Proven Secrets of the Potty Pro [toilet training]

This was the biggest waste of money and time. What they take nearly 400 pages to tell you could be summarizes in about 10. Their strategy is nothing new that you can't find for free on other websites.

I thought there would be some special secret in this book that would make my child magically potty trained. Potty parties?! Really?? That's it!?
I haven't really read the whole book yet but just reading the forward and skimming through, I just don't think this idea is for me and my child.

We got this book to start the potty training process. I did not like the book. It is kind of vague on what you are supposed to do and just concentrates on throwing a potty party. ThaT is great if your toddler knows about parties and you can actually have a full conversation with him but useless if you can't. It did not cover in detail what to do during the day or what to do if the child had an accident, etc. There is a MUCH better potty training in a day written in the 1970's that TOTALLY worked for us. This one was useless.

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Spent the day yesterday doing the program outlined in this book, and it worked! Our three-years-and-one-week old boy is now in underpants, peeing and pooping in his potty. He's gone from wailing and carrying on to happily sitting on the potty. We needed a solution to get him out of diapers for preschool, and here we are. HOWEVER... while the book talks about 'one day,' it's a LONG day, from when he wakes up to when he goes to bed. Exhausting for the kids and parents. The system outlined the book involves a new dolly for your child who pretends to pee and poop and is rewarded for success. Once your child 'gets it' it transitions to your boy or girl. Wrapped around this is a 'party' with enthusiasm, stickers, treats and other rewards. We didn't do the full-on party (it was just mummy, daddy and our son), but we had lots of stickers, rewards & treats and it worked. If child you're potty-training has a sibling, you also need to somehow plan to get them out of the house for the day with Grandma because both parents need 100% focus on the kid. If you're going to go with this system, both parents need to read the book from cover-to-cover (preferably twice) and there needs to be quite a bit of prep work (stickers / treats / dolly / dozen underpants etc.). But if you want a system that guarantees success (or at least did for us) then go for it! Good luck.

First off, how can ANYONE "review" a book if they have not READ it? The negative reviews on this book are just plain silly. Just because you don't like the IDEA? Try putting the IDEA and PLAN into action and then you can honestly give a real review.

I bought this book on a whim. I've been wanting to potty train my 2 1/2 year old son for quite some time. At first I was highly skeptical! I thought, "Maybe for older kids who just need that little push. This will NOT work for my son who is completely oblivious to what's going on in his diaper!" I waited a couple of months to let life settle down. During this time he became more aware of his body and met all of the requirements in Teri's book.

Some reviewers complain about how much money you HAVE to invest and I just have to disagree. You CAN go all out, buy the most expensive doll and buy every single item on the recommended lists..or you can simplify things. I simplified our plan. I purchased a $12 "Lots to Love" doll from Wal~Mart and lots of stickers. We made our own chart up and had a nice supply of underwear on hand. I spent maybe $10 in snacks and had plenty left over to carry on through the week. You don't HAVE to do anything the book suggests, I went with the basic model and idea and we had a blast! My son was thrilled by his new baby, he was thrilled with a few new boardgames (which I would have bought anyways). He loved the attention and the games and all the books I read to him.

I didn't think my son would get into the roleplaying aspect, but he did! He fed his baby and showed his baby the potty and watched videos and read books with his baby. He named him George and he would say "Good Job George!" everytime George was successful. It was a wonderful morning and we celebrated George becoming a big boy by going to McDonalds. We got some strange looks over my SON carrying around a half naked babydoll wearing Thomas the Train underpants..but I didn't care! I proudly looked people in the eye and said "He's learning to be a big boy and is teaching his baby how to use the potty!"

I was VERY nervous about the second half of the day. Again, I was still skeptical. My son, obviously, LOVED having so much juice and treats and really got into racing Mama to the potty! He was successful the first time we tried it! Everytime he'd sit on the potty, he'd make sure George was sitting on his potty too! We went through 3 pairs of underpants that day and had a successful poo-poo in the potty! All the juice actually helped with my son's constipation problems!

We celebrated with just us. We ordered a pizza and gave our son a couple of small presents. He loved them and he loved his small little cake! You don't have to spend tons of money to teach your child simple concepts.

It has been almost 2 weeks since our party. He didn't magically train in one day, but the party kickstarted the process. He has good days and bad days..and the bad days are due to MY attitude and not being as excited about the process as I should be. He has learned so much and makes more and more advances with each passing day! He's gone from waking up in a SOAKING wet diaper, to sleeping in big boy underwear and waking up to go pee in the potty. He has gone from NO awareness to telling me in the middle of a fascinating movie "Mama I have to go pee pee!" We are on day 2 of NO accidents and I couldn't be prouder of my son! I may feel a little silly doing the pee-pee dance in a public restroom, but seeing the satisfied and happy look on my boy's face is worth all of the embarassment in the world!

The best part is the personal attention and assistance I received from Teri. I had emailed her, asking for advice on using public potties. My son was NOT interested. Imagine my surprise when I received a personal phone call from Teri herself! We had a wonderful conversation and she gave me some very helpful insight and encouragement. I told her I had recommended this book to all of my friends and the internets.

