Long before disposable diapers and automatic washing machines, disposal communication was considered a normal part of child care. In the early 1900s, the conversation that started this potty training began shortly after the babies were born. But with automatic washing machines, the era of potty training slowly began to pass into a more advanced age. In the 1950s, parents had begun to wait until the baby was six and nine months old before trying it on a potty. Today that age has risen 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 to change the potty training age well before the age of three. They have learned through the use of elimination communication techniques and other gentle parent-directed methods that early potty training is not only possible, but easy and convenient. Not to mention cheaper than diapers.
Instead of waiting for signals of readiness or employing a child-led approach, early potty trained parents take the leadership role and potty train their children. It’s not much different than teaching a child to bathe. And just like bathing, when done as a normal part of the day, it easily becomes routine for a child.
Parents don’t need to wait until their child can talk, climb, walk, ride a bike, jump, run, and say NO! potty training your child. 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.