5 Books to Help With Potty Training

Warning: If bathroom talk makes you cringe, skip today’s post.

If you have not yet had to potty train a child, I can promise you that it will be one of the strangest experiences in your parenting life. It is so weird. It may also be the first major time you, as a parent, feel completely and utterly defeated by your child. Because it is not easy or very much fun. And it stinks. Literally. But, you are not alone. Every parent must eventually battle and conquer potty training.

For many lucky parents, the hardest part of potty training is the second part (aka poop). Some kids are not keen on the idea of putting “that” in “there.” It is scary (for the child and the parents). For those parents who found potty training to be a breeze, we all hate you. Just kidding. Well, maybe just a little. For everyone else, fear not! Here is my handy dandy list of the most ridiculously helpful potty training books for kids. 

At this point, Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi should be considered a classic. If you are not familiar with this book, it is pretty simple. Everyone eats; therefore, everyone poops. The writer uses animals to help children understand the concept. The pictures and ideas are easy for children to understand. How can it be scary when everyone does it?

Let’s take it a step farther. If the book with pictures isn’t enough to help your child, then introduce Where’s the Poop? by Julie Markes and illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. This is a lift-the-flap children’s book. What is more fun than lifting the various flaps to find out where the baby animals have pooped?! Ha! Plus, it ends with a human child going to the bathroom. It is silly and children love it. 

For the family who is okay with potty humor, Super Pooper! by Monika Sloan will be a hit. It encourages kids to be super poopers by putting the stinky stuff in the potty. It is repetitive and ridiculous. But, it is just silly enough to encourage your child. Just be warned – your child may excitedly announce he/she is a super pooper in the middle of the grocery store.

If you are at the beginning stages of potty training, P-O-T-T-Y is a cute board book that introduces a song to help prepare children for potty training. The tune of the song is the same tune as BINGO. Is it stuck in your head already? Since little ones usually already know BINGO, this is a fun way to encourage kids to use the potty.

Potty Time by Caroline Jayne Church is another introduction to potty training. This is a board book that includes a “flushing” sound button to get children interested in going to the restroom. Since kids seem to love flushing a toilet best, this book is effective in allowing them to “flush” repetitively. 

Not a book, but another great tool to have at home as you prepare for this adventure. Elmo’s PottyTime works in the same way Sesame Street always does – it uses colors, fun songs, silly characters and creative situations to teach children. Of all the shows involving potty training, this one is the most helpful.

Good luck! Stay sane! 

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7 Books for Your Little Valentines

Whether you love all the red and pink in February or hate the commercialization, Valentine’s Day is fun for little ones. Candy, love notes, more candy, balloons, and even more candy. Who can blame them? But, sometimes the Valentine’s Day themed books can be a little much. We prefer quirky love stories in our home. If you want to find some heartwarming, silly books that talk about love all year long rather than just in February, here is a list for you.

Love Monster by Rachel Bright

By far, my favorite children’s book about love is Love Monster. A monster is looking for love, but his quest for love is long and hard. When he is ready to give up, love finds him. Between the adorable pictures and the lines about searching for love that resonate with both kids and adults, this book always leaves me teary-eyed.

I Love You, Stinky Face by LisaMcCourt/Cyd Moore

My kids cannot get enough of I Love You, Stinky Face. This fun book combines outstanding illustrations with silly ideas that represent a mother’s unconditional love. So what if you are a super smelly skunk? “I’d plunk you in a bubble bath! But if you still smelled stinky, I wouldn’t mind. I’d whisper in your ear, ‘I love you, Stinky Face.” We regularly repeat lines from this book to one another. These terms of endearment sure beat all the regular mushy-gushy Valentine’s stuff.

Runaway Mummy by Michael Rex

Another nontraditional book about a mother’s unconditional love is Runaway Mummy. This book works well for my Halloween, spook loving children. This mommy mummy will stop at nothing to stay near her boy. Except for turning into a soccer mom.