THANK YOU Teri for all of your help! I look forward to implementing your advice and am excited about my Big Boy! He is so proud of himself and I owe it all to Teri Crane!

If you you are looking for a potty training shortcut, this book is not what you are desperately searching for. Potty training is hard on parents and kiddos alike no matter how you do it. The method laid out in this book is successful because it is fun, child-oriented, and well designed. It focuses on teaching your child how to use the potty rather than the common "get lucky and reward" method. By the end of the day, your kiddo understands what's expected of a "big boy/girl", is convinced that they are potty trained and is excited to use the potty. That doesn't mean they won't have accidents and doesn't mean that they won't develop normal potty training hang-ups. But if you want to give your toddler a great foundation for potty success, this is an amazing approach.

POTTY TRAINING FROM A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE

Having practiced medicine for over forty years, teaching medical students, interns, medical residents, thousands of patients, and even my own three children many lessons about life and how to become successful has given many insights to me. After working with Teri Crane and writing the foreword to her wonderful book, I thought I would like to shed a bit of light on this the store page about her techniques in solving the age old problem of potty training. Her book has stood the test of time and in my opinion is the go to book for potty training. It is not only entertaining, educational, humorous, insightful, and thought provoking but it is also effective and will result in success if you read the entire book, take a few notes, and follow her program. You cannot graduated from high school without following the correct course of study. Shortcuts tend not to be effective. POTTY TRAINING YOUR CHILD IN JUST ONE DAY must be thoroughly read and followed to have a successful outcome. For example, advice within her book will help you determine if your child is emotionally ready and physically prepared for a fun time potty party with all of it's rewards. Potty training need not be frustrating or stressful if you are prepared and ready to follow Teri's program from start to finish. The process is briefer than you think with proper preparation. Becoming potty trained, like most lessons in life, becomes simple if not trivial after the concept is understood and followed. Adding 2+2 is difficult for a two year old but not for a fourth grader. Once you get it, you get it. Read the book. Prepare for the big day and your child will be potty trained within a few hours of first training their own doll. I will let you in on a secret. In medicine there is a standard joke in the field of medical education that goes like this; See one, Do one, Teach one. You can be certain that if you follow Teri's wonderful and simple advice from cover to cover your child will be potty trained. Preparation, patience, consistency and child readiness throughout the process will result in success.

Philip Caravella, MD, FAAFP, Lt. Col, US Army (Ret)

I'm the kind of person who researches everything before I commit to starting something new or buying something. When our little girl turned two I knew that potty training was the next thing on our to do list. I searched all the top parenting sites for potty training tips and noted as much as I could, trying to formulate the best plan based on how I parent, and our girl's personality. I knew I still needed a better step by step reference to really cover all the details. I went searching for a book on the store, and once I read the reviews of Potty Train Your Child In Just One Day. I liked the approach of positivity and encouragement. I have had much better results in everything I teach our girl when it's been done with a loving, and positive approach. Nobody likes being taught through reprimand and grunts of disappointment.
So on Valentine's Day, which happened to also be her 26 month of life, we had out potty party! I knew that for her age, I wasn't going to have to do anything much beyond some balloons, stickers, bubbles, a new baby doll and some books. The key for her was the excitement. Previous to our potty party, I had bought 3 books on potty training, and we started talking about it to get the brain gears thinking about it.
I bought juice and yummy drinks as recommended to get a lot of fluid running through her, but since she never has juice, I wasn't sure about giving it to her. What I ended up doing was giving her a new fun sippy cup with a fun straw, filled with water. That was all the incentive she needed to drink fluids! I bought her a baby doll at a supermarket chain we have in Canada called Superstore. The baby was $15.00. It is called Baby N Play by a company called Baby'N' Fun. It had a little potty and bottle. She was so excited about the new baby when she opened it! So excited that she wanted to use the potty along with the baby immediately! I applied everything I could from the book, but I had to go with the flow and let her use the potty because she would have spiralled into defiance if I told her she couldn't use the potty right away. Anyways, the first day she did amazing! And we took a long weekend to work on it. Five days later, she has a really great handle on it! She's not always there quite in time, but she runs for the potty every time!
On a side note, I emailed the author with a question and she not only emailed me but called me! That's awesome! I'll be giving out this book to the new moms I know!

I bought this book before my daughter turned 2 (3 years ago) after my mom recommended it (she said she used a similar book to train me and it worked in one day). At 2 years 1 month we did the potty party, after "planting lots of seeds" about the potty, big girl underwear, etc. We did the farm theme with Easter grass, a wagon, stuffed animals, and the door to the bathroom decorated like a barn.

