Have a Potty Party!

Get ready: It's time to ditch that diaper! Your potty trainee gets to try out those snazzy new underpants or go bare-bottomed! So it's time to celebrate big-time!

Here's how to get this potty started:

• Make a big announcement. Declare today No Diaper Day—and make a big deal of it! Clap, sing, shout it out! Don a silly party hat. Put streamers in the bathroom if you want to! The more excited your kid gets about a potty party, the more successful your diaper-free adventure will be.
  
  
• Invite a friend. Parties are always better with guests, right? If your toddler has playmates who are also potty training, why not invite them (and their mommies, of course!) over for a "pee" party, too? When children see their buddies getting all the praise, it makes them want to get in on the action, too!
  
  
• Invite a "friend." Imaginary friends make great potty party guests, too. If your child has a favorite doll or stuffed animal, you can pretend to have it drink some juice or water, then wait a few minutes and take it to the potty to do its "business." Praise and reward just like you would your own child. "Yay, Teddy!"
  
  
• Ban the diaper. Wait until your child has just gone pee—either in the potty or in his diaper. Instead of putting a diaper back on, leave him bare down there or put on a favorite pair of underwear. Again, make a BIG deal that your kid is not wearing a diaper.
  
  
• Be on the lookout. As a general rule, your child will probably have to go potty about every 1½ to 2 hours or within 30 minutes of drinking. So, watch for signals that your kid has to go and put her on the potty.
  
  
• Follow the 10-1 Rule. If it's been 90 minutes (or so) since your child has gone potty but he hasn't peed yet, put him on the potty for 1 minute every 10 minutes. If he goes, great. If not, let him get up and try again in 10 minutes. Keep bringing him back until he goes.
  
  
• Don't sweat the accidents. Yes, there will be accidents. Maybe lots of them. Don't get frustrated. Whenever it does happen, take a deep breath and give her a hug. Then say, "Uh oh! Looks like you had an accident. You know that feeling you had in your tummy? That meant you had to go potty! Next time, let's run to the potty." Then, get a rag or paper towel and have your child help you clean up the mess.

Remember: Don't freak out (especially you neat freaks!) at the prospect of a butt without barriers. Whenever we learn something new (whether we're children or adults), making mistakes is part of the process. No one has ever learned to ride a bike without falling. So if at first your child doesn't succeed, dry, dry again (ba-dum-bump!).

Bottoms up!

Want more information about having a potty party? Check out my book Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day.

Sharing time: How'd the potty party go? Give us all the details in the comments below!

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