Comments on: Potty Training

By: Carol Propst

Carol Propst — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 02:20:23 +0000

Such, such are the joys! Thanks for the fun update.

I’d love to see you sometime when you’re in Bristol.

Carol P.

By: Cory learns a new trick at Thudfactor

Cory learns a new trick at Thudfactor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:34:43 +0000

[...] GLS is also trying early potty training. [...]

By: kas

kas — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:10:41 +0000

Potty chairs available on the market in US are bigger than what we have in Poland, they are made for bigger kids, they are higher and usually don’t have back support. They are fancy though, they have all kinds of toys attached and very often play melodies. We were looking hard to get something simple with back support. L’s legs are still to short to reach the floor, but she has the back support.
I think it is all about routine, babies love routines and if they are healthy their BM are more or less about the same time. All we do is put L at the potty chair about that time or even a few more times a day if only she doesn’t protest. I feel it would be good to force something like that that early, but she seams to like it :), so we continue.

By: gls

gls — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:36:09 +0000

I guess I was using comfort and convenience interchangeably — you’re saying what I was getting at.

I think we’re also talking about two different things. I’m all for potty training at the earliest possible age — else I would have posted this. Still, there are those who take it to another level. The article I was originally referring to in my first comment dealt with the idea of not using diapers, period. It even told of parents who will hold their kids over toilets before the child learns how to sit. I would say before a certain age — when the child can communicate, at least — it’s an unrealistic prospect to have a truly “diaperless” baby, accidents being what they are.

I think you’re dead on about the marketing, though.

As for the argument about the stress of early potty training, I just don’t see where the stress on the child could be coming from unless it’s poor parenting. We put L on the potty chair with only the hope that she’ll get used to sitting there to do her business, and I suspect we’ll be doing that for some time. Once communication becomes possible, we’re going to be using a positive reinforcement system as opposed to making L feel she must use the potty chair. If a child feels guilty for crapping in its pants, then the source of stress is not the potty chair itself, but how the parents are introducing it — or, even, forcing it on the child.

By: Thud

Thud — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:18:42 +0000

I don’t think it’s a question of comfort. Personally, the thought of having to constantly monitor, change, and lug about changing paraphernalia for several years doesn’t sound like convenience. I suspect cunning marketing has encouraged the sales and extended use of diapers more than anything else.

Interestingly, one of the arguments against early toilet training is “you’re putting too much stress on the child just for your own convenience.”