When she first came downstairs, she was VERY excited by all of the decorations! I had some underwear on one of her dolls, and we began teaching her doll about using the potty. I colored water with food coloring for the pee, and used Play-doh for the poo. The doll had a sticker chart and got rewards. My daughter REALLY understood rewards/praise, so she understood this well. She also liked to "teach" or "boss" at an early age, so this was a great way for her to learn - by teaching her doll. We kept the ENTIRE focus of the day on potty - potty DVDs, potty books, and teaching the doll. Soon after lunch it was naptime, then it was time to focus on her. She peed once in the potty, but also had an accident. I was completely discouraged and felt like all of that work and energy was wasted, but the next morning she came into my room and said she had to go pee in the big girl potty! We kept her Pull-Ups ("paper underwear" as we called them) at night for about 2 weeks, but that's all she needed. She only had ONE accident after that. AMAZING! I was so proud! She loved the sticker charts, rewards, and calling Daddy and the grandparents every time she went potty.

3 years later and my son just turned 2. Everyone says that boys are harder to train than girls, and our pediatrician almost laughed at me when I said I was getting ready to potty train him. However, we are going on a 2-week trip to Italy in March and I was determined not to lug a suitcase full of diapers. I planned on waiting until February to train him, but he took the initiative! Santa brought him some big-boy Thomas underwear for Christmas, and we've been talking about using the big-boy potty a lot. He was showing a lot of signs that was he was ready.....hiding/squatting when he needed to poop, looking uncomfortable when he got in the tub (it made him need to pee), not wanting to lay down completely when we changed his diaper (yucky feeling on his toosh), etc. We've read a few potty books, and then last week I thought I'd try the old "warm water trick." I poured a little warm water on his boy parts, and it didn't take long for him to pee. He LOVED my reaction and the M&M reward! The next day we did the same thing, and he asked for water to help him go. The third day (before bed) he said he wanted to pee on the big boy potty, so I set him on there and he peed before I could even get the water. Same the next day! He now pees 1-2 times a day, and today, after reinforcing that he'd get a reward and read some more books, he pooped in the potty for the first time!

While I have not used the "potty party" method from this book on him yet, I believe he's doing so well because of what I learned 3 years ago with this. I will still read this book again and do the whole party with him so that it will completely click and he can wear REAL big-boy underwear.

I recommend this book to everyone who asks, but I do have a couple of friends who say it didn't work for them. All children are different, so I don't think this is a magical book that will work for every single child. The reward/party concept has to be something that gets your kid excited for it to work. Your child also has to be READY. Just because you want him/her out of diapers, doesn't mean they are ready to be. This book helps with how to tell if your child is truly ready. YOU also have to be ready! I own/run a very busy business and work from home full time to be with my kids, so I'm always tired. However, I was absolutely, pass-out EXHAUSTED at the end of the "potty party" day with my daughter. Don't stress, because your child can sense that stress and will become extremely resistant to using the potty.

I wish all of you parents luck who are getting ready (or are still trying) to get your kid out of diapers!

EDITED: I also thought I should mention that we used seat adapters for BOTH kids. This book (and most books) recommend or demonstrate with a potty chair, but we decided that would be time-consuming and gross to clean constantly. We also decided that the kids would eventually have to switch to the regular potty (and needed to use regular toilets when we were away from home), so didn't see the point in using a potty chair. BOTH of our kids have done great with the seat adapters. My daughter loved her princess potty seats, and my son loves his "McQueen" and "Winnie the Pooh" potties (which have higher splash guards than our daughter's).

As the founder and Director of an international adoption agency I have had the privilege of learning more about parenting than I ever thought was necessary to have children “the old fashioned way”. Some people plan to have children naturally, some say “oops”, but adoptive parents must jump through a hundred hoops to get there. I wonder how many consciously think about the eventual challenge of Potty Training. Of all the concerns about phases of health, growth and cognitive development, who thinks about Potty Training until the Terrible Twos are either figuratively or literally slapping you in the face?
I know that habits are much easier to develop the right way from the beginning rather than have to unlearn something that has already become a habit. If you start off on the right foot with Potty Training by keeping it simple and making it fun for both of you, the journey will be much smoother sailing. Teri provides any parent with a proven process to accomplish this through a book that is well formatted, easy to read from beginning to end, or just as fun to pick up and flip to any page to find invaluable tools that will make sense to you instantly. I have had this book for a long while now, yet I find myself picking it up again and again just for reminders of ideas that I have shared with other parents going through this process for the first time or even the second or third time with a new child experiencing different issues they never experienced with their other children.
Teri has written a book for parents (and anyone who loves children) that is both fun and easy to read and understand. As a dog lover and trainer, I have often heard it said that you do not train the dogs, you must train the owners. Perhaps the same is true with parenting children. Teri gives you the tools for Potty Training your child no matter what their personality traits may be because you will be prepared and have an EASY, FUN strategy to help children do what they do best, LEARN! Your children will be grateful.
Celebrity quotes are funny. “Grandma says” quips in this book are heartwarming!
MY Grandma says… “FUN”
“Make bubbles”
“Water the tree”
READ THIS BOOK!