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

What toddler is not a fan of the amazing Sandra Boynton? She can do no wrong in their eyes (or mine). The reason I love Snuggle Puppy is because it gives parents the chance to sing loudly, smooch and squeeze their little ones. We sing the song to each other often – not just on Valentine’s Day.

Just a Little Love by Mercer Mayer

The whole idea of this book is that sometimes people just need a little love, and it shows children all the different ways you can show just a little love. I love Mercer Mayer books because they are so realistic with their truthful messages (and humorous). Mom’s dinner falls to the floor? She needs a little love. Dad gets a speeding ticket rushing to grandma’s house? He needs a little love.

You Are My I Love You by Maryann Cusimano/Satomi Ichikawa

If there is a book that illustrated the way my second child loves, it is this one. If you have never read the poem, you should read it right away. My favorite lines are “I am your praying hands; you are my saying grace. I am your favorite book; you are my new lines.” It is beautiful and true. Yet, it also makes me smile at the differences in the way a child sees you and how you see your child. 

A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger/Dan Santat

Look at their little Crankenstein faces. Bless. 

I wanted to include just one actual Valentine’s themed book, but I chose a book that is also nontraditional. Crankenstein is not a fan of all the Valentine’s mushy stuff. There is lots of silliness about icky yucky hearts and jokes about underwear, so it is a hit with my 6 year old son. But, little Crankenstein finds a friend who shares his hate for all things lovey-dovey, and this makes him appreciate the holiday a little more.

 
Any other quirky, nontraditional children’s books about love I should add to the list for Valentine’s Day and all year round?

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5 Books to Teach Your Child to Behave in Class

Do you have a class clown? A Chatty Cathy? A Silly Billy? A child who falls out of his chair at school just for laughs? Surely, I’m not the only one. Why else would there be so many great books out there dealing with these issues?

My son is full of life and imagination and silliness. While he has a sweet heart, he has a hard time knowing how to control all of his silliness. He likes to talk to everybody all the time. And he likes to be the center of attention. This probably explains why we had our first parent-teacher conference in K3. Parents of the year, y’all.

Now, he is in kindergarten. Since he started K3, we have been adding books to our collection to help teach our son proper classroom behavior. While he still has plenty of silliness and his teacher needs lots of prayer (bless her, Lord), the books have been great helps in effectively showing why we should not act the way we always want to act. There is a time for silliness – and there is a time to just “stay cool."

5 BOOKS TO TEACH YOUR CHILD 

TO BEHAVE IN CLASS

My Mouth is a Volcano! by Julia Cook is terrific for your young guy or gal who struggles with talking constantly and interrupting. The book shows how difficult it can be to keep all the words inside, but also shows why this is important. It has been a great tool in our home when we explain he is acting like he has a "volcano mouth."

      Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale is a perfect fit for the child who is full of excitement all the time. Poor Clark just loves everything so much and can be a little too excited. Too rough. Too loud. Too much. His kind teacher helps teach him that sometimes it is best to just "stay cool."

                         

      Too Loud Lily by Sofie Laguna is another great book for the little person who is often "too much." Lilly is loving and full of life...and loud. It is a problem at home and at school. She struggles to know when and how to use her loud voice until a new drama teacher arrives. Finally, Lilly knows just how to use her special loud talents - in the school play! This is a fantastic fit for my theater loving, dramatic son.             

                                                                                                              

      Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker by Christianne C. Jones is the right choice if you have a child who talks all the time and never lets anyone else get a word in. Sweet Lacey Walker just talks, talks, talks all day long. Her talking even gets in the way of her completing her tasks. She eventually talks so much she loses her voice! When this happens, Lacey learns why listening is even more important than talking.

      Hunter's Best Friend at School by Laura Malone Elliot has been a tremendous help in dealing with situations where our son gets in trouble with a buddy. This children's book is a great way to introduce the idea of not doing what your friends do (if they are doing something wrong). It teaches that while it is fun to laugh and play with your friend, if your friend is causing a disruption, you should try to encourage the friend to behave rather than misbehave yourself. It shows little ones how easily they can influence they friends, both positively and negatively. 

      What other books would you add to this list? Share your titles in the comments!

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