Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Waste or Want #9: Potty Chairs

Featured Product: Potty Chairs



Description:

A child potty chair is designed for use when potty training and/or for children who are too small to be comfortable on a regular adult-sized toilet.

Average Cost: $10-60, depending on style and complexity

On the one hand...

Potty chairs can be very useful when potty training. Children feel more comfortable and secure sitting on something their own size, rather than something--let's face it--huge with a big hole right where they are supposed to sit. It is also suggested that potty chairs can help a child relax and "release" when their muscles aren't tightened trying to stay on the seat. Using the chair can be more exciting for the child if they feel like it belongs just to them.

On the other hand...

Potty chairs add an extra step of cleaning as it has to be emptied each time it's used. There is also an extra step of training added in when the child is ready to transition from the potty chair to using the regular toilet.

And now, Cast Your Vote!

Potty Chair: Waste or Want?

and don't forget to tell us why!

7 comments:

Erin said...

Want! I think it's a good first step. I actually remember being potty trained, and I was so scared of that big potty. My little girl fell in the big potty one of the first times she used it and creating fear in the beginning of potty training is so not a good idea. Luckily she got over it quickly. :) I also like that on our little potty i could take the seat off and snap it into the big potty to make the transition a little easier. It also worked as a step stool for washing hands. You can buy the seats that just sit on top of the big potty without the rest of it, but I liked it to be small and sitting on the floor so I don't have to lift them up every time. It created a little more independence. And if you took care of it, it could last through all your kids so it's not that big of an expense.

Megan said...

For us it was a waste. Lucas wanted to sit on the big potty rather than the little potty. Luckily for us we had bought one similar to Erin's that had a seat to snap onto the big toilet and that is what we have used. I also liked that when the little potty isn't in use it turns into a stool. I think we paid $10-15 for the little potty we bought at Walmart, so it wasn't a big expense to swallow and I don't feel bad where Lucas never has used it as a potty, only as a stool.

The Fisher's said...

Waste for a potty - but it's awesome for a step stool, very sturdy and easy to clean up - that's all it has ever been used for and my 2 kids are potty trained now...We did use one of those small seat things, but that didn't last for too long either, benefit of the small seat is saving you some messes in the beginning since they are so little and the seat is so big. Depends on how fearful your child is though - if there is truly a fear of falling in it's a good alternative.

Anonymous said...

We love potty chairs!!! At first, this was the only way little A could poop. I think it's because she was securely on the ground and in the "right" position. She can use the potty herself, and empty it by herself, because I got the smallest potties I could find. She is happiest when she doesn't have to ask for help. It is useful that she will use a potty when we are somewhere without restrooms (camping, park, etc.) close-by. On the other hand, it's wonderful that she is not afraid of using the toilet, and does so in restaurants and stores. Flexibility is good, but I still have the potty chairs available as an option for her.
P.S. I potty trained her prior to 2 years old, so maybe that's why the small potties worked better for us initially! She's a tiny child in general now that she's 2 1/2.

Laura said...

We also only use our potty chair as a step stool. We instead bought a separate seat that goes on the regular toilet. My daughter uses the "stool" to get up on the toilet and again to wash her hands, but not otherwise.

I personally like that she can use the regular toilet, because then it's not a big deal when we go to someone else's house or a business and she needs to go. We don't have to worry about not having "her potty" with us.

LeeAnne said...

Want for me! My little guy is kind of a stubborn kid and he likes to make his own choices... First I just got one of those potty seats that you put on top of the toilet seat, but later got a potty chair which was easier for him, something more at his level(and he was kind of afraid to go #2 in the big toilet). And for the stubbornness issue- great because he got to make his own choice between potty seat on the toilet or potty chair on the floor. Once he got the hang of going potty (and I was quite sick of cleaning out the potty chair) I put the potty chair away and he did fine. I liked having a couple of options for him to choose from so that it's not just Mommy trying to make him do something :)

My Urban Child said...

Want for me, Baby Potty Chairs is very important, toddlers must train in in controlling their bladder.. I read about a theory of Sigmund Freud, about psycho sexual theory in anal stage, as parents we must do toilet train our child, and it said If we assesses the readiness, of baby, in future he will become a motivated one, and it Mother train their child as loose type, law breaker in future the baby will become ANti social.. And if we train as Rigid, Strict type, and Ritualistic in the future the baby will become Obsessive Compulsive type.. Oh.. its only a theory, but i believe on that....