potty training

When it comes to potty training, we've seen our fair share of bizarre ideas. (Remember these potty training products gone wrong?) Still, the new digital iPotty is quite a surprise.

Revealed at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the iPotty is essentially a training toilet with an iPad stand. The goal is to keep tots entertained and seated — in much the same way as board books and songs have done for years. 

Get the full story at The Huffington Post>>

Would you buy the iPotty?

Image Source: AP via Huffington Post

I consider myself a fairly smart and informed parent.  I keep up with my daughter’s pediatric visits, keep up by subscribing to e-newsletters such as WebMD and BabyCenter, and exchange developmental notes with other parents quite frequently. In addition, I thought the fact that I moonlight as a pharmacist on my days off from being full time mommy was an advantage of sorts. But even with my medical background, I was dumbfounded by three “toddler lessons” I encountered recently.

1. Holding Poop for a Really, Really Long Time

I did not discover how strong my two-year-old's will, determination, and sphincter muscles were until we started potty training. All of a sudden, my daughter went from going “poopy” three times a day to holding her bowel movements for seven days in a row. Yes, you read correctly! Apparently, all you have to do is encourage a toddler to poop in the toilet and she can go from a regular pooping princess to irregular royalty. At this point, going number two in the potty involves lots of water and prune juice, a bribe of goldfish here and there, an insanely quiet bathroom, and lots of prayers.

2. Hand, Food and Mouth Disease

Other than the “poop showdown,” we have a healthy and happy little person. She is up-to-date on her vaccinations and never misses a doctor’s appointment. What she did not have (back in June anyway), was the most tolerant immune system. You see, up until this past summer my daughter did not attend any child care centers or programs. She is our only child and  I was her primary care taker. Well, imagine my surprise when my daughter woke up one day with a fever and a sore throat and developed red pustule-like bumps on her hands, face and limbs. We took her to the doctor and it was discovered that she had Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Huh?!?  I had never even heard about this virus until a few days before her episode.

Apparently, the virus was making its rounds at her new school. Much to our dismay, all we could do is offer supportive care (ibuprofen for fever/pain, keeping her hydrated, ice pops for her sore throat, and keeping her comfortable.) No amount of antibiotics would help, as this is a virus. So if your toddler ends up with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, you just have to “ride it out,” so to speak.

3. Toxic  Synovitis

Maybe a week after the virus scare, things seemed to be back to normal. The fever was gone and my daughter’s sores were pretty healed. But one morning, as we called her for her regular morning cereal, she refused to go to the table to eat. She actually demanded to be picked up rather than walk to her chair to savor her favorite time of the day: Meal Time!

My husband and I gave in initially and carried the princess wherever she needed to go. But, once I had enough, I beckoned her to partake in some of her favorite activities with me: go to the park, play catch, all of which she either refused or tried to part-take in while on her knees. This paralyzed me with fear and I rushed her to the ER.  The diagnosis was toxic synovitis. Apparently, toxic synovitis is a temporary condition affecting children that causes inflammation of the joints. Symptoms include: hip, thigh and leg pain, which can cause the child to limp due to the amount of pain experienced. Younger kids may refuse to walk altogether, often resorting to crawling or walking on their knees. 

After a week of me carrying an extra thirty pound weight around and having her take some time off from school to rest her limbs she was back to herself. Our princess was rested, walking and “ready to go!"

Actually, we are still working on “ready to go” part.  She now goes poopy every two days.  Sweet victory!

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Like many Circle of Moms members, Sharon M. feels like she is in a potty training nightmare. She’s decided she’s just not ready for target practice (and constantly cleaning up the bathroom). That’s why her new tactic for potty training is simple: “I can't imagine him standing up at this age," she says. “The pee would be everywhere. I told my husband if he wanted him to pee standing up he can teach him, and he can clean up the mess, but he’s sitting down for me."

Though there is no definitive right or wrong answer to the “should he sit or stand” potty training question, many Circle of Moms members are convinced that toddler and preschool-aged boys should be encouraged to sit while peeing — at least until they have mastered the potty training process. Here, they list six reasons why they are insisting their sons sit whether peeing or pooping.

1. It’s Less of a Mess

Cleaver B. agrees with Sharon M. and the other Circle of Moms members who swear by potty training in sitting mode, mostly because they don’t want to be wiping up messes. "I  want my son to sit while he pees for as long as I can,” she says. “Maybe it’s just me but I hate urine on the toilet seat."

It’s not just her, agree moms like Melissa B.: “My son has been potty trained for over a year since he turned two and as far as he is concerned, boys sit to pee. My adventurous, creative, mischievous red-head is relatively clean when going to the potty, and it hasn't once occurred to him to use it as a fire hose. I am in no hurry for him to learn that boys can pee while standing because it will open up doors of mess. Plus we also don't have to worry about if the seat should be up or down. It just stays down. Teach your son to pee while sitting — it's easier and cleaner.”

