In my experience, potty training isn’t something you can bribe your child into. I’ve tried, of course, but even a gorgeous set of furniture for her doll house wasn’t enough to get my then almost three year old motivated. Then, out of the blue, it was done. That said, there are some ways to stack the deck in your favor, and books and DVDs are one of them. Once Upon a Potty is the series that I had for my oldest daughter, who was much less resistant. The illustrations are fun, and the video is simple and to the point. A cute stuffed doll is also now available. It won’t miraculously train the child who like my daughter, expresses a preference for diapers (I can’t tell you how many times we heard “I want to change it!”), but it certainly promotes awareness of the body and pottying. You can pick up these products at OneStepAhead.com. The book retails for $6.95; the DVD for $16.95; and the doll is $19.95.

My son is at the stage where he’s fully potty-trained during the day (he’s 5), but at night, he still needs some help. I’ve been putting him to bed wearing a GoodNite each night, and he also has one of those crinkly protectors that covers his mattress. I really like the idea of the Incog-Neato Bed Protector Pad, however. They are pads designed to fit over a fitted sheet, in a chair, and even can be used as a pet protector pad. Less cumbersome and easier to launder than mattress covers, Incog-Neato pads are available in a variety of different designs including prints and solids, and in the following sizes: Chair size (15″ x 19″) for $19.99, Toddler/single bed size (32″ x 34″) for $49.99, and Queen bed size (34″ x 42″) for $59.99 at Target stores. You can view them online at Incog-Neato.com.

If you’re a fan of Gerber baby wear, you’ll like Netkidswear.com . They’ve got tons of great products at great prices, and several other brands, like Spencer and Carter’s, at sale prices as well. The best deal I found was the Everyday Essentials 6-Pack Vinyl Pants by Gerber for $3.97, down from $10. Though there are only Size Small Pink ones left, if you’ve got girls, grab ‘em up. I never find small sizes, so these are really a steal.

Gerber Vinyl Pants are great for over cloth diapers, because they hold tons in and are easy to slip on. However, they are bulky. I use the blue/sport theme/striped versions on my boys, grabbing them whenever they’re on sale at Wal-Mart (or when they’re not—they’re not overly pricey.) They’re inexpensive to replace but will last longer if you wash them by hand; otherwise, they will wear out pretty quickly.

TinyPlayground.com is a new website that provides practical resources and ideas for new moms. It offers Mom Guides to things such as Preparing for Baby, Roundups listing Mommy and Me classes, online classifieds, baby photos, and much more. Some of its most helpful offerings include the Solid Food Chart for Babies age 6-12 months, and the Newborn Breastfeeding Chart with spaces to log wet and dirty diapers during the first week of baby’s life. To view all of the practical, useful offerings, visit TinyPlayground.com.

Even though my 5 year old son has been potty-trained for the last 2 years, he still needs some help at night. For some reason, he just doesn’t wake up when he has to go to the bathroom. His pediatrician said not to worry about it, that some children physically can’t hold it when they have to go because their bladders aren’t large enough. We’ve been using GoodNites at bedtime for the past 2 years with much success. I tried other nighttime diapers, but they leaked or were uncomfortable for my son. With the GoodNites, they go on like underwear, and have sports themes like underwear, so my son doesn’t feel ashamed to wear them. I don’t know how long we’ll have to keep buying GoodNites; they aren’t cheap, with a pack of 17 costing $10.96 at Wal Mart. If genetics are any indication, however, it might be a while; I wet the bed until I was 7. If anyone can find a better price for these, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know.

Being the only female in the house, I’ve had to clean up after my husband and (mostly) my 5 year old son in the bathroom at least once a week. Sometimes a boy’s aim is a bit off, or he starts daydreaming while going to the bathroom, and splash, there’s an accident on the toilet. I think this Flippee Toilet Shield is a fantastic idea! It simply flips up, providing a barrier while your son uses the toilet, and protecting the back of the toilet (not to mention the walls, shower curtain, and anything else that might unwittingly become a pee target).

Flippee attaches to the toilet with suction cups and stores around the base of the toilet, out of sight, when not in use. Its unique drip lip feature prevents any urine from falling on the floor when Flippee is flipped down. This would really come in handy when starting to potty train your son. You can view Flippee the Toilet Shield at Flippee.com, where it sells for $24.95. If it works, it’s well worth the price.

I’ve been really pleased with this potty chair by Baby Bjorn so far. We purchased it just before my son’s second birthday when he showed signs of independence regarding potty training. I had researched which chairs parents had the best experience with, and this was by far the most popular. I definitely would have to agree. I love the simplicity of its design as well as the contoured shape that seems to fit our son so well. It allows for lots of leg room and also has a very handy splashguard. I had looked at other potty chairs but they all seemed to have too many gizmos like music, toilet paper holder or a lid.  I have found that keeping it simple has given us the best results.  

 I really like that this potty chair is low to the ground, making it really easy for baby to sit himself down. Also, it is just two pieces, with the inner seat removable to make for easy cleaning. It has a great shape that gives the child back support. This potty chair must be extremely comfortable as my son is quite happy to sit in it and read stories for quite a while.

