Potty Training in 3 Days: The Step-by-Step Plan for a Clean Break from Dirty Diapers

by Brandi Brucks, Fredric Daum (Foreword)

Help toddlers ages 1 to 3 go from dirty diapers to using the potty in just 3 days!

Ditch the diapers in no time with this step-by-step plan. Filled with expert advice accrued over thousands of cases, this potty training book makes it easy to get your child to start using the toilet. This guide covers everything you need to know, from prepping for your potty training weekend to supporting and encouraging your child once they’ve made it through the three days.

Go beyond other potty training books

A proven plan―Potty train your child fast with a 5-step plan that includes useful tips and tricks for succeeding every step of the way.Insight into your child―Understand what’s going on in your child’s head, how to recognize when they’re ready for potty training, and more. Ways to stay cool―Keep calm through every accident thanks to a kind and conversational approach that takes the stress out of potty training.

Say bye-bye to diapers with Potty Training in 3 Days.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Childrens, Audiobook, Self Help, Family, Adult

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2016

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about this book is the fact that it's actually short enough for a busy parent to read! With simple techniques and advice for parents and caregivers, this is one that's easy to recommend. My only complaint is the use of the word "sh*tty" at several points. I know she was trying to be humorous and making a pun, but I didn't care for the foul language, and I'm sure there are other parents out there who would agree with me. For the second edition, I recommend changing it to "crappy" or "poopy." It'll make the same impact and offend fewer people.

[Michelle Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We used this method to potty train and it really worked like a dream. You have to be willing to commit and follow it to the letter, but it seriously only took 3 days!

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, it's that time, potty training our youngest. Our older two are girls, but the youngest is a boy, so I thought I'd try out a book about potty training for any help I can get.
I thought that this book had a lot of good information. The author did a good job with that part of the book. And I guess it is her job after all. One thing that kind of bugs me about this book though, is that the author gets in lots of little digs at parents. Things like they aren't smart enough to pick a potty seat for their child, so she brings one when she trains children. Or the way she pretty much says that her way is the only way to potty train. Not true, I suspect there are as many ways as there are children. The tone of the book that way bugged me just a bit.
I don't know if this is the best book on the subject, my guess would be not. But if you're just looking for information, this one has that. And am I planning to use all of her suggestions, no, not really. But I do plan to use some of them.

[Kris Book Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/16 - updating my rating to 5⭐️ because it worked!! My baby was potty trained in 3 days and didn’t have any accidents at school this week 🤏🏼🙌🏼

4⭐️ - Listen I was absolutely clueless about potty training, and this book is a good foundation to get us started. Highly recommend for first time parents.

[Michelle’s Library]

I don’t want to do this lol

[portico801]

I’ve really been trying to focus on classic literature this year

[Ben Chubb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great poop jokes. Didn’t work but probably user error. Will consult again when girls are more familiar with bodily functions.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I fell for an MLM. I feel bad that this book caused me so much self-flagellation. I turned to this book in desperation and ended up ignoring my own instincts and knowledge about my child. I was amped to start this book and then slowly realized 1 size does not fit all. My kid kind of hates the toilet seat she recommended and actually likes to mix it up with big potty and little potty. She is super interested in seeing what she creates, and can’t do that in a big potty. She did not respond to me at all when would say “tell me when you need to go.” I would mix it up, but she just got annoyed with me. I also think she was annoyed that her normal routine of Sesame Street in the morning was messed up because no screens allowed.

I have more gripes about this book, especially the judgy tone. There were some tips that proved useful, and we bagged up all her diapers which was successful. But there’s a feeling you get while reading that if your kid doesn’t get it, the problem is with the parents. She even goes so far as to suggest that your child might have developmental delays if they don’t get it after 3 days. Not a great look.

If you want to be encouraged and have it reinforced that you know your kiddo best, don’t read this book.

[Kelsey Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: 5 stars, it is

Original review: Will change to 5 stars if it works

[Josiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE
The three days sucked and it turned out part of it was my child was constipated. The book did not offer much help on this front. It would have been nice to have a FAQ section for the 3 days portion of the book.

