How to potty train your toddler: bribery

by Karen Walrond (Subscribe to Karen Walrond's posts)
May 23rd 2006 10:30AM

Filed under: Development/Milestones: Babies

A couple of weeks ago, I asked for (nay, demanded) your best potty-training tip, because frankly, I was at my wit's end. The post got a lot of responses, and I was rather horrified to read that many of you bribed your children into getting potty trained.

Silly, silly me. I stand corrected, and clearly owe all of you an apology. You people are brilliant.

Around the same time I wrote that post, I discovered that my daughter, Alex, loves the sound of coins falling into her ceramic piggy bank. Absolutely loves it. So...

...now, she's only allowed to put the coin in the piggy bank when she goes potty. As soon as she goes, I bring the piggy bank and a coin into the bathroom, she carefully drops the coin into the bank, and then I shake the bank loudly while she does a happy dance (still sitting on the toilet). And people, it is WORKING. We've had far fewer accidents, and she's as likely as not to ask to go to the potty, if only to listen to that wonderful coin-tinkling sound.

My only problem?

I'm running out of coins. We've used all our Trinidadian coins, our American coins, our Eastern Caribbean coins (from St. Lucia), and are rapidly running through our English coins. I'm going to have to go to the bank. And soon.

Anyway, thanks much for all your help!