Oh Crap! Potty Training Review: Jamie Glowacki’s Ultimate Guide to Potty Success

Oh Crap! Potty Training: Winning the Potty Training Battle

Picture this: Me, bleary-eyed, surrounded by wet wipes, sticker charts, and enough stuffed animal bribes to start a small toy store.

Potty training was my ultimate parenting challenge. Then came Jamie Glowacki’s “Oh Crap! Potty Training” – a book that promised to be my secret weapon in the great diaper-defeating war.

I’d tried everything short of interpretive dance to get my toddler interested in the potty.

Reward charts? Failed. Cute underwear with cartoon characters? Nope.

Endless YouTube tutorials? Nice try.

When a fellow mom handed me this book with a knowing wink, I was simultaneously hopeful and skeptical. Could this really be the holy grail of potty training, or just another parenting book collecting dust?

In this review, I’ll break down Jamie’s approach, share my personal trenches experience, and reveal whether this method is truly the potty training game-changer it claims to be.

Spoiler alert: Prepare for some unexpected laughs and maybe, just maybe, a diaper-free future.

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Oh Crap! Potty Training

Glowacki, Jamie (Author)
English (Publication Language)
304 Pages – 05/28/2024 (Publication Date) – Gallery Books (Publisher)

Meet Jamie Glowacki: The Potty Training Guru Behind Oh Crap!

Jamie Glowacki isn’t your typical parenting author. She’s more like that brutally honest friend who tells you exactly what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

Her book, a beacon of hope for parents drowning in diaper expenses, offers a refreshingly practical approach to potty training that throws traditional methods out the window.

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Published as a lifeline for modern parents, “Oh Crap! Potty Training” stands out in the crowded parenting book market.

Jamie’s philosophy is simple:

Potty training isn’t about rigid rules, but understanding your child’s unique developmental journey.

As a parenting coach with years of experience, she blends a mixture of professional insight and real-world parent survival skills all sprinkled in with a sense of humor.

What drew me to the book was its promise of a method that doesn’t require a Ph.D. in child psychology or the patience of a saint.

After countless failed attempts and enough laundry to make a washing machine cry, I was ready for a fresh perspective!

Readiness Signs – Are We Really Ready?

Forget what you’ve heard about potty training being a specific age milestone. Jamie’s approach is all about reading your child’s unique signals. She swears that “when” is almost more important than “how” when it comes to timing.

It’s EASIEST to potty train your child between the ages to 20-30 months. If you’ve waited past the 30 month mark, it’s not the end of the world, but it will be more challenging.

“Is your little one suddenly fascinated by bathroom activities?”

“Can they follow simple two-step instructions?”

Can your child throw a tantrum for candy at the market?

In my case, my son’s “readiness” looked like announcing his bodily functions with the dramatic flair of a Broadway performer. Mid-diaper change, he’d declare, “I POOPED!” with such conviction that I knew we were entering a new phase of parenting.

Jamie’s Tips

Watch for physical and verbal cues
Observe your child’s ability to communicate needs
Look for signs of curiosity
Is your child becoming independent?

Pro tip: Readiness isn’t about age, it’s about individual development. Some kids are potty pros at 2, others need more time. No judgment, just observation!

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What Are The Oh Crap Potty Training Blocks?

Buckle up for Jamie’s method – part strategy, part psychological warfare, completely genius.

She breaks potty training into strategic blocks, each designed to build your child’s confidence and independence.

Think of it like training for a marathon, but instead of running, you’re navigating toddler bladder control. The method isn’t about forcing progress but creating an environment of support, celebration, and minimal panic.

“Peeing and pooping while naked, either with prompting or without”

Goal: Your child, while bottomless, can sit to pee and poop on the potty.
Method: Keep your child completely bottomless to observe their cues and get them to the potty.
Key: Get your child to the potty or bring the potty to them!

Picture this – your kiddo running around half-naked as a jaybird while you stalk them like a hawk watching for every little wiggle and dance. You’ll become VERY familiar with your living room carpet during this phase! It’s all about catching those “tell me I need to go” moments before you have a lovely puddle to clean up. Fun times!

“Peeing and pooping with clothes on, commando, with prompting or without”

Goal: Your child can pee and poop with pants, shorts, or leggings – while commando.
Method: Wear loose fitting pants. Easy on & off. No undies.
Key: A few accidents may occur. If there’s too many, go back to Block 1.

Think loose pants, no undies – giving your little one just enough dignity to not be totally nude but still feel when nature calls. This is where you’ll perfect your lightning-fast sprint to the potty while carrying a squirming toddler. Who needs the gym when you have a potty-training toddler?

“Peeing and pooping in different situations, with prompting or without”

Goal: Going potty in various different places, with clothes on (no undies) with prompting or without.
Method: Practice using the potty in various settings, both familiar and unfamiliar.
Key: Be patient! Potty training isn’t always a transferable skill.