Some moms, like Michelle M., take the peeing-while- seated method for boys to the extreme. "I taught my son to pee sitting down and standing up, but I also informed him that is he peed on the seat or floor or anywhere that was not the toilet bowl he would be cleaning it up,” she says. “So to this day and he is now 11 he still sits to pee unless there is a urinal.”

2.  It's How Mom Does It

When mom is the role model for potty training, the logical solution is to teach your son to sit down, say Circle of Moms members like Dianne D. "I taught my son to pee sitting down, only because that’s the way we girls do it,” she says. “His father did not teach him so he does not know how to pee standing up.”

Lara T. agrees that moms have no choice about the sit-or-stand issue when they are the primary potty training teachers. “Being a SAHM, it was natural for him to copy me and sit,” she says. “Eventually though he asked to stand up and pee like his dad. We gave it a go and taught him to clean up any messes, this was around four. It very quickly became too messy (he's highly distractible), so we told him back to sitting. We've tried again once or twice (he's seven) and he doesn't clean up the messes so no standing allowed.”

3. Standing Can Be Distractive

Many moms agree that another good reason to teach potty training sitting downis that it helps boys be more focused about learning to use the toilet. "When they stand they get distracted by everything from the window to the floor and pee goes everywhere their eyes do,” says Tiffiny. 

4. It's Easier When You're Away from Home

Heather K. shares that when her son stands up, it often results in not only a mess, but also in him wetting his pants. That’s why she says that sitting down is especially sensible when she brings her son to a public bathroom and they are away from home. 

“My son is four-and-a-half and trying also to stand while he pees,” she says. “But the issue is that he needs to clean up whatever mess he makes if he decides to pee when standing up. So anytime he makes a big mess peeing standing up, he has to personally get some toilet paper or a paper towel and clean it up. The pee goes everywhere when he does this. So when he is out with me, I make him sit down."

5. Some Boys Would Rather Sit

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

I heard lots of stories about how the second child is supposed to be easy. Apparently my 5-year-old did not get that memo. She has been headstrong from the get-go — arriving early and in fairly good health. She cried heartily and loudly, and flailed her limbs about, making it difficult for the neonatal team to get her stats. 

She never liked swaddling, slept in tiny snippets of time, and always seemed bored with nursing. She began to crawl close to 6 months, something I believed happened because she always looked like she wanted to move. Unlike my older child, a fussy eater, she was all about food. And not the baby purees; she went straight for the table food. At 18 months. she quit needing a nap. (The plus was that she finally started sleeping all night at that age too). She wears swimsuits in the middle of winter (not outside), and can negotiate almost as well as a teenager. She learned to read by the time she was 4, and is a non-stop onslaught of curiosity — the questions sometimes make my head spin!

A lot of what she does is on her own timetable though. Her fierce independence can be a blessing, but also frustrating. When it came to potty training, she staunchly resisted. We tried cajoling, rewarding, waiting and re-starting it all over again. At 3 years old, she refused to wear Pull-Ups and wanted only underwear. I did not want to put her in underwear because of all the accidents. So I explained to her about really needing to go potty if she was  going to wear underwear, and she solemnly said "Momma, I love you. I want underwear please!" I'm not sure if she understood my explanation, but when I compared the cost of buying Pull-Ups with stocking up on a bunch of cheap underwear that I wouldn't mind tossing for really bad accidents, I said okay. I actually hoped it would help the potty training go better since the accidents would not be soaked up like in a trainer. 

Silly me! The accidents did become fewer over time, but my daughter still resisted the potty routine wholeheartedly. She seemed almost lazy about it. She knew how to do it, but did not care one bit if she did not make it. It was a source of great frustration and even a little anxiety. This year I started wondering if there would still be problems when she started Kindergarten this Fall. 

About two months before her 5th birthday though, she started to go more often. She would often wait until the last minute and still have the accident because it was too late, but the difference was that she suddenly seemed to care. She would race down the hallway — she was trying! When I praised her one day for making it on time, she told me that she can't have accidents anymore because 5-year-olds don't have accidents and she would be 5 soon.  

I believe she may have heard it from a friend at preschool, but it didn't matter. It was typical of her character. Once she decides on something, her focus and effort are there, and she accomplishes it. The ongoing challenge I see with her is that there are times when she will have to do things on a different schedule, and I somehow will have to teach that we should give our best effort even when we don't want to.

Image Source: Janine White

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

All the parenting books emphasize the fact that potty training boys versus girls can be very different. What works for girls may not work for boys, and vice versa.

For most children, potty training usually starts between 2 1/2 to 3.  My boy-girl twins were right on target, with our daughter J leading the way.

