I can tell you from experience, this is an exciting but often frustrating time for both you and your child.
It's a step away from babyhood, and it will be a relief for the both of you.
Changing diapers is not something most of us enjoy doing.
Having already gone through this process twice, I can give you a few pointers.
1) Watching Mom: As embarrassing as it may be, this is a procedure they're going to have to see to understand.
By watching you, they'll get the idea a lot faster than if you try to do it by having them sit on the potty chair.
2) Show the Potty Chair: Many things on this list you're going to want to make a big deal about.
Show the child the chair and explain that "big girls" use it rather than diapers.
Since she's already seen you, she'll have an idea of what to do if she feels the need to go.
3) "Big Girl" Undies: Make this a milestone event.
Take her to the children's section and let her pick out what she wants.
It might be a Disney character or something from television, but she gets to choose.
I remember how thrilled our girls were when they made their choices known.
4) Accidents Happen: Not only do accidents happen, they often happen at the most embarrassing moment possible.
Be prepared, both with a means to clean up (fresh underwear, etc.
) and the patience to handle it gracefully.
5) Right Stage of Development: No matter what the baby books tell you, a child will be ready for potty training when she is ready.
It will be on her own schedule, not yours or any others.
Pushing it too early can be detrimental.
6) Bathroom Fears: While not universal, some children have a fear of public bathrooms.
They are huge places to most children, and noises echo.
If your child shows evidence of this fear, don't just write it off.
Find out what's scaring them, then work on it a little at a time.
You may want to find public restrooms that are a little more child friendly at first as well.
7) Talking to the Pediatrician: Your child's doctor can be a great help in this.
The doctor can tell you what to look for in signs that the child is ready.
The doctor may also be able to help you deal with the fear of the bathroom.
8) Celebrate Success but don't Punish Failure: Gaining complete control over the elimination of both urine and feces may take some time.
Whenever the child makes it to the chair in time, celebrate.
However, if he or she slept to deeply and wets the bed, don't try to shame them.
It may set up a fear of doing either, and that's not good for the child's health.
9) Books: There are several children's books about potty training available now.
Read these with your child so you can reinforce what you've been explaining.
10) Breaking the Potty Chair Habit: Once your child has control, teach them to use the "big" potty.
You'll probably need a step stool at first, as most toilets are too big for a small child to get onto easily.
You may want to go through some of the same steps to make this transition.
While it isn't always easy, it certainly is a welcome breakthrough when your daughter can finally "go" on her own.
With your patience, it will be a fairly easy transition.