My boy is 16 mths old and I am due w/ my second in Nov. I would love to have my first child potty trained by the time I have my second. Is 16-17 mths too early for this method to work? I know it's possible because I'v heard of people that have done it. Please let me know what you're opinion is.
Thank you!

Michelle, I would say that it depends very much on your child.

Read the new article that we just posted called "At what age should I start potty training?"

The average or "ideal" age range for the potty training in one day method is 20 to 30 months, however, this is an average.

So, some children will be ready before 20 months and some others after 30 months.

Your child may be ready at 16 to 17 months, - the best way to determine this is not based on the child's age, but on the child's potty training readiness.

The article "How do I know if my child is ready for potty training?" should help you make your decision!.

I am beginning my third day on the system and my 3-year old son has only "gone" in the potty once (on the second day). I was able to get him to do that by putting the potty in the bathtub while he was playing with the water. He absolutely hates the practice runs (I do 10 each time there is an accident from different places in the house) but he refuses to use the potty. He will sit on the potty for about 20 minute periods (sometimes more, sometimes less). Then as soon as he gets off the potty, he goes in his undies. Is this his stubborness (he gets it naturally)? What suggestions do you have?

On a side note, I tried the email link available on the web page but there was no email address entered - just the subject and a URL in the body.

Marsha, The email link available on each one of the pages are for you to send the page to a friend - and therefore the email is blank.  We have updated the email link description to reflect what it does i.e. email page to a friend.

To contact us, you can post the comment as you did or via the contact us page! Webmaster, Potty Training in One Day

Hello Marsha, I created the DVD Potty Training in One Day. With your permission, I hope I might add some thoughts to your struggles.

Readiness

If you haven't already, give your child the readiness tests listed on this web site. "How Do I Know if My Child is Ready?" If your child passed all areas then he should be ready. However, if he failed to pass ALL instructions you may need to step back and reassess. Children who fail to follow directions exactly as the parent states have the hardest time with this method because it is dependent upon cooperation from the child.

Third day and only one potty in the pot Make certain that you have a complete understanding of the entire program.

Review the book and the steps in order as well as review the DVD. Be diligent in devoting an entire day to training with no other activities. For a child of 3 years old, training should take about 4-6 hours.

Practice Potty

You may decrease the practice potty runs to 5. However, almost all children hate to perform these runs. The reason being is that this is the only negative reinforcement for undesirable behavior. So it is natural for children to think this part unpleasant.

Having said this, if your son is violating standard family rules, ie. no temper tantrums, talking back, whining, etc. you have the freedom to implement your regular consequences for these behaviors. Then pick up training where you left off after dealing out consequences.

Stubbornness

This is THE most pressing issue for many moms. If you do not have a cooperative child this program, and any other, will not work. You must first address the obedience issues that your son seems to be "winning". If you have an agreed upon set of consequences for direct defiance you should implement them.

It may be necessary to take a break from potty training for a few days in order to "practice" obedience and cooperation. Then begin the training day again. Once he understands that you will follow through with consistency you will have a more cooperative toddler.

I hope this sparks some new energy and find some practical help with my suggestions.

Bonnie Horn

We have found great success with this program.

My son is almost 3 and seems to have picked it up very easily. I think one thing that helped us is I put new books in the bathroom that he had never read before.

He didn't mind sitting on the potty each time because he had a new book to read. And of course he loved Scotty!

So here's my question; the first 2 nights he was wet during the night. The first night he was still asleep and we had to wake him and change him.

The second night he came in to me to tell me he needed to be changed. I don't know if I need to switch him to pull-ups or see how it goes over the next few nights.

We are now on the third night after starting; we didn't give him anything to drink 2 hours before bedtime in the hope that that would help. While still in diapers he would wake up dry a lot.

The only information I can find about peeing during the night is for older children (5 or older). I don't this is a bed wetting problem in the clinical sense so any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Sarah, My advice would be to continue what you are doing for a few days. Limiting water intake 2 hours before bed is great.

The only other thing I would add is make sure that you have created an environment that will enable independence at night as well i.e. that if indeed he need to go potty at night - that he is able to get up and get to the potty or the bathroom.

Potty Training Concepts has a great article on what Potty Training at Night.

Hope this helps.

Narmin