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.

Potty training your child can be a monumental task. Sometimes it seems that he or she will never be out of diapers. In my quest for easier ways to potty train my son when he was of age, I chose the No More Diapers DVD by Consumervision. The DVD comes with stickers and is also linked to a website, where you can download coloring pages and a Potty Diploma.

No More Diapers is a cute story about a little bear’s trials and tribulations in using the potty, but I don’t know how much it really influenced my child’s readiness for toilet training. It’s loaded with songs that are cute, except for one I really didn’t like, in which the little bear sings about how much he likes his diapers. My son started singing this song after watching the DVD, and I thought, great, this idea totally backfired.

The part that did work were the stickers and the diploma, which you can actually do on your own without the DVD. It’s easy to make up your own potty training chart and reward certificate on the computer. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this DVD as a potty training aid.  If you are desparate for help in potty training your son or daughter, however, you can purchase it for $9.99 at Amazon.com and see for yourself.

There are so many potty training aids specifically designed for boys on the market today, it makes me wonder if the reason is that many grown men have problems aiming accurately at the toilet? On a serious note, these Piddlers Toilet Targets really are useful, however. When I found out I was having a boy, a friend of mine gave me Piddlers as a shower gift. It seemed unusual to me at the time, but when my son turned 3 and still wasn’t potty trained, I decided to take them out of storage and give them a try.

Piddlers are foam shapes that are flushable. You put one or a few into the toilet, then have your son “aim” at them. It helps encourage boys to want to use the potty, as they feel proud when they “hit” a target. I know it helped my son, and he went through a box of 30 targets in no time, then wanted more. I couldn’t find any at the time.

If these look like a good idea to you, as a gift for a friend or family member who’s having a boy or for your own son, you might want to invest in a few boxes. You can buy them at CreativeKidStuff.com, where a box of 30 targets is just $4.95.

Who is the ingenious person who came up with this idea? Actually, it was Ryan Strayer, father of a little boy and co-founder of Baby Rock Apparel, makers of the Tinkle Tube. The Tinkle Tube is a potty training aid for boys.  The concept behind it is pretty simple: when taking your boy to a public restroom, instead of having him sit on a dirty toilet seat, the Tinkle Tube helps him to be able to more easily stand and pee. The Tinkle Tube acts as a guide so that the urine goes into the toilet and not all over your son’s clothes, shoes, or your feet. It is supposed to help teach little boys how to pee standing up. However, this would only work if your son is tall enough to reach the seat while standing. The makers of the Tinkle Tube say you can also stand your son on top of the toilet seat and use the tube, but I don’t know how comfortable I would be with that, personally.

This Tinkle Tube could also be of value after the potty training days are done. How many of us have husbands whose aim is not always perfect, necessitating daily (or a few times a day) toilet and/or bathroom cleaning? If you’d like to take a closer look at the Tinkle Tube, you can do so at BabyRockApparel.com, where a 2 pack of Tinkle Tubes sells for $8.99.

I don’t have a little boy, but if I did, I’d want these adorable little boxer briefs from Gymboree.  Made from 100% cotton, they feature a print of skulls and crossbones on a blue background.  They have an elastic waist and a fly front.

Although these are classified as Halloween wear on Gymboree’s Web site, they are definitely versatile enough for wear all year long.  I think most little boys will be drawn to the fun pirate print.  Sometimes that is all you need to get a little one motivated to use the potty.

These cute little boxer briefs are available in sizes from 3-4 to 8-10.  You can purchase a single pair for $9.50 or two for $15 at gymboree.com.

Cottonelle Flushable Moist Wipes are the environmental choice for the whole family, especially for potty training toddlers. However, read the fine print before you start. In order to safely flush them into your septic system, you must only use one or two wipes per flush.

I’m going to keep searching for infant-specific flushable wipes because even though I cloth diaper, I do not use cloth wipes. For now, these are alcohol free, mild wipes for everyone. They’re nearly $4 (or less when on sale) for 42 wipes with a pop-up tub and handy to have in any washroom.

I found the Cottenelle Flushable Moist Wipes on sale at drugstore.com.

My potty-training toddler is all about the Care Bears. I, on the other hand, think that these hilarious Camo Briefs by the Dutch brand Claesens are much more in keeping with her personality. I’m not sure that she will want to wear them, but I am seriously thinking about ordering them.

The pink lace trim makes them irresistible. They are 95% Cotton and 5% Lycra. A three pack retails for $17.60 at cocotierkids.com. A matching camisole is also available.

My younger daughter is working on potty training right now, and along with that comes a fascination for hand washing. That has made step stools an absolute necessity in our house. We have one that we like, but I have been shopping around to see what other fun ones are on the market.

I like this one from distinctivenurseries.com. Decorated in shades of blue with a fun combination of stars, stripes, and polka dots, it is kid-friendly without being overly-gaudy. It measures 14” high x 14” wide x 15” deep and is made to be extra sturdy for little feet. It retails for $90 and does require minor assembly.

Many new parents have been saved by their infant swings. I know that both of my nephews slept almost exclusively in their swings in the first few months. The Amby Baby Motion Bed is designed to have the same soothing qualities as a swing, while introducing more bedlike features. The bed is designed to swaddle the baby, and to provide just enough motion to simulate a womb-like environment. If your baby suffers from reflux, an adjustable incline allows you to prop him or her up to reduce reflux symptoms. At first I thought this product might just be a gimmick, but I started considering it as an option when I read that it has been endorsed by Dr. Sears, whose opinion I tend to take quite seriously. I’m still on the fence about whether to buy this product, but I am strongly considering it. The $237 price for the most basic model certainly seems reasonable. Bedding is available in blue, white, or natural raw cotton. The Amby Bed is designed to hold babies up to 12 months of age. You can read more about this product and purchase one at www.ambybaby.com.

This potty chair might be appealing to a toddler, but I can’t see it fitting into most bathroom décor. It would stand out like a sore thumb. My first impression of it is not a good one and I dare to say I think it ugly and a tad tacky. For $69.95, you won’t catch me buying something I consider to be gaudy and odd (pooping in a chair? Hmmmm…) However, I do see how it could be sturdy and fun for a child, which would in turn encourage them to use the potty (what mother doesn’t want that?) As one might expect, there is a version for girls called Her Majesty’s Throne, befitting of a pink princess, and there’s a more neutral and less garish version in the It’s Potty Time Potty Chair. They all, including the His Majesty’s Throne, measure in at Height: 18″ Height of seat: 6 1/4″ and include a removable plastic container for efficient clean-up. Found at www.oneofakindkid.com, these items are odd and unexpected.