
Oh I’m SO jealous! I have years ahead of me being up to my eyeballs in diapers. And pee everywhere.
And congratulations L!!
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..Blog Bash Winners!
One day you will be done with diapers. I promise.
Twitter: carribrown
says:
Blake stopped having accidents once I started letting him pee out in the yard. But if I were you, I’d stick with the Dora trick.
Carri recently posted..Call the FBI, Y’all. It’s a Kardashian Kontroversy!
Yeah, I don’t think I need Layla outside peeing in the grass.
Twitter: KimberlyAMuro
says:
Last week Dylan sat on the potty with a cup of jellybeans. Bad parenting? Whatever. It worked.
Kimberly recently posted..A Big Announcement
Ha! Layla has done the same thing but it was M&M’s instead of jellybeans.
Twitter: galitbreen
says:
Oh you have great tricks!
(And hooray for being almost done with potty training!)
Galit Breen recently posted..The Scary Mommy Book Review & Giveaway!
The end is so very close.
Twitter: applesndroses
says:
Yep, that pretty much sums it up!
Oh and I also used gummy bears..
If your kid is anything like mine, I’ll give you the heads up, (did I say that right?)
Don’t stop rewarding to soon or she’ll get tired of it and start a new episode that’s called: where can I pee next or why should I get up to go potty, if it’s so much easier to pee in my pants..
Mirjam recently posted..Flowers and sunshine
I don’t want that new episode to stop.
We have a cup of chocolate chips on the counter and she gets 3 every time she uses the toilet. I think I’ll keep it up until she goes to college.
Twitter: corp2domestic
says:
These are some great bribes…I’m going to remember these for Nolan
Natalie recently posted..Out with March, and in with April!
I have never potty trained boys before so I have no idea what works for them.
Twitter: andthenkate
says:
Potty training was the worst part of parenting for me, at least so far. The, er, #1 part went fairly well, but the, er, #2 part took forever. And then some. So I’m impressed your wee one is already almost at the finish line. I’d say that’s reason for candy and Starbucks for EVERYONE involved, if you catch my drift.
Kate recently posted..Random thoughts from the ether, otherwise known as: When in doubt, mention Jon Hamm.
Of course I catch your drift. Starbucks and candy are always served up for while potty training in addition to martinis.
Twitter: babspinfrance
says:
I am currently in potty training hell so I might have to try some of these.
Barbara recently posted..American in Paris part deux
Good luck my friend.
Twitter: chicktuition
says:
Poor thing. But at least you’re almost done with the potty training fun. And you can move on to the shopping for the perfect bag fun.
jacqui recently posted..Sharing The Magic…
That’s the best part.
Ugh! We are right there with you. It’s a daily struggle and so NOT fun!!
Thank God for alcohol.
Tonya recently posted..Golden Slumbers
Exactly. I’ve been having more than my fair share of martinis lately.
Potty training is the WORST. UGH. I practically did a jig when my kids were trained, thinking I would never have to go through that hell again! GROSS.
Nicole recently posted..Nicole’s Gone Kind Of Wild
I never want to go back to dealing with diapers or potty training again once I’m done with this kid.
Twitter: bocafrau
says:
Ah, the joy of potty training. So glad I’m done with it. It’s such a nice feeling to stop lugging around that massive diaper bag and switch to a nice purse, even if it’s a big one to carry all the little extras our little boogers need.:)
Susi recently posted..Should I feel guilty?
I’ve been using the diaper bag for far too long now. It’s time to move onto something that’s more fo me and less for the kids.
Twitter: NorthWestMommy
says:
Those bags are beautiful! I think the toffee color one is in order. Bribing your kid with coffee-it’s like we are virtual twins my friend.
Stasha recently posted..Monday Listicles
Whatever works, right?
Oh, this is awesome. Just awesome. I use many of the same tricks. It’s necessary and also very hilarious!
These tricks are necessary when your toddler wants nothing to do with potty training like mine did.
Twitter: AccustomedChaos
says:
I had the hardest time potty training my second child. eventually i just gave up and waited and one day — she was like, yep im done & that was that.
love your list!
Devan @ Accustomed Chaos recently posted..I Broke Myself — Yes Again, But I Also Have Some Fun News
I gave up on training my youngest for awhile because it was getting us nowhere. When I really started trying again she was more into it and it’s been a bit easier.
Love these. I’d steal them but I think we are there too. He held it today for 20 minutes until we could get to a potty. I was AMAZED.
Congrats!
Natalie @MamaTrack recently posted..Like Riding a Bike
Wow. That’s a long time to hold it. I’m not even sure I could do that.
Twitter: CandGsMom
says:
I used many of those lines. I bought Cars underwear and told him Lighning McQueen would be SO MAD if he got peed on. I absolutely HATED that process! I did just about everything wrong.