Steven P. Bourque

I certainly agree with the reviewers who say this method is a lot of hard work. You have to prepare games, activities, decorations, treats, gifts, drinks, the doll, etc etc etc. That being said, it was worth every second my husband and I spent preparing for the potty party and the afternoon. My 2 1/2 year old and I spent a very enjoyable day together potty training her doll, playing circus games, and reading potty books.

This method is a little costly because there are many items you must purchase to get ready for the party. Diapers for an extra two months, pull ups to train with another method, etc would have cost just as much, though.

And you can't argue with results. Our potty party was 4 days ago and she has had only two accidents including the day of the party. We had 2 successful car rides without accidents and spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa's house and she used the potty (with seat adaptor) over there.

I followed the book closely and Crane's advice and methodology worked great for us! Yes, it was a lot of work. Yes it was a little stressful trying to get everything set up. But the actual potty training part has been pretty close to stress-free. It was a positive bonding experience for my daughter and me-rather than an emotional, trying experience.

Worth every second! Buy this book!!! You will be so glad you did!!!

I can understand where this concept might work for some kids, but I was very disappointed with the results we experienced. My son is 2 1/2 and very interested in the potty. He's been using it every night before bath to pee and poop for several months, so I thought the "potty party" would be a great opportunity to encourage him to use it during the day and more regularly. He was SO EXCITED with the party theme and all the decorations and treats. We used a large stuffed Buzz Lightyear as his potty doll and I creatively (and discretely) "wet" his underwear and created play-doh poop accidents, as the book suggests. My son was very good at "teaching" Buzz that he had to use the potty and rewarding him on his sticker chart and from the treat tray, but he clearly got annoyed with the frequency of having to practice using the potty. He would leave Buzz in the bathroom and go back to the "party". After lunch, the prizes, and a nap, he woke up excited to go back to the party and THRILLED to be wearing "no pants!", just his underwear. As much as he loved wearing his underwear, and although we had a successful poop and a couple successful pee incidents in the potty, after his third accident he became very discouraged and upset with having soiled his underwear (even as he was doing it, he became very upset.) We told him accidents happen, just like Buzz, and he just had to practice his "potty memory muscles" (as per the book's instructions) just like Buzz, but by the 3rd accident he outright refused to even sit on the potty or go in the bathroom. It was quickly slipping into a discouraging experience for him and having an ADVERSE effect on the overall training. Before we risked traumatizing him, we stopped pushing him. The problem was, he took going back to a diaper as punishment, and cried because he wanted to wear the "soft" underwear. I managed to coax him into using pull-ups, but in the end, it was very disappointing and I feel that it took us a step backwards. I'll have to wait a while before we can try again. He used to smile and run to use the potty. Now he loses his smile and hesitates, and during the day he simply wants no part of it. My suggestion would be to keep an eye on your child and see how s/he is reacting to the "potty" portion of the training, not just the party. I'm in the process now of reading 3 other books on potty training approaches to see which might work better for my son. He still wants nothing more than to wear underwear instead of pull-ups or diapers, so that's a great incentive for us. Good luck.

This book really works. I was totally skeptical, but it seriously saved my sanity. We were really struggling to get our little one potty trained. Bribes, treats, stickers, nothing worked. I loved this method, and it really is a method. I remember I saw this author on Good Morning America being interviewed and it totally made sense. Kids like to play and pretend, and this books taps into that. Your child will not realize they are being potty trained, and that's the best part. They think they are playing, but really they are learning. It is a better part of a day, but so worth it. It took a couple of days, but our son was completely accident free. Going pee and poop in the potty. We had so many false starts before using this book, but after a week he'd refuse to use the potty. It's been 6 weeks accidents free. Hooray!! Love this book, tons of great ideas I never read in other potty books. I really learned a lot from this book, I think you will too. P.S. I had a couple of questions and emailed the author. She actually called me back, twice!!

My daughter is almost 3 and we had tried everything to potty train her. My friend recommended this book to me. She sad it worked great for her 3 kids. I bought the book and took a few weeks to get everything ready for our potty party. That first day she used the bathroom about 7 times in the potty! The 2nd day, however, she didn't want to cooperate. So the next day I put the balloons and decorations back up and did a 2nd, though smaller, version of the potty party. It has worked wonderfully! It has been 6 days now since our party and we're almost completely accident free. This book really helped. Just understand, though, that it may take longer than one day. But in that one day, you'll be well on your way and will make a lot of progress. I did not send a lot of money on my party (I printed up charts, activites, and some decorations online). But we had tons of balloons, games, decorations, drinks, and treats and made it a fun day. I contacted the author online and have actually recieved several personal emails and phone calls from her, which surpised me. She was very encouraging and it was impressive to receive tips directly from her. So basically, if you're trying to poty train, buy this book and do what it says. You won't be disappointed.

This book is probably the first approach to potty training based on the reallity of a toddler. The most recent brain research shows that young children learn best when they are having fun and being rewarded. This isn't using bribery. It's using intelligence and common sense. The "learning by teaching" method in the book is also one of the best ways for kids to learn. (They teach a doll or stuffed toy to go potty and in the process of teaching, they learn the important steps themselves.)