The twins had matching potty seats (one pink and one blue) and they responded equally well to praise and encouragement when it came to doing #1 (pee).

Fast forward to conquering #2 (poop), which is where the twins diverged. Our daughter loved the idea of using the toilet and of celebrating her success doing both #1 and #2.

Our delightful son decided that he would do #1 but when it came to #2, nothing worked. And I mean nothing. We tried everything from TV to allowing the potty seat in the kitchen, and so much more. Getting M to poop became a running joke between my husband and myself.

Enter The Poop Jar

Then, one day I had an idea. Hang onto your potty seats — I created a POOP JAR for M. At first glance, this sounds awful, right? In fact, the poop jar was a clear and large container (like a cookie jar) that contained small prizes M could earn every time he successfully "dropped a friend in the toilet" as my husband called it.

The prizes ranged from pennies to stickers to lollipops and the occasional match box car. The idea of reaching into the jar and pulling out a prize was so motivating for M that I wish I had thought of it sooner.

How to create your own POOP JAR:

1. Get a clean, clear, empty container. Plastic only.  It can be Tupperware — just be sure it is transparent.
2. Create a fun label with your child's name. Use stickers and other art to decorate it.
3. Fill the jar with small prizes like gum, crayons, stickers, small toys. I went to the dollar store to fill up our jar.
4. Let your child see the jar, touch it, and talk about why he or she has a poop jar.
5. Leave the motivating container in the bathroom. Don't make a big deal out of it, but be clear with your toddler that a reward awaits him or her each time she does #2.

We still laugh about the poop jar. In fact, it is stored in our basement in a box so that I can secretly pack it up when he goes to college!

Humor continues to help me parent with the best intentions while also having fun. I hope this helps other families conquer potty training.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Potty training can be a fraught time for both kids and parents. The former are excited about being independent and "grown up," and the latter are thrilled about the prospect of losing the mess and cost of diapers. But despite great intentions on both sides, potty training hardly ever goes as planned. One way to make it easier on your child is to decide ahead of time whether you want him or her to learn on a toddler potty or a toilet insert, rather than experimenting as you go along. This will prevent confusion and take one variable out of play. But which option should you choose? Here, Circle of Moms members weigh in on the pros and cons of each.

Pros and Cons of Toilet Inserts

The fear factor is the most common complaint against the insert. Corina's son was terrified of sitting on the big potty at first, but she stuck with it. She held him on the seat for awhile each time until he got his bearings, and soon she got him a step stool and he was readily climbing up all by himself. Sara's daughter was afraid of the big potty, and for good reason — she once fell in!

Tiave much prefers cleaning the insert over cleaning a whole potty, however small. The insert doesn't really get dirty at all, unless there's an accident, while the toddler potty must be cleaned after each use. 

We have both in my house, and my son always chooses the potty chair (unless he decides to wing it on the big toilet, no insert). He seems to find the insert awkward and not very stable. "It's wobbly," he says. I will admit that I would prefer not to clean it every time, and it's been tricky to avoid cross-contamination with the sink, but it's worth it to me for him to get his first choice and have a successful experience. 

And while the insert is removable, it's more unwieldy than the toddler potty, so not as portable. Vicki's family likes to go camping, and the insert wouldn't really work for these trips, whereas the potty chair is an easy thing to transport, and the "bathroom" can be wherever your child wants it to be.

September is a proponent of the insert, as it removes one transition her child will have to make. Her thinking is that the move from big potty with insert to regular potty without is easier than going from toddler potty to big potty.

Pros and Cons of Toddler Potties

Angie's daughter ruled out the potty insert early on, so they chose a potty chair to start. The biggest advantage of these is their easy portability. Some moms question whether the toddler potty makes it more difficult for kids to transition to the big potty, with or without insert, later. Angie's daughter had no trouble transitioning to the big potty before age three.

If you go with the potty chair, there are two basic models to consider: the low-to-the-ground, single-piece potty and the two piece chair (larger) with a removable insert. Our babysitter mentioned early on that the two-piece potty often sticks to the child's bottom, especially in hot weather. For this reason, we got the one-piece, and it's worked out perfectly (and is more portable). But my child is small; a large kid might have trouble sitting on the one-piece.

Jackie has both in her household, and her son prefers the little potty for poop and the big potty, with insert, for pee. 

Final Thoughts

For my son, the best potty of all is the low, but grown-up style potties they have at his preschool. He can pee standing up or sit comfortably on it (even get comfy enough to read). But, obviously, this is not an option at home. If your child shows an interest in one or the other, run with it. Sometimes, kids just simply have ideas about where they want to do their business. If your child doesn't express a preference, then go with the qualities that are most important to you. The big breakdown tends to be ease of cleaning (toilet insert) versus portability (potty chair).

Image Source: Jessica Merz via flickr/creative commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.