Tips for Toilet Training

By Cindy Schweich Handler

The old adage that "no one ever graduated from college wearing diapers" may be true, but parents struggling through potty-training may wonder if their child will be the first. Below, moms and dads from around the country share their own creative -- and successful -- strategies for toilet teaching.

A manly man’s M.O. "While my wife was away on a well-deserved extended weekend with friends, I covered the couch and chairs with plastic, then went to the store with my son to buy “manly-man” underwear just like Dad’s. We went home and gave the pull-ups to the garbage man so he could "give them to little babies who didn't have any." Then we spent the weekend in underwear and sang the "manly-man song" ("Men, men, men, men, men …") There were very few accidents, and we had a great surprise for Mom when she got home." --Scott Smith, Louisville, Ky. 

A hero’s habits "My son looked up to a 10-year-old neighbor named Josh. Once, after Christopher turned three and still wasn’t potty-trained, I pointed out Josh’s school to him, and told him that diapers weren't allowed there. That seemed to be the incentive he needed. A few months later, he was peeing in the potty and announcing that now he was going to school with his hero!" --Sarah Stibbe Damaskos, Montclair, N.J.

The right morning ritual "After my daughter Coco woke up in the morning, I took off her wet diaper, and instead of bringing her to the bathroom immediately, waited until after she’d eaten breakfast. Then we went together, and I read her favorite books to her until she used the toilet. At this point, it didn’t take long." --Sally Marshall, New York, N.Y. 

Sweets for the neat "When my son was nearing three, I watched him for signals that he was ready to use the toilet -- if he was playing and suddenly started to squat, for example. Then we’d go to the potty, and with every success, he could pick one M&M from the bag for peeing, and two for pooping. Once he was in the habit of using the toilet, he seemed to forget about needing a reward." --Denise Ramm, Maple Park, Ill.

A matter of timing "I set a timer for every 20 minutes, and put my 2-year-old daughter Audrey on the potty each time. When she used it, I reacted in a big way, and eventually she made the association about what the toilet's for." --Marny Skinner, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 

Four days to underpants "We thought our daughter was ready, so over a vacation break, we put her on the toilet every 10 minutes the first day, then every 30 minutes the next, then every hour the next, and by the fourth day she was wearing big girl underwear." --Judy Glik, Clayton, Mo.

Pressure-proof  "My son’s a smart kid, but by the time he was in pre-K, he was the only one wearing pull-ups because he refused to have a bowel movement in the toilet. It became a real battle. Finally, we took him to a pediatric psychologist. She put total control in his hands, by asking him what he wanted us to do for him. He wanted a 'Cars' CD-player in the bathroom, and for us to stop reminding him to go. He felt like he couldn't disappoint us anymore because we weren't making it an issue, and in 24 hours he was toilet-trained." --Sonia Suter, Chevy Chase, Md.