Potty time

[sunnydays]

Okay...so I have three 2 year olds who are all potty training right now (well one is part-time, but the other two are full-time). I am happy and excited that they are starting to get it (including my own daughter), but the thing that I find really difficult during daycare hours is that they take sooooooo long in the bathroom! They say they have to go, then change their mind, then change their minds again etc. Then they sit and sit and sit and when I say "let's try again later" they insist that they want to pee now...more waiting...sometimes they pee, sometimes not. I am all for patience and I do not want to discourage them by saying no, but I cannot wait around all day for them to pee! How do the rest of you deal with this? Do you give time limits? A timer maybe? Do you leave them alone in the bathroom (this is not a good option for me because they tend to get into stuff like hand soap etc)? Help please!!!

[Crayola kiddies]

My daycare is in my basement and it is one very large room. I have a kitchen area that gas ceramic tile and the bathroom is right behind it. I have portable potties and and for children that like to sit forever it seems I put them on the potty in the kitchen area right outside the bathroom door. That way I can see them where ever I am.

[kidlove]

SunnyDays: this is what I do and it works wonders for me!!!!! Do you have hard floor out in your play room/living room. (area where you spend time with the kids) I take the potty chair out of the closet, bring it into my living room (on the hard wood floor) away from the toys and other kids, give the child a sippy cup/regular cup of water and a book, and they sit until they go or for about 10-15 minutes when beginning training. Now, this works GREAT for me and I have trained oodles of kids with this practice, it allows me to focus on that child and all the others at the same time not to mention, allows that child to feel "with" the kids rather than isolated in the bathroom. Some people have asked "doesn't that make them think it's okay to go to the bathroom in the living room?" or "don't you think that confuses them, the potty outside of the bathroom?" the answer is NO, I have done about 25 trainings in this manner and not one has been confused...by the time they get the concept, we transition to the bathroom and they are good to go. In my opinion, keeps ALL the kids safe and cared for durring the hectic time of training. We also take the potty seat outside for play, they sit on it, in the grass or on the deck while waiting to pee, then go back to play, sure beats the "outside" accidents.

[Mamma_Mia]

My daycare is in my basement and it is one very large room. I have a kitchen area that gas ceramic tile and the bathroom is right behind it. I have portable potties and and for children that like to sit forever it seems I put them on the potty in the kitchen area right outside the bathroom door. That way I can see them where ever I am.

I do the same thing too

[sunnydays]

Thanks guys! I've been thinking about getting the portable potties anyway, so I guess I'll pick up a couple and let them do their thing outside the bathroom (I have ceramic and laminate in my basement, so I have plenty of places I could put them). Do the portable ones have good pee guards for boys? I have a boy in my care who shoots pee everywhere!

[kidlove]

You can buy them with pee gaurds...mine doesn't really but I just had to get it cuz it's too cute. Not sure what company makes it but you can pick them up at walmart, looks like a frog, and the kids call it the "froggy potty" they love using it, may have to get one for boys and one for girls.

[sunnydays]

Yes, I saw the froggy potties at ToysRUs the other day and almost bought one because the pee guard looks really great and it looked simple to clean...the potty I have is terrible for cleaning! I may have to buy two though because I can see fights erupting But they also have fold-up potties for outings...I would like one for trips to the park.

[Sandbox Sally]

I do the same thing too

Me three