That being said, even tho my child was my fully trained in three days, my child only had two accidents after the initial three days and was fully night trained. Updating review to 4 stars.

-----

me "sweet if I follow these steps it will only take three days!"
narrator "it did not take only three days"

[Kuleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't want to rate or review this book until we had some time to test it out. Luckily a very cold and rainy holiday weekend made for the perfect 3 days to attempt potty training a very active 2.5-year-old. I love how short this book is! It was easy for me (and my husband) to read in a day during naptime. We prepared a few weeks ahead and bought a realistic-looking potty seat insert, lots of stickers, and small treats like jellybeans and gummy bears. The author prepared me mentally as a parent for how committed I needed to be to combat a headstrong toddler. Day 1 felt like a disaster but my kiddo had never felt the sensation of peeing outside of a diaper so it was to be expected. On day 2 we had a couple of accidents but generally, she was less scared of the toilet. By Day 3 we were accident-free and she was telling us she needed to go to the bathroom or just running to the toilet to take care of her business herself! Proud parent over here. I know each family is different, but this method really did work for us. I'm sure we'll still have accidents- especially as we venture out of the house and back to the park or in stores, but I am feeling much more hopeful than I was going into it.

[Rayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a couple of potty training attempts and failing miserably at them, I knew I needed some guidance. And of course, the nerd in me wouldn't ask for help from other people with experience in potty training, I had to get a book. And this was the one! it was VERY VERY VERY helpful. I STUDIED it a week before starting the process, got everything I need from stickers to candies and all, then revised it again one day before we started to make sure I don't mess up.
So yeah, Saif was successfully potty trained in 3 days :)

[Jason Bickham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Condescending tone from the author and way too much stoking of their own ego. Half of the book seemed more like a presentation of how smart and successful they think they are. I get it... write it on the opening page and then move on! Then again...instead of a "very impressive" looking 100 page book (oh look at me I wrote a novel!!) It would only be about 25 pages.

[Ffion Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book but gives too much confidence to the parent 😂 potty train in 3 days is not true

[Elisabeth Manley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t give this 5* until I actually put it into practice and see if it works. Also I will say some of the wording came off as judgy of other parents or styles which I didn’t love so lost a star. As with all parenting books I read them to take what I want and leave what doesn’t work for me. But everything in this book is something you can easily do and follow. It’s very short, 100 pages, I read it start to finish during naptime today. I’m someone who likes step by step instructions and lists, concrete Dos and Donts, which I appreciated from this. I’m sure it doesn’t work for every kid, but I feel more prepared with a plan now. Wish us luck.

[Emillybeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems legit and well thought out. I will respond with an actual review when we make it through the other end of potty training. We plan on starting at the end of the summer.

My one criticism of the book is the author is very pejorative. Her way is the ONLY way and if parents deviate they aren’t smart. She also assumes that one or both parents can literally take time off work to stare at their kid non-stop for 3 days and have the financial ability to ship off other kids to childcare elsewhere so they can do nothing but stare at this one kid every waking moment. Some parents of multiple kids physically cannot abandon their other kids and responsibilities like that, especially parents that might also have a newborn.

5 months later: So, her way wasn't the way for us. A lot of good advice, but the old adage "If it seems too good to be true, it usually is" we went through a whole week of hard core following the book. My husband is a school teacher and has summers off so 2 parents devoting 100% of their time to following her method exactly. I've worked with kids for half my life. I'd never potty trained one, but I know how kids work. This method would totally work for some kids. Not for others. Some kids just need more time. After a full week of doing nothing but staring at our kid anticipating pee and poop all day, life goes on. Grocery shopping needs to happen, family obligations, work, etc. After several dramatic accidents while out (3 weeks after start) we decided a pull up when he went out was necessary. Undies only at home. He slowly got the hang of it and other than long out of state car rides and the overnight sleep he is 99% successful. We have about 1 accident a week on average. It took a few months. But if this method doesn't work for you take a deep breath. Alter it slightly, know it will all be ok! You got this! Some kids just take longer.

[Kenlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

After hearing about the “3 Day Potty Training Method” a few years ago and knowing someone who had tried it, I was interested to learn more. At just over 100 pages, this book was an incredibly quick read and I was able to finish it in two days. The content is concise, straightforward, and logically laid-out. I thought there was some good information and helpful strategies for parents looking for a template, method, or technique to jump-start potty training. That being said, I felt the author’s overall tone was pretty off-putting and that she used a lot of “black and white thinking,” which made it difficult to completely buy in to everything she was saying.

[Divyesh Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very quick read and easy to understand. Can read it in 1-2 sittings. The directions from the book are very clear. Our kid is finally potty trained! Some accidents here and there, but for the most part we are officially done with diapers!

FYI the whole process DEFINITELY takes more than 3 days, but the discipline that you adapt to in the first three days is very crucial to the whole process to get you and your child in the right mindset.

Very highly recommended for anybody looking to pottytrain their little one.

[alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy peasy - never felt more knowledgeable. She basically got it in a day. Grateful! On to the next milestone!
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Concise (which is very rare with parenting books).

At the moment, I don’t have 3 days in a row to dedicate to this hellish process. Urine will be everywhere! My strong-willed daughter asked me what I was reading earlier, and once I told her she replied with “I’m not ready because I’m still a baby. I love my diapers when they’re full.” Fun!

Can’t wait for Thanksgiving break to give it a go (sarcasm is difficult to relay in text)!!!!

Will rate after we git-r-done.

[Shyiesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gonna try it. Wish me luck!

[Grace McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It counts lol!

Not my favorite read of the year but a necessary one. Was doing some things right and a lot…🫣well. At least now I have a better plan and so excited to see if this works. Now to put it to the test. I want to be done with diapers so bad y’all! Wish me luck! 😂

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't tried the method yet. I will update on my child's success in a couple of weeks. The layout of this method was very straight forward and offered easy Dos and Don'ts for potty training success. This was a very quick read which is key for any busy, tired parent.

Update: My daughter got the concept by day four so I’d say this was a success. She still has accidents randomly, but overall two weeks in and she is doing great! My motto of 2020 is: Let me know when you have to pee or poop.

[Deborah Rijser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working so far.

We are now on day 3 of potty training. So far, our daughter has told us each time she needed to poop, and today, she has started to tell us when she needs to pee. We are right on track with the book schedule. 7/18/2018 5:11 on CT.

[Mollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The method works! And I loved that it was a quick read with clear steps laid out.

[Bren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved that this is such a quick read. I gleaned a lot from it. I’m handing it off to my husband to read before we start potty training officially. Wish us luck!

[Kellie Martin]

pray for me

[Kelsey Mangeni (kman.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book in theory. Will report back how well it works.

[Anna Demeritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas, scared to test them out haha, but counting this book towards my reading goal 🤪

[Kelsey Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t think I’d have some much to say about a potty training book, but hopefully someone finds this helpful, so here we go!

With our first child, we used the Oh Crap! potty training book. I loved it for our first time because the narrative was enjoyable with the structure of what to do.

Second time around, I didn’t need the narrative - I just wanted to be reminded of the basics in the early days. At a whopping 294 pages the Oh Crap book was hard to skim. This one was much easier to digest quickly at just over 100 pages. The programs are mostly similar, with just a few differences (i.e., one recommends starting commando before progressing to underwear and the other implements a reward system). I think either system can work depending on your kid!

The only reason this wasn’t five stars for me was that about 40% of the book just felt like parenting advice, which may just have felt unnecessary on my second kid. And the author refers to the example child as “Little Bob” which came across as outdated or patronizing… Oh Crap is definitely more relatable to the age of parent actually reading the book, but again just more to take in.

[Claire Dabeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how times change… not only am I marking a potty training book as read on goodreads, but I also feel like I could talk about it for hours?! Wow. We are on day 4 now and I am so glad a friend lent me this book. There is a time and a place for winging it, but for me, potty training was *not* one of those things. I wanted to go in with a plan, and this was so helpful. While I do feel that the ease of potty training ultimately depends on the readiness/excitement of the child (and thankfully my son was both), I still cannot sing the praises of this book highly enough and how helpful it was for us. Would recommend!