Free Potty Training Tips for Girls

On average, children start potty training around the age of two, however, it is completely dependent on the child when she will be successful. If it is your first time potty training, or training a daughter, there are plenty of free tips available for parents, covering everything from the basics to more difficult issues that can arise during this time.

Outfits

• When you start potty training your daughter, try to put her in dresses to start with to ease the process for both you and her. This garment is easy for her to lift up before sitting down on the toilet, rather than attempting to undo any buttons or zippers that might be in the way. When she is focusing intently on getting to the toilet like you told her to do, your daughter can get easily frustrated if there is something preventing her from actually using the toilet.

Charts

• Just like teachers use at school, you can download and print potty training charts to inspire your daughter to use the bathroom on her own, rather than relying on her diaper. Various websites offer different themes, such as Disney princesses, Dora the Explorer, and Winnie the Pooh; many of these charts can be printed for free (see Resources). You can use stickers or markers to mark the times that your daughter successfully used the potty by herself, instilling a sense of pride and the desire to go potty all by herself.

Wiping

• Teaching your daughter how to wipe herself properly after using the bathroom is important in order to prevent urinary tract infections. Tell her that she needs to wipe her urine first, discard the paper, and get a fresh piece of paper for her feces; of course, it is helpful to use kid-friendly terms like "pee-pee" and "poo-poo" to help her understand the difference.

Lead by Example

• If you are a mother potty training her daughter, it can be useful to show your daughter how she needs to use the bathroom by allowing her to watch you do it. However, this is a very personal moment and not all mommies are comfortable using this method to teach their daughters.

Potty Chair

• You can make potty training more enjoyable for your daughter by including her in the process of buying her first potty chair. Take her to the store with you and let her pick out the one that she wants to use. When you bring it back home, you can even personalize it with stickers and markers, writing her name on it and letting her practice sitting on it for a week or so with her clothes on to become familiar with how it feels.

Underwear

• One of the biggest parts of potty training is weaning your daughter from diapers and getting her used to her new "big girl" underpants. Again, you can bring her to the store and have her help you pick out which ones she wants to wear. This will encourage her to wear them on her own and not be afraid to try them on. Explain to your daughter that big girls like mommy or another family member wear similar underpants that should never be urinated on, that need to be pulled down in order to use the toilet, unlike diapers.