I think part of the disconnect for many of us of differing views is language and motive. Are you training or teaching? Is it about hygiene and personal responsibility or convenience and control? Are you introducing children to a concept and offering them tools or forcing a child to conform to a desirable behavior? Are you motivated by the child's cues, your past experiences as provider/parent or a dkcs parents.

I don't think introducing a child to a potty, or even have them sit on a potty at diaper change time is "potty training". I have children who are physically able (18m ish) sit on a potty for a sec before a put on a clean diaper. I see it as teaching them about where they will go eventually, teaching them the motor skill of sitting down on it and standing up. We cheer and high five to make it a happy place. I have no expectation of them going in the potty until they are 2-2.5. We only go once every 2 hours, like a regular diaper chance. I DO have children 18m - 2yo who will tell me they are wet or poopy and run into the bathroom (connected to playroom) so they get changed immediately after going. I see it as encouraging hygiene and self care, but again the focus isn't potty training. With this routine it is easy to tell when they are ready, and the child typically initiates the next step themselves.

As providers, we have children wash their hands in a sink way before they are ready to do it themselves. We offer infants and toddler spoons at meal times when they are still eating with their fingers. I see sitting on the potty as the same thing.

Most children in my care are potty trained before they turn 3.

I think its ok for providers to approach teaching toilet skills in a variety of different ways and on different time lines as long as they always keep the child's best interest at the heart of the experience.

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