I have passed this book on to several other mothers and they love it as much as I do. One of them told me that she was worried her son wouldn't like the party approach, since he's an introvert and didn't like his birthday party. Being the center of attention with all those kids and adults, made him feel very uncomfortable. But she said he LOVED being the center of attention when it was just the two of them all day. What she thought was going to be a hassle, turned into a great bonding experience.

Another mother who potty trained her daughter using Teri's book said she was really happy that Teri provided so many creative ideas for the party decorations and rewards that were free or very inexpensive.

I have to say I laughed out loud when I read the review that said the method was to lock yourself and your child in the bathroom all day. What a hoot! Most of the party takes place in family room or living room. A tip to readers: You have to read the entire book (as Teri says in the first chapter) in order to understand the method and follow the steps in the right order. Based on what a couple dissapointed readers said, they obviously missed some key points and therefore didn't "get it."

This book and the concepts are excellent. Basically, the idea is that kids love parties, potty training is a big deal, so why not make it a special experience!

The first half of the book explains why potty training in one day works, signs that your child is ready, and tips on how to be successful. The second half of the book gives ideas for different party themes that are thoughtfully organized by what might appeal to your child (teddy bears, magic carpet, princess, etc.) The author has even provided recipes and resources to find special supplies for your party!

I know of at least 3 other real moms (working and stay at home) who have tried this method and it works! You do have to be excited about it and really follow the suggestions and tips, though! I think other reviewers who gave this book a low rating, probably:

* Didn't realistically assess their child's readiness

* Feel pressure from others to potty train

* Thought some aspects of the party were hokey (hint: tots like hokey!), so didn't follow the guidelines

The first time I tried potty training following the book, I didn't realistically assess my child's readiness - she showed all the signs except for one. I thought that was good enough, I had the time off from work, so I just powered ahead based on my own wishes. We did have a wonderful day together, and she still talks about it, but in the end, she just wasn't quite ready! Fast forward to a month later, and a mini-party (following directions in the book) and we're good to go, so to speak ;)

Just a few ideas to keep kids on the potty - have special books and toys. My daughter's favorites were a View Finder (yes, they still make them, but can be hard to find - I found ours in the travel toy area), a $0.99 foil pinwheel, and an elecronic alphabet pad toy. I also got special scented foamy soap made for kids that helps encourage my daughter to wash her hands.

We did our potty party last Saturday, and one week later we are on day three of ZERO accidents!! My son turns 3 tomorrow and he's the kind of kid who likes to sit and read books and do puzzles so we did not need to struggle with sitting on the potty. I have to admit there were a couple of times on party day that I had my doubts and it was not smooth sailing. But the results have been tremendous, and just as important for me, my son and I are closer than ever and have bonded over the experience. A couple of logistics notes: we used a lot of imagination and not a lot of props so don't worry if you don't think you have the time, creativity or energy (or money) to do the full blown party. M&Ms and Thomas stickers have kept us going through the week! I blogged the full experience of our day at [...] if you want to know more!

Like the author, I felt very nervous because pre-school is starting in 2 months and I had no idea where to start with potty training my daughter Grace who is almost 3 years old. I've heard that it can take months and I was discouraged. I basically thought she wouldn't be able to start pre-school. Then, I heard about this book and I thought, "what do I have to lose? It's only one day. I'm going to give it my best shot!" She had NO interest in the potty or big girl underwear. That is, until the potty party!! We had so much fun during the potty party. I used the author's suggestions on how to decorate the bathroom and my daughter LOVED it. I still haven't taken the pink canopy down that is draping her "potty throne." We had a princess/Cinderella theme and my daughter LOVED teaching her new baby how to use the potty. At one point she even told her doll,"no, no, baby, we don't pee-pee in our underwear, you have to use the potty!" Today is day 5. My daughter had 2 tiny accidents on day 2 and other than that she has been totally successful. Not only is she telling me that she has to go, she runs in the bathroom, pulls her underwear down and goes! I really do owe it to Teri Crane and her book. Her ideas are really fabulous and she writes the book in a simple, easy way so that you can understand what she's trying to help you accomplish with each stage. It was such a fun day. Very little stress with a lot of success. I highly recommend this book! You really need this if you're looking for a stress-free approach to potty training. Go buy it!!

