Toilet training
From Free net encyclopedia
Toilet training (or potty training) is the process of weaning a young child off diapers (nappies) and training him or her to use the toilet for urination and defecation. Potty training is usually done between the ages of eighteen-months and three years.
Readiness
It is important not to start toilet training until both you and your child are ready. You are ready when you are able to devote the time and energy necessary to encourage your child on a daily basis for at least 3 months.
Your child is ready to begin toilet training when he or she can signal that his or her diaper (nappy) is wet, or that they need the toilet. This usually occurs between the ages of 18-24 months, but it is not uncommon for a child to still need diapers until 3 years of age.
According to Sigmund Freud, a child can have problems later in life if the training doesn't go well, or is too strict. For example, as an adult a person could strive for perfection or excessive cleanliness because they were too harshly trained. The current popular wisdom on this subject is that toilet training is a mutual task, requiring cooperation, agreement and understanding between both the child and the caregiver. It is strongly recommended that coercion and shame are not used as disciplinary instruction tools during this phase of development.
Pre-Toilet Training
There are five aspects to pre-toilet training.
1) Naming urine and bowel movements is the first. When you notice that your child has a wet or dirty diaper, mention what has happened, using the words that you have chosen, for example, "You have 'poo' in your diaper."
2) Allowing your child to watch you or other family members use the toilet. This provides the child with opportunities to see, ask questions, and learn. This is OK providing your family is comfortable with this idea.
3) If you live in the United States, it is also a good idea with children to introduce the idea of "Private Zones" on their bodies, since once at Kindergarten, other people may have to assist with helping the child, and its a good idea your child becomes aware of which parts of their body are considered "private". In most other western culture countries in the world, this is not an issue.
4) Change your child's diaper as soon as possible after it becomes wet or dirty to prevent the child becoming comfortable with, or even liking, wet and dirty diapers. When you change a child's diaper, never make him/her feel bad for wetting or soiling it. If possible, change the diaper in the bathroom. This will accomplish a few important toilet training tasks before initiating training. Dropping the discards from the diaper into the toilet will help your child learn that the toilet is where his/her motions go. If you encourage the child to help flush the toilet, then s/he will learn how to flush.
5) Praise your child whenever s/he tells you verbally or with a gesture that they have gone "wee or poo" (It is advisable you use culture specific or commonly known words, since if the child asks for example, at Kindergarten to go, not using a known word could severely complicate the issue and lead to an accident). Once the child develop voluntary control, s/he will tell you before the fact. Be sure to provide praise then, too.
Toilet training takes time, effort and co-operation from both the parents and the child. Toilet-training takes on average 3-months, however it may be much longer before your child is completely dry during the day. It is not uncommon for a child of 3 or 4 to still be having frequent wetting accidents, however, if by the age of 4 your child has still had no success at toilet training it may be worth visiting your family doctor to ensure that there is no underlying medical condition. It should be noted that other cultures practice eariler toilet training, at age 2 and even below, it is considered bad parenting if the child hasn't learned to manage itself on the toilet around age 3. Template:Fact