Now we’re getting brave! Short trips out of the house where you’re mentally mapping every possible bathroom location within a 5-mile radius. You’ll never look at a store’s “Restrooms for Customers Only” sign the same way again. Your diaper bag is replaced with 17 changes of clothes and a portable potty in your trunk.

“Peeing and pooping with underpants, with prompting or without”

Goal: Introduce underwear and help the child develop a sense of independence and responsibility.
Method: Adding underwear to the mix, knowing accidents will occur.
Key: If your child has more than 2 accidents, go back to commando.

This is where your tiny human starts putting all the pieces together. They’re wearing actual underwear (possibly backwards half the time, but hey, they’re trying!), and you’re not having heart palpitations every time you leave the house. You might even make it through a Target run without a bathroom emergency – dream big!

“Consistent self-initiation”

Goal: Empower your child to recognize their own potty/pooping cues and initiate the process.
Method: Child will start going on their own or ask for help.
Key: This is typically 3-8 weeks after the start date.

The promised land! Your little one can handle the whole bathroom situation solo, though they might still announce their accomplishments to the entire grocery store. But you know what? You’ve earned those proud moments – shout it from the rooftops, kiddo!

“Night and nap”

Goal: Help the child stay dry through the night.
Method: Monitor fluids a couple hours before bed, dream pees are necessary. Pilta pads on bed for accidents.
Key: Can be a complicated topic. Reference the book.

The final frontier! Where you pray to the potty training gods that your child’s bladder will develop that magical ability to hold it while sleeping. Pro tip: invest in mattress protectors. Not one. Several. Trust me on this one.

My favorite part? Her emphasis on connection over correction. Accidents happen. Like, A LOT! But instead of shame or frustration, you’re encouraged to view each “oops” moment as a learning opportunity.

To help you with the block method, we’ve created an Oh Crap! Potty Training PDF that you can download for free.

Handling the Potty Training Challenges

Let’s get real – potty training is basically parenting’s version of an obstacle course. Regressions, public accidents, stubborn resistance – Jamie covers it all with the wisdom of a seasoned general.

Her strategies for managing setbacks are pure gold:

Stay calm (easier said than done, right?)
Maintain consistency
Celebrate small victories
Remember: This is temporary!

When my son had his fifth accident in a public playground, I heard Jamie’s voice in my head:

“This is learning, not failing!” Deep breaths became my mantra.

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Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once…

Glowacki, Jamie (Author)
English (Publication Language)
304 Pages – 05/28/2024 (Publication Date) – Gallery Books (Publisher)

The Parental Mindset – Keeping Your Sanity Intact

Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of the book is its focus on the parent’s emotional journey. Potty training isn’t just about the child – it’s about managing your expectations, fears, and moments of doubt.

Jamie’s advice? Cultivate patience, maintain a sense of humor, and remember that your child will, eventually, use the toilet independently. Promise.

And that notion of a timeline you have for your child to be potty-trained? Yeah, get rid of that.

Do yourself and your child a favor and clear your schedule. E-mails can wait, laundry, you can also wait your turn.

Your focus needs to be on potty training, period.

Challenges and Solutions: Real Talk from the Trenches

No method is perfect. Some of Jamie’s strategies required creative adaptation for our family. The key is flexibility and understanding that potty training isn’t a one-size-fits-all adventure.

Ask Jamie: Potty Training FAQs Answered by the Expert

1. What age do you recommend starting potty training, and how do I know if my child is ready?

Age – I find that between the ages of 20-32 months generally works best because there is a developmental lull during that time. For many children, right around 24 months is the sweet spot.
You can certainly do it before 20 months but on average it will take longer and I don’t recommend this if the child is in daycare.
And you can certainly do it after 32 months. The risk here is that the kids go through a psychological process called individuation. This is when they realize they are separate from you and have free will and choice. This is the age of “threenager” (an apt term as they’ll go through another individuation process as teenagers). I call it blossoming personality; it’s marked by a lot of NO, a lot of negotiating, and a lot of power struggles. Pee and poop are one of the few things your child actually controls. So this can get very tricky when you’re trying to potty train in this age range.

Within that time frame, the best time to potty train is when YOU have TIME. Potty training realistically takes around 7 days so I always recommend potty training when you can carve that time.

Signs of Capability – I don’t love the word “ready”, I use “capable”. You can tell they’re capable when they are able to perform simple routines by memory, and they are able to communicate their basic needs such as hunger, thirst, or sleepiness to you in some way (even if it’s by using gestures). If they’re aware that they have just peed or pooped, especially if they request a diaper change, that’s a huge sign. Finally, if they’re hiding in a corner or behind something in order to poop or pee, or turning their back, or indicating in any other way that they’re aware that they are about to pee or poop, that’s huge, and you should potty train right away.

The problem with “waiting until they’re ready” is that most parents interpret that as showing interest in the process. And some kids never show that interest. For the first time ever, I have met with parents who are delaying KINDERGARTEN because their child is “not ready”. That’s beyond ready.