My daugther is very young for potty training, but when she began taking off her clothes & her diaper and it resulted in me stepping in her poop, I knew I needed help! I read this book. I used the check list to see if my 21 month old was ready & she was. The 1 day method was a long shot for us. I just prayed it would work, although it did not, we are getting closer each day! This morning when I thought about giving up, I thought that I might find some parental advice on the author's website [...] I filled out comment section and then within the hour SHE CALLED ME! She called to tell me that I was doing a great job, she is ready and don't give up. She also gave me 3 suggestions on how to make things better and move the process along! She told me that she calls anyone who writes to her because she wants to help! Thank you Terri Crane for giving me the confidence to push through & finish this important task!Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day: Proven Secrets of the Potty Pro

I attended a Potty Training 101 bootcamp with Teri Crane and read her book. The concepts were very clear in the book and it had many great ideas to put on a fun party. I used this method on my 2 year old daughter and it really worked. After hearing stories from my friends, I dreaded this period in my daughters life. When I learned it could be a fun and exciting day I gave it a shot. Both my daughter and I had a blast at the party. We used the Princess Ball Potty theme. We played games, made cupcakes, dressed up and even read at the 'castle grounds' in the bathtub! The potty books and videos she suggests worked great. We had a party for the doll and presented her with big girl underpants. After doing some crafts, drinking some 'princess punch'and watching videos in the afternoon, we held a party for my daughter at Chuck E Cheese. We gave her a gift she had been begging for to celebrate her being a big girl and not using diapers anymore. We no longer use diapers anymore for her! It was a success!

Having a 14 month old son in diapers and now a 3 year old potty trained big girl, life is so much easier. Cannot wait to use the method on my son.

Joy Lawrence

This book really did help me potty train my daughter! We had our potty party 1 week ago and now she pees mostly in the toliet-maybe a few dribbles here and there! We have yet to poo poo on the potty; but it will happen. I did elimination communication with my daughter early on and she did great. After some major family stresses and moves we stopped. I tried taking her to the potty and she would just fuss and scream; so I left it alone for a few months. My daughter is 23 months old and doesn't talk a lot but she says "pee pee" and "potty"-so we went for it. I bought her doll at Kmart is was around $15.00; it is not as good as the corelle dolls but it did the trick. We had a "Princess party" I bought cheap party favor Tiaras and Disney princess panties. Princess fruit snacks, punch, etc. The first day she had 2 accidents in the morning and 2 pees on the potty in the afternoon. My daughter doesn't really care for stickers yet; but the do entertain her. She really liked M&M's! All of the supplies can seem costly-I got a lot of stuff at TJ Maxx and Big Lots-discount stores! Yesterday we had no accidents; even after a 1 hour trip to the park; she was dry! I highly recommend Pampers Easy ups over Pull ups-My daughter has worn Huggies all her life; but the Pull ups are a rougher material and gave her a rash if she woke up wet. The Pampers Easy ups are great, she likes them and she seems to know if she is wet or not! Great Book; I recommend devoting 3 days to not leaving the house when attempting to train.

Potty training three children seemed like an overwhelming task for me, so I decided to do a great deal of research. I bought many books, and planned out my stratagy.... did I want to train them one at a time, or all at once? When I read Teri Crane's book, I really liked the approach and the idea of a party. Some of the other approaches I had researched had some negative strategies, and I loved how positive this apporaoch is. Because I had to have three parties, I did not decorate as much as the book suggested, and my treats were not at all theme related, but I was still VERY successful.

My kids had shown no interest in going potty and after their third birthday I decided that enough was enough. I planned their parties for three differnt days, a couple days apart so I had enough time to reinforce. I loved the one on one bonding time I had with each child, and they LOVED the party aspect!!! All three of my children really LOVED teaching the doll, and celebrated each success!!!
My one daughter was trained before nap time. She turned to me during the doll training stage and said, "Mommy, I have to go potty." From that point on she was trained. She has had a few accidents(maybe 3 or 4) since, and it has been a month. My son was trained in a day, just as the book states, and he is a very stubborn child. He was so proud of himself, and he also very rarely has an accident. My third child was in a power struggle with me over actually going potty, she would sit and "try" but not actually go on the potty. She held in her urine for over four hours despite me feeding her beverage after beverage. I emailed teri is exhaustion and desperation, and she immediately CALLED me at home. She made sure that she knew all of the facts of my struggle, and gave me STEP - BY - STEP instructions on how to get the power back from my daughter. She calmed my fears and gave great advice! My daughter was completely pee trained in a few days. The author was so helpful, I felt like she was a good friend who called to help me plan out my strategy. The author, Teri Crane, also called a few days later to see how the plan was working, and then called to check in on the day of the BIG reward. She is still helping me as now we are working on poop training my daughter, who has been having difficulty due to medical issues. I RAVE about this book and the author to everyone I meet. I HIGHLY recomend this book - the idea is great, the author really knows her stuff and is extremely HELPFUL! Potty traing multiples was simple when you use this book!

This book was our lifesaver. I purchased the book a couple of months before I began to potty train my son. He was just approaching his 3rd birthday and started to show some interest in the potty. I went through the checklist "Are they Ready to Potty Train" section of the book and it confirmed he was. I did not spend a lot of money as some people mentioned in the past reviews. The only extra money I spent was on the doll "Paul" I thought that would really help my son make him seem more real. There was quite a bit of preparation but I was able to create the snacks, drinks, activities and decorations with things we already had at home but it was because I picked a theme with things we already had.... camping. My son already had a play tent, sleeping bag and accessories. I made animal printouts from my computer and drew trees on easel paper and paints we already had in our craft area. I went to the local library and checked out every book and DVD that had to do with potty training. The hassle is mainly just getting everything together. The party went off with out a hitch and by the end of the day he was asking to go to the bathroom without me telling him it was time to go and throwing his diapers away at his end of the day party. I definitely think that this is the way to go with potty training. The day could not of gone better and it also helped my husband and I get into potty mode. :) I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for new ideas to potty train. If anything my son loved didn't even know what we were doing other than spending the day with him mom and dad alone with no interruptions playing make believe camping, "fishing", doing scavenger hunts, singing, readying books (about potty training) and finding funny ways to run to the bathroom. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this wonderful book and helping my son realize that he is now one of the big boys!

