Long before disposable diapers and automatic washing machines, elimination communication was considered a normal part of child care. In the early 1900s, the conversation that started this potty training began shortly after babies were born. But with automatic washing machines, the era of toilet training began to slowly pass at a later age. In the 1950s, parents had begun to wait until the baby was six and nine months old before trying him out on a potty. Today that age has increased to an average of three years, largely due to the development, convenience, and exceptional marketing strategies of the disposable diaper industry.
However, many parents today are starting a trend of changing the age of potty training well before age three. They have learned through the use of elimination communication techniques and other gentle parent-led methods that early potty training is not only possible, but easy and convenient. Not to mention cheaper than diapers.
Instead of waiting for signs of readiness or employing a child-led approach, parents who are potty-trained early take the leadership role and potty-train their children. It is not very different from teaching a child to bathe. And just like bathing, when it’s done as a normal part of the day, it easily becomes a routine for the child.
Parents don’t need to wait until their child can talk, climb, walk, bike, jump, run and say NO! teach your child to go to the bathroom. Both boys and girls can be potty trained at any age, even as babies or toddlers without harm. This not only saves money, avoids potty training battles, but also has many health benefits.