2. What is the “Block Method” mentioned in the book, and how does it work?

When I first wrote Oh Crap! in 2009, I taught the process in days; ie Day 1, Day 2. But I found parents got really stuck on what was happening on that day, instead of where the child was in the process. I also found that parents were really confused and wanted solid markers as to when to move on to the next step. So I designed my book in blocks of learning; to give definitive markers but also, as in building blocks with your child, once a tower becomes unstable, you go back to the last block it was stable. So this gives parents clear markers on when to move on or when to move back for a minute.

Block 1 – Bottomless; watch for their unconscious signals/cues indicating they’re about to pee. Pay attention to how long it is before they pee/poop after eating/drinking. Move them to the potty before/as they pee/poop.

Block 2 – Pants or dress without undies; keep watching and paying attention as you did in Block 1. Prompt when you feel the need is imminent, and at easy catch times like before meals or between rooms/activities.

Block 3 – Short outings (without being on a time crunch) to try peeing/pooping in other locations. Consider bringing a travel potty for use in the car or outdoors, but use the regular toilet when you’re indoors.

Block 4 – Add loose-fitting undies. Don’t be in a rush to get to this step. If they have even one accident, ditch the undies before they get a chance to use it as a diaper.

Block 5 – Consistent self initiation (expect this to take 3-6 weeks, minimum).

Block 6 – Night/nap training (unless you did that from the start).

Block 7 – Occasional reminders during times of stress or distraction.

3. How does Oh Crap! handle common challenges, like a child refusing to use the potty or having frequent accidents?

Frequent accidents are a huge “depends where you are in the process”.
In the first week or two of potty training, there are no accidents. Your child is still learning and we have to give them time to catch up. I consider that data collection; what’s their pee dance and what’s their pee pattern.
Frequent accidents a couple of weeks to a couple of months into potty training means your child isn’t really potty trained. You might consider going back to block one or getting some extra help through a consult.
Frequent accidents after a child has been potty trained and done really well for a good amount of time could be many different things; stress, UTI, teething molars, or most likely a poop blockage (even if they seem to be pooping regularly).

The first half of my book is the how-to. The rest of the book is alllll the common challenges.

5. How can parents stay consistent with potty training while managing work, daycare, or other siblings?

With my approach, there really isn’t an issue of staying consistent. You go through the process and then yes, you will have to keep an eye out but staying consistent isn’t really an issue.
I think this becomes an issue because many parents attempt to take a casual approach to potty training and that’s when it gets hard to stay consistent. Let’s face it, diapers are easier so you’ll have to go an extra mile to stay consistent with a harder task.
I think staying consistent with the potty training also becomes harder with 3 day methods. Very few children are done-done with potty training in 3 days flat, so then the process sort of lingers and you have to keep a keen eye out. Then you have to be in the process for extended time and staying consistent becomes a thing.
I think it’s far better to commit to 7 days, wrapping it up, and then staying consistent isn’t a thing. You’re good to go.
The number one thing I tell parents they need before beginning this process is TIME. Potty training realistically takes 5-10 days to be done well.

6. What potty training equipment do you recommend? Seats, bed protection, etc. Any faves?

Before equipment, the number one thing you need is TIME. Yes. I’m repeating myself. It’s that important. Anything else is icing on the cake.
But since you want the icing, to start with, you really just need a basic, simple floor potty with no bells and whistles, such as the original Baby Bjorn. You’ll keep that near you in whatever room you’re in. You can also get a travel potty, something like the Pottette, a seat reducer, and a sturdy step stool. For naps and nights, you can layer Chux pads or reusable waterproof mattress covers with extra sheets and/or blankets. I have links to a few of my favorite products on my website: https://www.jamieglowacki.com/product-recommendations

On my website’s Get Help page, you can find the Potty Training 101 mini course as well as full online courses for potty training, night training, daycare/preschool, pee withholding, and poop withholding. https://www.jamieglowacki.com/get-help

Beyond that, all the most common questions and answers can be found on the Oh Crap Potty Training podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts, and also available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@ohcrapwithjamie

Watch Oh Crap! on Youtube

Jamie Glowacki’s Top Potty Training Gear: Expert Recommendations

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Empowering Parents: Why Oh Crap! Potty Training Works

Potty training is a wild ride, but you’re not alone. Jamie Glowacki’s “Oh Crap! Potty Training” isn’t just a book – it’s a lifeline, a laugh, and a much-needed perspective shift.

Remember: This journey is temporary. You will survive. And one day, you’ll look back and laugh.

How to Connect with the Potty Training Guru

Ready to thank Jamie Glowacki for saving your sanity—or send her a virtual high five for ditching diapers? You can find her at jamieglowacki.com, where she shares even more tips, tricks, and encouragement. Who knows, maybe she’ll be the first to give you a gold medal for surviving the potty training trenches!

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Oh Crap! Potty Training: Winning the Potty Training Battle