Slow and Steady

• Start gradually. Don't pull a potty chair out of a box and demand that your kid hop on board and relieve herself. Read stories or watch videos about going potty. Bring the potty chair out, have your daughter sit on it, fully clothed, and read her stories. Once she is comfortable sitting on it, you can start placing her on the potty at regularly scheduled intervals. For example, first thing in the morning, take her diaper off and place her on the potty for 10 minutes. It doesn't matter if she actually goes. The point is to be consistent and get her into the habit of using the potty. Then once every hour, place her on the potty for another 10 minutes. You might have to adjust your schedule to fit the potty breaks into your day.
  
  

Be Encouraging

• Some children are a little apprehensive of committing to the potty. The best way to deal with these kinds of situations is to not turn the issue into an ordeal. Take a break from the training if your child puts up a fight. He might be trying to tell you that he is not ready. Start again in a couple of weeks. Use rewards, like small treats or star stickers, to encourage your child to adapt to the potty. Take him to the store and let him pick out his own big-boy underpants. When your 20-month-old pees in the potty, make a big deal out of it. Sing a song, do a silly dance--show him how pleased you are. You might have to keep up these behaviors for several weeks before it starts to work.
  
  

You've Done It!

• Once your child starts to use the potty, it's you who needs to become committed. Be ready to drop everything for a run to the potty. Learn where the restrooms are wherever you take your child out in public. Learn to recognize the signs when your child needs to go to the bathroom. Accept that there might be many "false alarm" trips to the potty in public before the one that counts happens.