Rachel, a family child care provider in Iowa, recently wrote to me asking for help with potty training a young girl in her daycare, just about 3 years old. She wrote:
I'm currently in a situation where the parents wanted to start training their daughter at 22 months. No big deal right? Now, almost a year later and she still will not tell me when she has to go. If i ask her if she has to go I am told no and she goes in her underwear. Now, I've given them a checklist on what the signs for readiness are and I know that she doesn't have all the signs but the parents insist on training her. I'm kind of at a standstill here. Also, they use a mixture of Pull-Ups and the vinyl pants with the padded underwear built in them. Often they forget to send any extras so after an accident she has nothing to wear except a diaper I can give her from my own supply. She has accidents here and at home. Can you help?
It sounds to me like Rachel is having more problems with the parents than she is with the child. Successful potty training always begins with the parents! Everyone has to have an agreed upon plan in order to teach the child, or there will just be mixed signals for the child. I have a plan to offer Rachel, but I'd really like to hear your input first! Send in your comments to Rachel and let's help her solve this problem!