As with all the Baby Björn products we own, this potty chair is so brilliantly designed, with the comfort and security of children in mind. We are still in the midst of our potty training but this chair has made the transition much smoother. It is available in pink, white, green, yellow, and red or blue. You can purchase one for $27.99 at Target.com.

My children don’t play with dolls, but I have spotted a few interesting ones while browsing different sites. One doll that recently caught my eye was the Baby Alive Learns to Potty doll, made by Hasbro. You can choose from the Hispanic, Caucasian, or African American versions. Baby Alive Learns To Potty also comes with several accessories, including her potty, a dress, 2 doll-sized diapers, a bottle, a bowl, a spoon, 2 packages of doll food, a bib, and wipes.

Though I think that she should be marketed not just for “future mommies” but for “future daddies” also, Baby Alive Learns to Potty is otherwise quite the doll. She will let you know when she has to use the potty, but if you don’t get her situated on her potty on time, she will have an “accident.” She’s not simply a potty learning tool though — children can learn to nurture by feeding her, playing with her, and rocking her for naptime as well.  You can purchase Baby Alive Learns to Potty for $29.98 at ToysRUs.com.

The title alone makes me want to buy this dvd on potty training - and my kids are in college. “Potty  Training in One Day” sounds too good to be true. But from the product description, it sounds like they have a lot of good ideas and suggestions for preparing your child for potty training. I think I missed that step and just went right into, “Here’s the potty, there’s your seat.” I can see where spending time to determine if your child is ready for training and going through the pre-training exercises included on this DVD would be very helpful and perhaps less stressful during potty-training.

You can purchase this item at inchbug.com where it is priced at $17.99.

Night lights are always a good idea for toddlers, and this Nocturnimals Fox Night Light Slumber Buddy by Manhattan Toy combines a night light and a soft, cuddly toy in one. Just press its paw and the fox’s belly glows with different colors for about four minutes. It’s a great way for your child to keep a night light with her in bed in case she needs it in the middle of the night. I think this would be a lifesaver during potty training, as your child could push the buddy’s paw and use her buddy to find her way to the bathroom during the middle of the night.

The Nocturnimals Fox Night Light is 9″ high and recommended for ages 3 and up. You can view and purchase it at geniusbabies.com, where it sells for $19.95.

This set of underwear from Skivvies brought a huge smile to my face.  The look is vintage, hip, and absolutely adorable.  You almost hate to cover them up with clothes!  Made from 100% cotton knit, this two-piece set features a sleeveless undershirt and a pair of underwear.  I love the rich chocolate brown color which is set off very nicely by the white trim. This set will make your little guy feel very grown up as he masters using the potty.  They come very neatly packaged for gift-giving as well.

You can purchase the set for $40 at BratAttire.com.  It comes in sizes from 12-18 months up to 5 years.

Gymboree.com is a nice clean site. It is easy to navigate, has tons of options for clothes and toys, and has some pretty great deals. They carry some very rugged looks for little guys and pretty apparel for girls. I personally like the sense of humor displayed in some of the looks. For example, the Polar Bear Boxer Brief is adorable and very festive. It’s perfect for a toilet training little one, giving him incentive to be “just like dad” in boxer briefs but still maintaining that little boy charm with the cute polar bear print. On sale, you can get 2 for $15 (regular price is $9.50) at Gymboree.com.

If you have a nautical theme for your little one’s room, you might enjoy this quirky Lighthouse Potty Chair.  Made by Teamson Design Corp., this unique seat is handpainted with a lighthouse scene and has a lighthouse tower at the top. It includes a built-in toilet paper holder and a holder for toys or books.

I can’t quite make up my mind about whether I find this charming or a bit over-the-top.  Ultimately, I think it would depend on the decor.  If your little one is all about boats, this might be a good way to increase his or her motivation for using the potty.

You can purchase one on sale for $56.88 at babyoffice.com.

I’ve had my eye on this potty chair from Boon for a while now.  At one point, we had more potty chairs than we could use.  I actually ended up giving one away.  Now we seem to need another one, and I think that this one will fit the bill perfectly.  I love the simple, functional design of this seat.

The Boon Potty Bench, which easily converts to a step stool, has a very clean and contemporary design that grown-ups will appreciate.  The green color is also a great match for my bathroom, which is an added  bonus.  Other terrific features include storage compartments and a built-in toilet paper holder.

You can purchase this potty chair on sale for $34.99 at mystrollers.com.

Whether you are a die hard Paul Frank fan, or just someone who loves to deck your son out in fun and hip fashions, you should check out this set of boys’ underwear in the Small Paul line.  Available in sizes from 2T-5, these underwear are hilariously cute.  The three-pair set includes a Julius the monkey pair, a Scurvy pirate pair, and a guitar pair.  All are ultra-hip.

These would make a great potty training incentive or a fun but practical stocking stuffer.  You can pick up the set for $21 at SandboxCouture.com.