Potty training is probably one of the most arduous times in the life of your toddler. It’s fraught with setbacks, full of tears and messes, and just generally stressful…but necessary. Here are a few books for both you and your child to get everyone through this very real “growing pain.”
1. Once Upon a Potty by Alona Frankel
Originally published in 1980, this book is an oldie but a goodie; I actually still have the copy my parents used with me and I’ll use it for my child. Join Joshua and Prudence (Frankel did versions for both boys and girls) as they learn how to use the potty like a big kid!
Source: Amazon
2. Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do it Once and Do it Right by Jamie Glowacki
I can’t attest to the veracity of her claims, but she posits that children are ready to potty train much earlier than most people think, and that they can actually get the basics down in just a few days. Her six step process is said to train kids in a snap, so it’s definitely worth a read.
Source: Amazon
3. Potty Training in 3 Days: The Step-by-Step Plan for a Clean Break from Dirty Diapers by Brandi Brucks
Brucks credits a long history of nannying to having potty trained over a hundred children, and she intends to show you how to do just that, and do it in record time, nonetheless!
Source: Amazon
4. Potty by Leslie Patricelli
This best-selling board book (thick, cardboard pages for an easy grip for little toddler hands) follows the inner monologue of a child as he tries to figure out this whole “potty” thing!
Source: Amazon
5. Even Firefighters Go to the Potty: A Potty-Training Lift-the-Flap Story by Wendy and Naomi Wax and Stephen Gilpin
This humorous, interactive story shows toddlers that everyone, even busy people with important jobs, have to stop what they’re doing sometimes to visit the potty.
Source: Amazon
6. On Becoming Pottywise for Toddlers: A Developmental Readiness Approach to Potty Training by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam
Bucknam’s credentials as a pediatrician lend a level of authority to this manual, which focuses more on paying attention to developmental cues rather than forcing training on a child at a set age. The process may be slower, but Bucknam and Ezzo assert that it’ll be a lot less stressful.
Source: Amazon
7. I Can’t, I Won’t, No Way!: A Book for Children Who Refuse to Poop by Tracey Vessillo and Mike Motz
This children’s book treats a very real setback during the potty training process: children who are afraid to poop and withhold it, which can become a painful and serious issue. Vessillo’s book helps children understand that there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Source: Amazon
Whether it takes you three days or three months, hopefully these books will help you make the potty training process a little less painful!
YouTube Channel: LieveLive
Featured image via Baby Center
