Most 3-year-old girls have the physical control and the ability to stay dry for two or more hours necessary to learn how to use the toilet. In fact, many pediatric experts, including T. Berry Brazelton, the author of “Touchpoints,” suggest that girls are often easier to train than boys. Since many preschools require children to be potty-trained before they can start school, parents often want to potty train their 3-year-old as quickly as possible. Due to her advanced vocal and cognitive skills, you can often potty train a girl in a period of 2 to 3 days.
Step 1
Choose two to three days when you and your three-year-old can spend time at home working on potty training. Clear your schedule of parties, events and other activities so that you can focus solely on helping your child learn to use the toilet.
Step 2
Prepare your child for the potty training weekend. Take your child shopping and let her pick out a sturdy potty chair. Talk up the potty training weekend—show your child her stack of diapers and let her know that she will not need them after the weekend. Read books and sing songs about going to the potty.
Step 3
Wake your daughter up on the first day of the potty training weekend and remove her diaper and clothing from the waist down. Allowing her to spend some time naked will help her make the connection between "feeling and going," according to pediatrician and child development expert Dr. William Sears.
Step 4
Watch for signs that indicate your child needs to go to the bathroom, like squirming, squatting or holding her genital area. Quickly take her to her potty chair when you notice these signs.
Step 5
Offer praise or other incentives for her potty training successes. Julie Fellom, the author of “Diaper Free Toddlers,” suggests making up a special “potty dance” that you and your potty training partner can perform to celebrate your child's successes. Sears advises making a sticker reward chart for a child who needs a bit of extra motivation for learning how to use the toilet.
Step 6
Leave the house with your child for brief periods of time while allowing her to wear underwear and easy-to-remove clothing. Gradually lengthen the amount of time you stay out of the house as your child begins to reliably use the potty when you are out and about.
Tips and Warnings
- If possible, you might want to initiate your potty training method during the warmer summer and spring months so that you child will be comfortable without her pants or skirt. Tell—don’t ask—your child to go potty before leaving the house or putting her down for nap or bedtime. If you ask her, she will usually say “no” even if she does need to go to the bathroom. Teach your daughter to wipe herself from front to back to decrease her risk of developing a urinary tract infection.
- Expect your child to have accidents. These are a normal part of the potty training process. Fellom recommends letting your child help clean up after herself. Refrain from scolding your child for the accidents and handle them in a matter-of-fact way.
Things You'll Need
- Potty training chair
- Potty training books
