A Montessori perspective on potty learning

Nicole: So toilet learning is basically the equivalent to learning to walk or learning to talk for your child, it’s just going to the bathroom. And it’s something that our children know how to do. They’ve been going, pee and poop since they were born, but now we’re just sort of changing how we’re doing it. And instead of making it some sort of weekend thing or this three-day fix or whatever sort of traditional method where the parent decides “This is the weekend we’re doing it, and we’re going to reward you until you figure it out.” We’re going to take it really slow, just like you would when your child is learning to talk and to walk. We’re going to see our children where they are at. We’re going to meet them where they’re at, and we’re going to start to make this part of our routine as slowly or as quickly as our child is ready. And so it doesn’t involve any sort of rewards, it doesn’t involve punishments, it doesn’t involve any sort of adult-led time table or adult-led pressures, the only role of the adult is to prepare the environment for toileting and give our children those opportunities to go, and if they should take them, great, and if not, we’re okay with that too. And so it’s sort of a slower, more child-led process than sort of a traditional toilet training or potty training situation that we’re all pretty familiar with.