I don’t want to train my little one but yesterday he told me he didn’t want diapers anymore because he wants to be an “under boy”. Here we go again..sigh…
=)
Danielle recently posted..Confessions of an Over-Sharer
Hopefully it’s easier for you the second time around.
Twitter: FarewellStrangr
says:
Ha! It makes Dora sad… Yes it does.
Hope she’s done! And it sounds like you deserve a pretty bag.
Robin | Farewell, Stranger recently posted..Pregnancy is an Evolutionary Oops
A pretty bag filled with martini supplies.
Twitter: TeresaThinks
says:
You are great at bribery! I think my kids didn’t like seeing me frustrated as I cleaned pee (from the carpet- no hardwood here) and just decided to help me out. Bahahaha! No, I bribed sometimes too.
Teresa recently posted..hair growth update
Ha! My kids probably love seeing me clean up their messes.
Hooray!! No more diapers!! Bribery is a great tool
Runnermom-jen recently posted..Spring Break Blues
The end is so close, I can feel it.
Twitter: mommonsenseblog
says:
Oooo, a real purse! How exciting! You’ll totally have to post a picture when you do take the plunge so we can see what you pick. =)
Elizabeth recently posted..Countdown!!!
Of course I’ll share a picture of whatever purse I end up with. It will be an exciting announcement.
Twitter: juliahembree
says:
Hehe, I love the bribes! And congratulations on potty training! It is such an exciting accomplishment!
Julia recently posted..Drive, Laugh, Love
Thank you! The end is so close.
Well we told our son that he would look like Shrek if he didn’t stop using a bottle…so #2 is totally plausable.
Potty training is the worst. Worst.
Chocolate helps as a bribe. And ice cream.
Kimberly recently posted..Spring Cleaning: Green Works Giveaway
Chocolate chips are her sugar of choice lately after using the restroom.
We ended up with 25 new apps (mostly free ones) on the iPad during potty training. JDaniel could use the iPad only while sitting on the potty.
JDaniel4′s Mom recently posted..Muffin Tin Monday- Sneaking Carrot Lunches
The iPad is very nice for potty training since the kids love playing with it.
Ok, #1 & #2 made me laugh! I always say I won’t resort to bribery, but dang if I don’t already at this young age too!
Rach (DonutsMama) recently posted..On Those Days
I use bribery every chance I get.
Twitter: UniquelyEN
says:
I LOVE your list! Any parent who has experienced the joys, or lack there of, of potty training can totally relate! For us it was easier with our second child than with our first. We used a timer that was set for 90 minutes and when G went potty he got an M and M or 2 if he went #2. I can hardly wait to see how things will go with our daughter. Only time will tell!
Erin recently posted..He got a HIT and I missed it!
My first child was so much easier than my second but that seems to be the case for most things. My youngest is such a strong willed child while her sister was so easy going.
Twitter: EverythingEvie
says:
I’m pretty sure I’ll be telling my son that Thomas the Train gets sad when he pees his pants.
I think it works best if he’s wearing Thomas underwear.
Twitter: theharriedmom
says:
My daughter got a Hersey’s Kiss every time she went on the potty…it only took a week to master it. Apparently the way to get this kid to do anything is chocolate!
Debra recently posted..Impromptu Tea Party
My kid loves chocolate chips lately as her reward so I have a bowl of them on the counter for her.
Twitter: madwomandiary
says:
I so wanted to use these tricks! I even bought the M&Ms. I begged a few times and Maddy wasn’t in the least bit interested. She then spent a long day with a friend who was potty trained and that was it. She wanted to use the potty.
No more than 10 accidents later and we were in the clear.
And Adonis ate all the M&Ms. #jerkdidntevenshare.
Congrats, the end is near!…well, that is, unless you decide you want another!??!?!?!?!
Hell no there will be no more children.
Twitter: Twinisms
says:
Maybe you should try telling her Dora wants her to use the potty in Spanish.
Bridget recently posted..WTF Wednesday
If only I knew how to say that in Spanish.
Twitter: Twinisms
says:
Also, I though the link said Pizza handbags – I was expecting a funny Etsy page!
Bridget recently posted..WTF Wednesday
Well now I feel like I need to find funny pizza handbags for you.
We’ve been trying to psych up our 27-month-old son on using the toilet. All he sees is a giant bowl of water that he can fall into. He’d rather play in it than pee in it, so I think we still have a long way to go! But I am ALL for bribery, when the time comes. It’s how we got our daughter potty trained!
Laural Out Loud recently posted..The Relief That Nutella Is Meatless, It Was Mighty
Bribery is always good when it comes to potty training. I don’t know how anyone would get it done without bribery.