The First-Time Parents Guide to Potty Training: How to Ditch Diapers Fast (and for Good!)

This book is great for first time parents! Navigating how to get started and talking about potty training with your little seemed so daunting, but this book made it seem manageable.Following the guidelines in the book, my son was completely potty trained in 2 days! While I know that some kids just catch on quicker than others, I know that it went much smoother because I had the knowledge on how to approach it and what language to use and not use. This book helped empower me in this initially scary journey.

I bought this book as a guide to potty training my 2.5 year old. I debated between this one and the oh crap book, but ultimately picked this one for a few reasons. First, given that the author is a licensed psychologist, I knew her method would include an empathic approach that would align with my parenting style. Second, my husband and I are full time working parents and we had only a long weekend to begin potty training before our child was back at his daycare which requires that the children wear a diaper or underwear (they cannot go commando per state regulations). For this reason, I felt this book was a better fit than the oh crap method, which apparently requires weeks or months of the child going commando. This just wasn’t an option for us. Additionally, I heard that the oh crap method discourages the use to rewards, and I suspected my son would respond much better to earning rewards (I was right, he did). Overall, this was a great book that helped us get started on our potty training journey. I liked that the author included specific wording to use with the child. And she also included a list of questions to ask daycare, which I utilized. We are early in our potty training journey, but our child is doing great with this method so far. I would recommend this book, especially to busy working parents. It was a quick read, which was key and during the process I reread specific sections.

This book was written in a very simple and easy to read manner. Steps are easy to follow and I liked how organized the chapters are with a little summary at the end of each. Really recommend

Oh crap versus first time parents guide to potty training.I read both so you don’t have to!TL;DR: First Time Parents Guide is the clear winner!Both use the same basic so-called boot camp method: spend a soul-sucking weekend (ideally 3 day weekend), with your toddler completely bottomless, watch them like a hawk, prompt them to sit on the toilet with some sort of frequency (20-30 min) or if they’re showing any cues of peeing and pooping. The instructions for you as the caregiver progress from there.Where Dr Jazmine’s book stands out is that the method utilizes the positive parenting approach which as a behavioral therapist myself I know is evidence based for getting outcomes in behavior change.Oh Crap subtly shades positive parenting and also encourages the use of negative consequences for accidents once you feel your child has the hang of toilet training (please don’t do this. For starters it’s highly subjective when you think your kid knows their own cues to use the toilet and also research clearly shows positive reinforcement is the most successful way to get behavior change or to learn a new skill.)Oh Crap suggests doing overnight training (and includes some scary comments about bladder atrophy that I’m sure are not accurate) at the same time as daytime training (as in set alarms at 2am & 5am and pick up your dead weight mostly asleep toddler’s body onto the toilet - it’s a no for me!) whereas Dr Jazmine cites actual evidence that doing both simultaneously is not necessary nor even developmentally appropriate.Dr Jazmine’s book is also much shorter and has a page of chapter highlights at the end of each chapter with key take aways/points.My one point of contention is that Dr Jazmine recommends using food as a reward which as an eating disorders therapist I disagree with and also she recommends foods that are choking hazards for kids under 4 such as popcorn and chips.Some of you reading this do not care about food as rewards and feel ok with chips as a snack in which case I say to you: Dr Jazmine’s book, start to finish, is perfect for you!For everyone else: Dr Jazmine’s book is perfect for you! 10/10 would recommend!

Very easy to read. Well laid out & good tips. Made me more confident to start potty training with my little girl.