Sarah on the Potty by Pauline OudMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sarah on the Potty
By Pauline Oud
Published 2014
Clavis Books
32 pages
Ages 2-4
This book is dated and appears to be out of print, at least in the US, but I just had to write a review for because it's been so useful for me.
"Sarah on the Potty" is exactly the kind of potty training book I was looking for, because it is a story and not an instruction manual. Don't get me wrong other books about potty training that spell out exactly what is happening are important as well, but after reading "Everybody poops" eleven hundred times, and various other potty instruction manuals my daughter was getting frustrated. I know she likes a good story, and I wanted a story that explained that it wasn't going to happen right away and how going potty interrupts your day but it's bad.
Sarah on the Potty does exactly that. Even though Sarah already knows how the potty seat works and what the potty is for she still has accidents. She moves about with her day. She plays with her toys, gets distracted, and has an accident! But it's not the end of the world. She gets changed, has a snack and then she gets that feeling in her tummy and she makes a run for the potty!
What this story gives us is normalcy. Going potty isn't a game but it also doesn't end playtime. It's a normal part of the day to day, and everyone does it. Accidents don't need to be hidden or shameful.
I also like the subtle ways the story shows that Sarah is big
girl. For example she has a baby brother. Her brother needs diapers but Sarah does not. Her brother eats mush but Sarah can eat a whole banana by herself. Dollie and sheep are babies, but Sarah can make a necklace out of beads. I think this was interesting for my daughter to see because she also likes bananas and bead necklaces. She sees that Sarah's whole life isn't just sitting on the potty.
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| Author/Ill Pauline Oud |
girl. For example she has a baby brother. Her brother needs diapers but Sarah does not. Her brother eats mush but Sarah can eat a whole banana by herself. Dollie and sheep are babies, but Sarah can make a necklace out of beads. I think this was interesting for my daughter to see because she also likes bananas and bead necklaces. She sees that Sarah's whole life isn't just sitting on the potty.
So when Sarah has to stop with the business of playing to go potty it is something she is familiar with too. It was a familiar frustration. She doesn't want to stop her game to go sit on the potty! That's no fun! But Sarah does it. Seeing it played out in the story has made a connection in her head. Now she watches me go pee, and notes how often I stop what I'm doing to go to the bathroom.
I wish Sarah asked her mother for a little more help though. My girl is very independent and, like Sarah, she tries to do the potty without assistance. We still need a little more practice with pull down our pants though. Where as Sarah is explaining her actions to Sheep like a pee-pee-professional.
However I do understand that the children should be the heroes of their own stories. And as I said my daughter finds it delightful. And therefore, so do I.
I honestly can't think of a reason why this book isn't more popular. Perhaps the marketing wasn't there. You'll be hard pressed to find a new copy of it anywhere. My copy had to be cobbled together from two discarded library books which both had been ripped up and worn down. That tells you that I was not the only person who found this book worth checking out.
Maybe some parents in the U.S. were turned off by sight of naked little girl vagina - not anything to be alarmed about. The girl is going potty. My daughter reacted exactly once and was ok with it. She found the brother's "baby bum-bum" more amusing.
If you're alarmed that your son might see female anatomy and ask questions there is a little boy option called "Ian's new Potty" also by Paulin Oud. There is also a whole series of Sarah and Ian books where they go through other developmental changes such as getting a new little brother or going to school for the first time.
In short I like the book, my daughter loves it! If you're interested in learning more about Sarah and Ian you'll have to dive deep into the web to find copies in the US.
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