Playful Pottying? Ideas?

[tangledblue]

Ok, so I'm still waiting for "Playful Parenting" from the library and I don't know if it has ideas about this anyway, but here's the issue: DD (2) is usually pretty good about the potty, but sometimes has accidents when either: she gets so involved playing that she forgets or, I ask her, she says no, and then 10 minutes later her pants are wet. It's the second situation that I am more concerned about.

I think it's because she wants to be in control of it, which is fine, but anyone have any suggestions for getting her to try when she needs to and/or when I suggest? Something playful and not too parentally-controlling to get her to go when it's been a while or when we're about to leave the house?

[korintherin]

DS22mo and I had a "race" yesterday where I said "ready, set, go" (both of us on the potty/toilet) and he FINALLY released. Or we count down like we're blasting off in a rocket.

He fights going potty when he wants to keep playing (or nurse instead, when he wakes up in the morning) and I just keep reminding him that he can play or nurse AFTER potty, and praising him for staying dry.

[treeoflife3]

I have heard that saying 'remember, when you need to go potty, you go to the bathroom' works better than 'do you have to go to the bathroom?' however, we aren't quite there yet so I have no clue on that one.

[nelson]

Of course having a boy, I have way more suggestions for that...going at the same time daddy is going (both of them standing and aiming in the toilet) going pee in a fun new place (the tub, a tree). Now girls seem a little harder for obvious reasons, maybe you could go on the big toilet and she could use a little one at the same time, for some reason this is neat for my DS. Also, I no longer ask if he has to go, he either tells me, or if it has been too long I just sit him on the toilet and say "potty time." Then there is no question that he can say "no" to. If he really doesn't have to go, he won't let me sit him on the potty, but mostly he goes whenever I put him on. Good Luck

[maddymama]

Hi Mama,
1) set a timer... it's the timer telling her to go and try, not you. Takes the stress out of it. I set it for every 30 minutes at first, then every 45, then every hour, etc. This helps with her not taking a break and then having a miss a few minutes later. With my daughter the more she insists she doesn't have to go, the more likely she was to have a miss two minutes later. :-)
2) Our rule is that everyone has to try to go potty before we leave the house... no ifs ands or buts... everyone, mommy, daddy, and DD. That rule helped us with the getting out of the house...
3) Keep a travel potty in the car. It's a lifesaver.
Good luck!
~maddymama

[lifeguard]

I never ask ds. He tells me sometimes & otherwise I simply go on a loose "schedule" (after sleeping, before leaving house, every 2 hours approx., etc.)

I generally tell him in a couple minutes we're going to go up to the potty & then .... And then in a couple minutes we go.