More Tips and Tricks for Potty Training with Paulina!!!

Potty training can be tricky!  And based on my experiences with just my three kids, I can confirm that every child is different!  Here are so more fun tips and tricks on how you can use Paulina to make this process easier. 

Paulina, we're not ready for potty training!  Help! 

Often times, toddlers with older siblings observe them using the bathroom and get a little too excited to start their own potty journey.  This can result in stripping kiddos with diapers torn off and thrown aside, and endless babble about going “bafroom”! 

While this is an exciting development in a toddler’s life, it is not always the best time to begin.  Quite often, a toddler is ready to start the potty training journey before their parents are.  Timing, after all, is very crucial to potty training, so how do you delay an anxious potty trainer?

            Paulina can help!!  

Explain to your child that he/she must wait for the Poo Poo Fairy to come before you can start potty training.  This is your chance to read The Poo Poo Fairy book over and over again to get your toddler excited for Paulina’s arrival.  You can plan the perfect day and start a countdown.  As you remind your child that you will not start potty training until Paulina arrives, you can use the time to make preparations for the big day.  Stock up on special treats and prizes for your child, gather several packs of underwear, let your child pick out a potty seat.  And be sure to read the Poo Poo Fairy Book often to keep your child excited for Paulina to help them potty train!

How to keep the magic going while flying solo?

The magic of the Poo Poo Fairy is exciting for a toddler as they embark on the often scary and difficult journey of potty training.  However, Paulina’s magic requires someone to keep up the magic by placing a special treat or prize next to Paulina as your child has a success with his or her training.  This can sometimes feel like a two person job. 

However, quite often a mom or dad is alone while attempting to be at their child’s side near the potty as well as keeping Paulina’s magic alive.  Here are some tips to make this easier:

Change Paulina’s location each time your child has a success.  Have a stash of treats and possible prizes in a place that is easily accessible.  Once your little one has had success and has washed their hands, send them on a journey around the house to search for where Paulina has ended up this time.  While your child is off searching, this gives you a moment to grab a prize or treat and place it, along with Paulina in a new spot for your child to stumble across.

What do you do if Paulina is in the bathroom with you and your child to cheer you on?  (Some toddlers love to have Paulina close.)  Place some small prizes and treats in spots that are out of reach of your child.  You may do this the night before, in preparation for your day of potty training.  Here’s where your acting skills come in handy.  Have Paulina whisper in your ear the location of where she has hidden a special prize for your potty trainer.  Tell Paulina “Thank you” and send your child off to grab the prize that Paulina has left for him or her.

Paulina travels!

Have you ever had success with potty training at home but your child struggles to find the courage and motivation to go potty anywhere else?  Luckily, Paulina loves to travel!  It’s so easy to take Paulina with you wherever you go.  Put her in a grocery bag, along with some small treats and prizes.  Now, Paulina can offer support and deliver prizes and treats wherever you need her to.

 Here is Paulina delivering a treat for a potty success my daughter had while we were at the grocery store:

A motivational sneak peak!

Often times pooping in the potty can be the most difficult and scary part of potty training.  A parent may feel frustrated knowing that if their poor toddler could only go poop just once in the potty, they would see how easy and rewarding it is and it would become much easier afterward.

It is at this point -- when just one successful poop is needed to start the ball rolling -- that some added motivation might be helpful!  Paulina loves to save her most special prize for the first poop in the potty.  And if necessary, she will allow a sneak peak at this very special prize so the potty trainer knows what magical fun awaits them when they get that first poop in the potty!

After the initial success, pooping in the potty becomes much easier.  And the potty trainer is generally much more excited to have another success knowing that more magical fun and prizes await them.

When an accident discourages future progress!

When the inevitable accident occurs, it needs to be dealt with kindly.  An accident can be quite scary and discouraging for a new potty trainer and can prevent them from wanting to continue trying. 

This is the perfect time to read Paulina’s story again.  Paulina herself was unsuccessful at being a helper fairy at first.  She failed over and over again before she finally found success as the Poo Poo Fairy.  The little boy in the story also struggles to learn how to use the big-kid potty.  This is good way to remind your child that it is ok to make a mistake, but that they must not give up trying.  If they never give up they will eventually succeed, just like Paulina did! 

It is also helpful to remind your child that Paulina is still around, ready and waiting to reward and surprise them when they succeed!

Worried about spoiling your child?     

Paulina’s magic and motivation are dependent upon her bringing fun treats and surprises for your child when they have success.  Though this helps to make potty training a quick and exciting process for you and your child, some parents might be concerned that this may spoil your child into believing that they get treats and prizes all the time.  This is a valid concern.  One I had myself!  Paulina, however, helps with this concern as well!

Paulina, as it is shown in the book, brings her magic when a child is potty training.   Once potty training is complete she needs to be off in search of the next child who needs her help.  This allows the parents of the potty trainee to plan a perfect end to the prizes and treats that come along with potty training.  When everyone says goodbye and thank you to Paulina, off she will go and no more prizes need to be given. 

If your child asks for more prizes and treats after your potty training is complete, it is easy to say that since Paulina is gone no more prizes or treats are coming.  That was simply part of Paulina’s potty training magic and fun and now that they are expert potty-goers she is off to help another child!  Since it appears to your child that Paulina was the one giving the prizes and not mom or dad, it makes sense to believe that you have no prizes or treats to give them.

 I hope these tips and tricks on how to use Paulina help you with your potty training.  Email me at mary@poopoofairy.com for more help!

-Mary