Parents and potty training

[Goldilocks]

Stopping everything to put a child on the potty every 20-30 minutes is asking a lot IMO. This child does not communicate when she needs to go potty. Trying to catch her every half hour is "elimination training" not real potty training. This is parents training themselves, not the child. Stopping every 20-30 minutes seems a bit difficult especially with other kids to care for or in the middle of activities or being outside for 40 minutes. She also cries after she has a BM because of past constipation issues. Having her pee or poo her pants is not sanitary in my carpeted house. She has been in pull ups for a few months and I do put her on the potty when the other kids have their potty break time.
I don't think it's unreasonable for me to expect her to be dry for 2 weeks and being able to verbally ask for the potty before trying underwear here.

[Lee-Bee]

Sounds like you are pretty set on doing it your way and the way you have it in your contract. There is nothing wrong with that BUT you do NEED to tell the parents this ASAP. Otherwise both parties will be frustrated.

Some kids do magically get it at age 2 and in a matter of days they no longer need the constant reminders. It is totally up to you to try it or not.

I would suggest you decide now what you are willing to do and tell them in person and in writing. Explain your reasons and what you will and will not do. They can take it or leave it.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

Stopping everything to put a child on the potty every 20-30 minutes is asking a lot IMO. This child does not communicate when she needs to go potty. Trying to catch her every half hour is "elimination training" not real potty training. This is parents training themselves, not the child. Stopping every 20-30 minutes seems a bit difficult especially with other kids to care for or in the middle of activities or being outside for 40 minutes. She also cries after she has a BM because of past constipation issues. Having her pee or poo her pants is not sanitary in my carpeted house. She has been in pull ups for a few months and I do put her on the potty when the other kids have their potty break time.
I don't think it's unreasonable for me to expect her to be dry for 2 weeks and being able to verbally ask for the potty before trying underwear here.

I think you misunderstand. I not "stop everything to put child on potty every 20-30 minutes". I say "Go pee, X" and they go. From 18 months, I getting child to pull down pants for diaper change and pull up after change. When child is toilet training her, they are sent to pee, they walk to potty, pull pants down and sit, and after they pee, they wipe, pull up pants and go. The only thing I do is set timer to sound so I can send them. I teaching independant toilet training and that not include me stopping everything and escorting child to washroom.

For first couple days, I pay attention to when they pee, how soon after drink they pee, and then I can adjust when I send based on them. It typical they have couple accidents in first couple days if they try potty and it empty but it never taken more than a week - 10 days to train a 2 year old this way.

I do commit to not going for walk or leaving premises for that first week but we still go outside bring potty onto deck and carry on like normal. But I also require parent to start process on a weekend and they need commit to being home that weekend too.

Since you so opposing to idea, I think you already have firm idea of how you intend train. I suggest if that case, maybe document it and issue as part of your documentation then this conflict not happen with other client.

[MommaL]

How has it been the past couple of days since you initially posted? Did you talk to the parents?

For me, I do like to give parents the benefit of the doubt. I know that many parents don't understand the day-to-day lives of daycare providers and therefore don't realize that what works for them at home may not work for us at daycare. I'm also realistic to the fact that many parents don't refer back to my handbook and my policies after their initial read. So an open, honest communication is key so that parents know that I want to work with them, but understand my concerns as well.

In the case of potty training, I think we all have our techniques that work for us. And in some cases, we've all learned there will be instances when what has worked for the majority of our other daycare kids may not work for everyone. I personally dislike pull-ups in that many kids use them as an excuse not to be vocal about needing to go to the washroom and don't understand the consequences of not going (i.e. they don't understand that they are going to get all wet with pee if they don't go on the potty). As such, while I do accept and encourage parents to try pull-ups initially, if a child is wearing them for an extended period of time and still not going to the potty consistently, I will suggest trying underwear. I fully expect there will be accidents initially and frequent trips and reminders to go to the potty. And like Suzie_homemaker, I dedicate myself to helping this child knowing that there will be less outings that week and more time spent close to the potty. But for most children, after a few days it just clicks. For others, if they continue to have accidents, not be vocal, or don't even seem to care when they do have accidents, then they simply aren't ready and it's time to take a break and try again at a later point.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts.