You’ve done a lot of the hard work and potty training is now going well. To get things running smoothly you’ve been staying home and it’s been working. You’ve got a good system happening between the two of you and there have been relatively few accidents in recent days. You’re even starting to feel like this potty training thing is no big deal.

You wonder whether maybe it’s time to head out, to move beyond the safety of home. However, you know that potty training at home is very different to potty training in the big wide world but you aren’t sure how different and what to do to prepare yourself and educate your child on what to expect.

Just because it’s new and perhaps a bit intimidating, you can’t stay home forever. No really, you can’t! Of course, it’s tempting to put them in pull ups so you won’t have to worry about any potential accidents. The only problem is that it isn’t really sending your child the right message about the path ahead.

You know that your child can go for at least an hour in between potty visits so if you time it right you might be able to get there and back within the hour. Well, maybe. But bladders, especially children’s bladders, aren’t always like that. You know what it’s like when you get excited or nervous, you need to go to the bathroom more. Your child is like that too, only they can’t hold on like you can. So you may well find that your child needs to go more when they are out, not less.

So what can you do?
1. Explain to your child what will happen when you are out, how it will likely be different from home and any concerns you may have.

2. Get them to go, or at least try to go potty before you leave.

3. Find out where the toilets are as soon as you get wherever you are going and go straight away. It’s much easier doing this calmly before they really need it than in the rush of a sudden urge.

4. If you’re out in public, as you move around always be on the lookout for those tell-tale bathroom signs so you know exactly which direction you should head if you need to.

5. If you don’t have a portable potty with you, try getting your child to sit backwards on a regular toilet – some children find this easier because they have the wall or toilet cistern to hold onto and don’t feel like they are going to fall off the seat on to the floor.

6. Take some spare clothing, a couple of plastic bags, and some baby wipes and paper towels with you in case of accidents.

7. If they have an accident in a shop or restaurant – let the staff know and race to the bathroom with your child. Sure it is embarrassing but you won’t be the first. All you can really do is apologise – quickly – and leave a big tip.

8. If your child has an accident at a friend’s house then it’s your responsibility to clean it up. Best to take your own paper towels so you can quickly spring into action without having to ask for everything and make it a big deal.

9. Don’t forget to take your sense of humour – accidents or not, you’re going to need it. There may be several false alarms with your child wanting to find out what happens when they say the magic trigger word. If you feel this is happening, try not to get upset with them. Instead try praising them for telling you and being so responsible about their potty training, even though you know it’s not easy.

Good luck!

About The Author
Find more information on how to handle potty training road blocks and what other potty training sites won’t tell you, visit Potty Training. There you will find the advice and resources you need to succeed with potty training in the long term.

One of the first things that you will want to do, when a long distance grandparent, is start planning your trips to see your grandchild. This is particularly important if you are on a budget or if you must make expensive travel arrangements. Unfortunately, the high costs of travel often keep long distance grandparents home, but you shouldn’t let it. Preplanning can allow you to develop a money saving budget. All money saved can go towards the cost of travel. No matter what sacrifices you need to make, if any, they will be well worth it when you see your new grandchild.

Another step that you will want to take is speaking with your child to see what they need for their impending arrival. Being a long distance grandparent, you may be unable to attend baby showers or see first hand which new baby gifts were given. Before purchasing any supplies, toys, or clothes for your new grandchild, you will want to speak with the parents first. This will prevent unnecessary purchases and it will also enable you to purchase items that will be put to good use.

As previously stated, long distance grandparents may be unable to attend pre-baby celebrations, such as baby showers. If that is the case, you may want to take steps to create your own celebrations. If you have other friends or family members where you reside, you may want to collect baby gifts to send back home. If you will be arriving to see your new grandchild shortly after their birth, you may want to plan your own baby shower. This is actually a common occurrence with long distance relatives.

Another one of the many steps that you will want to take, as a long distance grandparent, involves keeping constant contact with your child. This will provide you with a direct link to your new grandchild. Be sure to state your wishes of being an active, long distance grandparent. You may want to take steps to set up an email account. This email account will allow you to regularly stay updated with the progress of your grandchild, through pictures. Also, something as simple as speaking to your new grandchild on the phone will help them identify you by sounds.

The above mentioned points are just a few of the many that you, as a long distance grandparent, will want to take into consideration. As your grandchild grows, you may want to take steps to send gifts out their way for each occasion, including holidays. For instance, a small Easter basket for Easter or a small bag of treats for Halloween, may make it appear as if you are right there enjoying each and every important minute with your family.

Are we there yet? How often do parents want to ask this question when traveling with a car full of unhappy, restless kids? By following a few guidelines, your next family trek can be a pleasant one.

Set the scene
Kids who are squished between bags and packages can get irritable, so don’t overpack the car. Put the kids in casual, layered clothing and bring along blankets and pillows for added comfort. Allow them to take off their jackets and shoes and to settle in for the ride.

Avoid boredom
Youthful energy that’s bursting at the seams prevents kids from enjoying a long immobile stint in the back seat. Head off boredom, and the ensuing misbehavior, by bringing along a backpack filled with activities for each child. Look for long-play items like travel games, playing cards, crayons and simple crafts.

Eat on the road
“Eating in the car can keep the kids happy,” suggests Elizabeth Pantley, parenting expert and author of Perfect Parenting: The Dictionary of 1,000 Parenting Tips. “Food serves multiple purposes. It keeps the kids’ blood sugar levels even, thus preventing fussiness. And snacking keeps the kids busy.” She suggests bringing along an assortment of snacks, including items that take a long time to eat, like lollipops and dried fruit.

Pantley also recommends grabbing meals to go from family-friendly restaurants. “Look for restaurants that offer wholesome food choices as well as entertainment value, such as the KFC Kids Laptop Pack ? which offers kid-friendly favorites like chicken legs with healthful side items like green beans. It’s served in a flip-top box that’s easy for kids to balance on their little laps with entertaining, educational games and activities to keep them happy and busy throughout the ride.”

Publish car rules
Before you embark on your journey, write down a set of car rules. Keep hands to yourself…Use a quiet voice…Clean up your trash…are just a few simple rules. Pantley warns that a lack of rules invites misbehavior. “When your expectations are clear, simple and exact, children behave better,” she says. A few instructions can keep the peace.

Involve the kids
Pantley suggests that you provide the kids with a map, colored pencils, a compass and a journal so that they can follow and record the journey. “You can even give them a calculator ? so when they ask, ’How long ‘til we get there?’ you can teach them how to figure it out themselves!”

Following a few of these suggestions won’t banish “Are we there yet?” from your traveling child’s vocabulary ? but he or she just might ask the question with a smile.

Copyright Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)

About the author:
Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry — Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman’s Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth’s web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.