transition between potty and the toilet

Oooh, I remember that! Was SO happy to throw out the little potty.

Unfortunately, details have faded quickly -- I just asked my (4-y-o) daughter if she remembers, and she doesn't either -- but I think what we did was I would tell her a special story IF she was on the big potty, not the little one. I didn't punsh her for going on the little potty, just stories were only if she was on the big potty. I also had to allay fears about her falling in -- she was very concerned about that.

It was one of those two steps forward, one step back kind of things -- she didn't instantly and permanently make the transition -- but it didn't take too terribly long either.

A potty seat definitely helps a lot with the transition. The kind we have has handles on the sides, and when she's used other kinds of potty seats (like at her friends' houses) she's been a little disoriented -- I think the handles helped her feel more secure at the beginning.

Good luck!

We never really had an issue with that so it is hard to say for me. Once my daughter was trained (and she wasn’t trained until 3 and a half) she would use any toilet or potty. We did not soon after she learned put the top part of the potty on the toilet and a while after that we just took it away.

I was thinking the same thing as sozobe – that he may be afraid of falling in. Maybe just put that potty that fits on a toilet on and leave both available to use and similar to how sozobe says, compliment him on using the big potty, like oh look at you, you are a big boy, you can use a big potty.

or put something under the potty so the childs feet touch a floor surface and they feel balanced and safe..... that's what I did with Bi-Polar Jr......or everytime they use the potty instead of the toilet slash a kittens throat in front of them....

OH! Yes, how could I have left that out? Really important. First we used the little potty itself (it had a lid.) Then we got a little stool (er, the wooden kind... you know...), that made a huge difference.

(Various comments about the kitten violence self-censored...)

ya try to be helpful

One episode of sitting without the seat down could traumatize a child... especially in winter.
The cold porcelain contacts flesh, flesh recoils, child reacts... by falling in.
"Once burnt, twice shy".

My kid did fall in once. She thought the potty seat (what are they called, exactly? the smaller, cushioned ones that go on top of a regular potty) was there and it wasn't, she sat down with her usual carefree plop, and plopped right in. (Butt first, ankles by chin.) I was walking by at the very end of this, grabbed her out within milliseconds and got her over to the bathub to wash her off before she'd fully processed it. She still cried once she had a minute, but she seemed actually calmer in a way afterwards -- that was her worst nightmare and it was unpleasant but not HORRIBLE.

At transitions like these I found it helpful to contemplate mothers of other times and other cultures sending their wee babes out in the snow.

Now that would have been logical resistance.

transition between potty and the toilet
Thanks everyone for your advice. Unfortunately, I have tried everything you mentioned (except the violent act towards a kitten, of course) and nothing has worked. We're trying bribery now...hopefully that will do the trick.
thanks again

Re: transition between potty and the toilet


see, I was the one who had the good advice....and you couldn't muster up enough tough love to try it...shame on you...

Thanks for the update! I was just thinking of you, my kid's potty seat (that goes on top of a toilet) reached its disgustingness threshold (cracks in the vinyl cover, pee getting in foam, blech) and we just threw it out a matter of hours ago. Kid says she'll remember to eeeassse back on to the seat rather than plopping down as is her wont. We'll see what happens.

It'll work out, eventually! Good luck.

Bribery didn’t even work for us when potty training our daughter forget about transition. She was/is a stubborn little thing. She was not potty trained until she was over 3 and a half, but once she decided for herself that she wanted to wear underwear, we had no issues, even at night. But every child is different. My friend’s oldest boy was easily bribed with an M&M. Her youngest, is now 3 and a half and is partly trained – meaning sometimes he uses it and sometimes he doesn’t.