Thank you Terri Crane.

Although I was a skeptic, I bought the book when my friend kept teling me about the success she had with her daughter. I must say, I, too, have had a wonderful experience with the book!

My friend mentioned that I could email the author and that she would call me before the party or the day of!!!!! I did just that, sent an email to Teri Crane telling her we were going to do our party. Not only did she call me, but she emailed me, too. Teri called me the day before and answered some of my questions--AND she called me after the party, too. She even called me most recently to see if I needed any follow up advice!!!! I think this in itself is a reason to buy the book. The author really knows her stuff, and has some other tips to help you succeed!!!! How fantastic!!!!!

As for the book...the technique worked great. It was a fun way to approach a frustrating milestone. A couple of things...if you want to save a few bucks, maybe opt not to buy the doll recomended. The boy version leaked and my son was disinterested in it as he has never liked dolls. I went with a "Potty Monkey" training doll instead and it did the trick. My son wanted a "prize" or a food "treat" every time he went to the potty for a while...I should have told him up front tha the prizes and treats were only for the party day...he was sad when we went and there were not goodies to reward him a couple days after. Also, save money by going to your local dollar store--I was able to get EVERYTHING I needed there for the lists Terri gave me (we did beach party!)

Instead of stickers we went with stamps for the chart...my son loved putting stamps on his chart...a tip not mentioned in the book is that I left our bathroom decorated for several weeks. Since my son was so sad that the "diaper birthday party" was over (that is what he called it), it was nice for him to see the bathroom still in theme and it was fun for him to have all of the books and toys there to keep him busy for his potty time.

My son went from pull-ups to "throwing his diapers away" and wearing underware. The money you may spend on the party is well worth the money you will save in diapers and pull-ups. And, even though the day at home is exhausting--it is nice to have mother-child bonding! The day at home not only potty trained my son, but it trained me to recognize his potty body language and schedule.

The week my son had few accidents here and there, but the book worked for us!!! A fun way to accomplish the task at hand--just dont go overboard...the kids will love the attention and planning you have done regardless!

My child (2 yrs old) was terrified of the thought of using the potty when we started this program on Friday. Today is Monday and I just called my mother in law who reported that she willingly sat on the potty and made pee pee. This is the sencond time she goes to the bathroom alone today without an incident. Don't get me wrong, by no means would Iconsider my child "potty trained" completely, but the book is an amazing start. First of all, my child was terrified of the potty, so by teaching the doll and incorporating the treats, she really lost that fear. Second of all, the book has amazing tips and ways to handle accidents, incentives for using the potty, etc. I highly recommend this book. I followed all of the steps in regards to the doll and the treats and sticker chart. We saw a number of videos and books, but we really didn't spend so much on decorations and all that stuff. She was just content to have me spend the entire day doing all sorts of activities. I picked a princess theme since her potty is princess themed. I got some wands and crowns, picked up a few princess coloring books. I painted her little toes princess pink because mommy is a big girl and has hers painted. Throughout the party we just talked about being a big girl and how exciting it is. When she had accidents she got really freaked out. Kids DO NOT LIKE THAT FEELING. So I said that accidents happen, and its not a big deal, etc. When I finally put her big girl underpants on, she did not pee for 4 hours! I was afraid she was holding it in, so I left an email with the author, and she called me right away to talk me through it. It was so incredibly nice of her to do. I'm very happy!

This book was 100% effective! We did a Diego theme potty party with my 2 1/2 year old son! What a sucess! I read the book about three time to better prepare myself for the big day and it paid off in the end! We had the potty party on a Thursday! That evening I was on cloud nine. Come Sunday, we were ALL smiling ear to ear and eager to see what MOnday had in store for my son as he would be returning back to daycare as a Big Boy! I would say that my son is 95% potty trained, if you go by the book's definition! He is wearing underwear for naps already and no "just in case pants"! So the only time my son is in Pull-Ups or "just in case pants" is at night time! He has been accident-free at school and is doing just as well at home! I would say that we get him to the bathroom in time moreso than he says "I've gotta go," but that skill is continuing to develope on a daily and even hourly basis! I recommend this book to anyone with a toddler...especially two and older!

And not only is this book great for joyfully succeeding potty training (both as a parent/teacher and child), there are many things taught and recommended, and tools provided, that can be applied in other areas of parenting! One must teach first...then train!

