KATIE'S CRIB: OH CRAP, POTTY TRAINING

"Psychological damage is never done by potty training."

Exactly! In fact, the root of toilet training readiness itself is a myth. Freud never said toilet training too early harms a child. Here's what Freud actually believed and some other information, too.

"The whole idea of not pushing a kid is absurd..."

Exactly again! I wonder if the whole thinking about not pushing a child to toilet train has anything to do with the fact that nowadays we have so many young adults with no interest in learning to drive, move out of their parents house, marry, or have children.

"I have to actually teach him a skillset for the first time in my life and his life."

This was one of the things in Jamie Glowacki's book that jumped out at me, too. Using the toilet is the first at all complex set of skills we learn, whereas, up to then, things like walking, talking and eating have largely been learned through mimicry.    

However, I believe mimicry should be an important component in toilet training as well. Let the child in the bathroom with you, even from infancy.

"There's big pharma, there's big diaper."

Right on for the third time, Jamie!     Kimberley Clark and P&G, prove me wrong by launching ad campaigns featuring people who practice elimination communication, early toilet training or cloth diapering-using your products suplementarily-without portraying them as snobbish, far-out, evil whackos in the process.

"You have a five year habit. That's really hard to break."

"I had a dad that was like "You gotta go really bad. I gotta go really bad."

This brings up what I think is the other key to toilet training, or to preparation for toilet training, besides letting them into the bathroom with you from the time they're babies. Namely, create a potty positive environment. For so many households-though maybe fewer today than in yesteryear-pee, poop and the potty are very hidden things. From birth, talk to the child about what they've done in their diaper. Be open in talking about what you are doing in the bathroom. Even be kind of cheeky and playful about the things you say to them. Above all, children need to get that using the toilet is a normal part of the daily existence of every mature human being and though it is done in private, that doesn't mean its wrong or something to be embarrassed about.

Everybody pay attention to what Jamie says about whether or not boys are harder to toilet train than girls at about the 30 minute mark.

"There's expected behaviour from our kids that they shouldn't be rewarded and we have an epidemic of entitled kids."

Right on #4! As said above, using the toilet is a normal part of everyone's life. The success that comes with knowing how to relieve yourself in the toilet instead of your pants should be its own reward. 

Hand in hand with my above-made point about a potty positive environment, it should be made clear to toddlers that it feels good to pee and poop in the toilet.

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