You Can Go to the Potty [With Poster]

We love this book. We love the chart. My daughter really enjoys "reading" the pictured steps for going to the potty. Having said that, I would like to point out that children of 2+ years are still learning about sequential steps. The chart is often confusing because Step 1 is aligned to the left margin; Step 2 bounces to the right margin; Step 3 aligns left again, etc. While this makes for a cute layout... I've noticed that my daughter will frequently recite the steps down Column 1, then go down Column 2 (at least to her they look like columns). Then she gets a confused look on her face, because she KNOWS that you have to pull up your pants BEFORE you wash hands, but the chart "reads" differently. Anyway, we keep rehearsing it and she'll get it eventually. But the chart designers could have saved us that headache by taking into consideration their very young and "literally" minded audience.

We've been very pleased with this book, my son enjoys sitting there to hear the whole story, and recognizes the people in it from "What Baby Needs" by the same authors. It has useful information for parents before the story, and the story itself flows very nicely. It talks about what the child needed when they were a baby, how they can now do all sorts of things themselves, and explains the use of the potty. I also like how it talks about accidents being okay and explains how the child can help Mommy or Daddy clean them up, and how it's okay if you're still wearing diapers occasionally for things like bed time and whatnot. It's well-written in a very understanding fashion. My only complaint about this book would be the use of "pee-pee" and "poo-poo" as they sound kind of silly and childish to me, but we just use different words there instead, so it's not a major issue. Otherwise, it's a very good book with nice illustrations, an understand and warm story, and useful parent information. I would recommend this to anyone wanting books for your children about potty training/learning; even more so if you've enjoyed any of the other Sears children's books.

Everything you need to know about potty training (oops! I mean potty LEARNING as per Dr. Sears) is contained in this 32-page picture book. The first three pages have helpful notes to parents and caregivers. The story itself includes sidebars, or blocks of supplemental material, designed to answer the persistent questions (Why? Why? Why?) of curious children. The last page provides details about attachment parenting, a responsive style of raising children, and a list of various Internet, textbook, and organizational resources. The special bonus? A pull-out poster with seven simple steps to hang in the bathroom.Renowned pediatrician Dr. William Sears and his R.N. wife Martha team up with writer Christie Watts Kelly to produce a book that stands heads above the rest. Impressive credentials, comprehensive content...but does it pass the read-aloud test?I didn't discover this book until late in the game. My girls had already graduated to big-girl underwear and pull-ups. But I read it to them anyway. The cartoon illustrations rendered by Renee Andriani captured their attention - for awhile. Then they lost interest. Too wordy? Or just too late? My third child is due next year. When the time comes, I'll try this book again to teach the fundamentals. When s/he understands what to do, but needs extra time to do it, we'll read potty books I find more entertaining.

This book is excellent for parents who practice Attachment Parenting. It starts by explaining that when the child was a baby, their parents did everything for them. This shows a mother breastfeeding, parents and baby co-sleeping, and a father "wearing" the baby in a sling. It then talks about diapers and how as children get older, they use the potty like their parents. There are lots of parent tips that appear in the margins, encouraging further discussion and customizing things to suit your family's needs and preferences. As always, Dr. Sears encourages you to follow your instincts. The story itself isn't much different from the one you'd find in The Potty Book or other training books. It follows a child through potty training, buying underwear, etc. The narrative uses language a child can understand, but sometimes it seemed a bit too babyish for me. ("poo-poo goes bye-bye"). I don't think you have to talk down to kids to get them to understand. But, that small complaint aside, the book is informative and positive. It's a wonderful teaching tool, and perfectly suited for Attachment families.

We have purchased many books in this genre :-) and are delighted with this book by childcare experts William and Martha Sears. The book starts with a three-page introduction for parents, discussing readiness and approach. The text for children is comforting and informative -- letting kids know that there was a time that parents did everything for them but now they are growing up, and using the toilet is another aspect of their growth, like dressing or feeding themselves. Cartoon pictures show a little boy using a potty seat and his older siblings using the adult toilet seat. An older boy urinates standing up, and handwashing is shown. Sidebars on most pages address questions that children might ask with suggested answers. The process is emphatically positive though constipation and accidents are also mentioned. The book concludes with a page about attachment parenting.The only thing I didn't like was the use of the terms "pee-pee" and "poo-poo" but that's easy enough to change as you read. The message is comforting at the same time the text is informative for kids, discussing the mechanics of the process as well as the benefits. There is also a pull-out poster that shows the steps involved, and this can be placed on the bathroom wall or maybe in a spot your youngster tends to seek out when s/he feels the need to go potty.Excellent.