Go Teri Crane! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! An experience to always be remembered and WANTED TO BE REMEMBERED BY ALL!!!

Don't hesitate....BUY THE BOOK.....NOW! Allow yourself time to plan and prepare! Not something you can buy today and start tomorrow...unless you want to feel as you do right now all over again!

***** FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY *****

It really works! After attending a workshop featuring Teri Crane at our local Creative Kidstuff store, I purchased the book and set out on my potty training adventure. I planned the "potty party" with a bit of doubt and a bunch of hope. I followed Teri's book to the letter in planning and carrying out my party. Armed with Teri's book and the Emma doll by Corolle I began my party day. My daughter was excited about the party and very happy to have a new doll. She was not even aware that she was learning to use the potty herself as she trained her doll. My daughter had shown some interest in using the potty when she first turned two but we did not push her back then. I surprised her with the potty party and she was using the potty independently by the following afternoon! Teri Crane's book took a challenging and exhausting task and turned it into a fun day with my little girl and the icing on the cake...she learned how to use the potty!!! I recommend you buy this book if you have a child that is going to need to use the potty sometime in the future. If you don't have a child...buy this book for a friend! Trust me, that friend will love you forever!

The concept of the book is something that really interested me. My daughter enjoys parties (especially the hats) so I knew this would work for us. I was excited to spend so much one-on-one time with her as we celebrated this milestone together. I felt my daughter picked up on the ideas of the doll and the rewards very quickly. She was always excited to give her doll a present and a treat and a sticker when she successfully used the potty. When it was my daughter's turn to use the potty, she understood what the whole routine was. I know she had a lot of fun and we had a great time at her celebration that evening where she and some of her friends rode the merry-go-round at the mall. She wasnt 100% potty trained in one day, but she has done excellent pretty much since the party. This was a girl who refused to use the potty before the party turned it into something that was worth while for her to accomplish. The book was a quick read and very to the point, which I appreciated in my busy "no time to read" life. I reccomend this book to people who want to celebrate and have fun with their children as they become "big girls and boys".

I read this book after talking with two co-workers who had fantastic success with the potty party method. It sounded a little too good to be true, but given their success, I had to go for it. (I'd also had the opportunity to see the author speak at our daughter's day care, and I loved the fact that she was a real person; but that's not really relevant.) We picked a three-day weekend to throw a party for our 25-month old daughter. She'd shown great signs of readiness, but I was still a little skeptical that this would work. I shouldn't have worried. The weekend was great. She loved the party, got completely into the potty (stickers and treats were a big incentive) and after hitting the two week mark today, she's accident free during the day. We're still having some trouble at night, but I'm not discouraged. I do have to say, though, that following the no-diaper rule is key. Do NOT cave. One other point about this author in particular: I was incredibly nervous about our daughter's first day back at day care without diapers. I was so nervous, in fact, that I sent the author a couple of questions through the form on her website. She actually CALLED me with some advice. It was great to feel like I had someone on my side.

Before Teri's book, in my mind potty training promised more pain than childbirth. This book offered practical ideas on how to judge my child's readiness, how kids think and respond, and most of all, how to overcome my own fears with regard to successfully reaching this developmental milestone.

Teri's step by step suggestions caused me to stop and take the time to really think about my son, what he responds to, his personality, and how to build his confidence. This is not about bribery, it's about teaching your kid to succeed. And Teri has dedicated herself to our success as parents--when I reached a point where I wasn't sure what to do, I took a chance and found Teri's website online.

I wrote her a note, not really thinking that I would get a response, but feeling better for venting. I certainly never expected the phone call I received the next day. She talked me through my problem, encouraged me and gave me the energy to approach my situation from a different angle.

Her advice helped me succeed in helping my son succeed.

Before reading this book I truly thought I would be sending my son off to college with his jumbo box of Pampers. I read Teri's book and thought if this works for my son it'll work for ANY child. We were starting to get nervous that summer was approaching followed by the start of a wonderful preschool program (as long as he was potty trained). It was so fun to transform ordinary rooms in our house into an "Incredibly cool campout". My son woke up to this wonderful set up in our house that did not cost a small fortune. We were able to use things we already had in our house and make this wonderful canvas for a day full of fun which was just what we were apparently lacking in our previous attempts. We followed Teri's book exactly as it was intended and the day was more of a success than I could have ever imagined. I read the book and emailed Teri when I finished in desperate need of that little extra encouragement. I was a firm believer in her philosophy but nervous about all the many obstacles we faced in our previous attempts. She not only encouraged me; she called me on a number of occasions and her wisdom, compassion and sincerity was a very pleasant and unexpected bonus to her book. Party day was a total success, even more so than we could have anticipated and the follow up chapters in her book were extremely helpful in the days to follow. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to every parent and especially to those who feel they will never get their toddler potty trained. It works, it is fun and with a little creativity, it is inexpensive too. For the money we did spend for preparations, it was worth every single penny. I am so thankful for coming across this book written by such a wonderful woman. Thank you, Teri Crane for getting our son off to preschool!