Revising potty training policies

[Busy ECE mommy]

I'm tired of parents assuming that they can hand their child over one day, and assume the child is ready to train, even though they haven't worked on it at home.
Can I get some feedback on your toilet training policies, so parents are made more accountable for their child's success, versus me doing all the work. Thanks!

[mattsmom]

I have this as part of my policies:

"I will make every effort to assist in potty training along with your efforts at home. I will begin when the child appears to be ready for this step. Usually between 2-3 years old, when they can verbally tell me that they have to go potty. I will ask that your child wear pull-ups during this period of potty training and I will only attempt to potty train if the child is being potty trained at home as well. Please do not bring your child in pull-ups unless they are starting to use the potty regularly."

Hope that helps.

[33 Daiseys]

11) POTTY TRAINING
I will work in conjunction with parents during potty training. If you have a method that has been working for you, please let us know and when possible adopt it for your child. I will work with you - but not for you. Should you discontinue potty training at home, please let me know. If a child shows no interest in potty training, I may choose to discontinue and try again at a later date. Please do not ask me to offer “treats” to the child for going on the “potty”. A child is to remain in pull ups until they are accident free for two whole weeks while in care. Once a child has gone a full two weeks accident free during wake times, parents may choose to use cloth undies with a plastic spill proof shell. The use of pull-ups or plastic undies are to be used during nap time until child has been accident free while sleeping for one month at care. NOTE: I do not rinse or wash soiled clothing, upon the occurrence of an accident the dirty clothing will be packaged and sent home as is.

[bright sparks]

I do things a bit differently. From the get go I have parents sign a contract and policy that toilet training is at my whole discretion. I take the lead and parents work based on my method. Those who do not agree are free to go elsewhere and I respect their choice as a parent to do so.

I have their child for a potential of 50 hours a week and in group care so it is my way or the highway. We work together equally, and collaboratively. I also use the same method for all children. I have toilet trained about 30 kids and have never had an issue with my method. Only when I was at the very beginnings of doing daycare, 10 years ago, did I not have this policy in place and I had similar complaints about issues with parents. Never since.

I send the parents home with a checklist and potty book just before the age of 2 . They observe and document if their child is meeting milestones necessary to train. I do the same here. The book is read to the child and made available at all times to encourage independent verbal cues, at home and at daycare. Once the child is regularly meeting ALL milestones AT DAYCARE, then I will instigate training. Milestones are things like, interest in toileting/potty, dry diaper for extended periods of time, waking dry from nap, bowel movements at regular times, able to verbalize own needs outside of toileting etc

Once these have been met, the parent should start with 1 on 1 training over the weekend to get a head start prior to group training. I absolute do not toilet train with pull ups and to be consistent a parent has to agree not to use them at home or in the car. If a child is truly ready to train and has not been started to early, all it will take is a couple of accidents and that will be it. If I expect a child to be able to comprehend the concept of toileting, I should understand that they also know that a pull up is a diaper and a safety net for them so to speak. I understand that it's convenient in a group setting, but if its really time for the child to train then they aren't going to be peeing and pooing all over the place. Also it is a diaper and I see far more opportunity for laziness and none compliance because the diaper has always been used for toileting. I know very few providers who train this way, but I also know very few providers who don't have some kind of issue with training at one time or another, whether with a child or a parent. My method typically takes about 1 week on average to be successful.

[kindertime]

I send the parents home with a checklist and potty book just before the age of 2 . They observe and document if their child is meeting milestones necessary to train. I do the same here.

Would you be willing to share your checklist?

[bright sparks]

Would you be willing to share your checklist?

Yes absolutely. It's late when I get home from class so give me a couple days...I'm on my phone not my computer :)