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Potty Training Policy
TOILET TRAINING
When you feel your child is ready for toilet
teaching, I ask that you begin this teaching at
home during a weekend or vacation. I will
follow through and encourage your child while
in my care. Toilet training will be done in a
relaxed manner with the cooperation of the
family. I require that the child must be at least
18 months old and must be showing signs of
readiness. The child must be kept in pull-ups or
5-ply training pants (and plastic cover) at all
times. Please keep in mind that the activity
level here can distract
your child from responding to an urge to use
the potty, more so than at your home.
Therefore, I will continue to use diapers until
your child can and will announce that (s)he
must use the bathroom (not just at home, but
here, as well) and can control his/her bladder
and bowels for a few minutes beyond that
announcement. Parents need to supply training
pants with plastic pants or pull-ups, plus an
extra change of clothing. You can leave 2-3
outfits in my care and I can rotate and wash
them here. (Don't forget the
socks!). Do not bring your child in panties or
underwear until (s)he has naptime and bedtime
control established. During potty training the
child needs to be dressed in "user friendly"
clothing as much as possible. The best items
are shorts and pants with elastic waists. Try to
avoid really tight clothing, shirts that snap in the
crouch, pants with snaps & zippers and
overalls as often as you can. Your child will
want to help pull pants, etc. up and down, plus
clothing with too many buttons or snaps makes
it harder to get the child
on the potty in time. When your child shows
readiness for toilet learning, this will be done in
a relaxed manner and in cooperation with you.
I will only begin helping to potty train a child if
you have successfully began training at home
for a week prior. Please don't ask me to begin
potty training your child if you haven't
successfully began training at home. I will
gladly follow your means of potty training if you
just let me know what it is. For example, if your
child is rewarded a sticker or an M & M for
each potty in the chair, just provide the stickers
or M & M's and I'll follow your lead. I will not
discipline your child if he/she hasan accident.
Please keep in mind that the activity level here
can distract your child from responding to an
urge to use the potty, more so than at your
home.
During potty training you are asked to supply
me with at least 3 extra full changes of
clothing, including socks and training & plastic
pants or pull ups. These are to be left at the
day care and replaced as
needed. Soiled clothes will be returned in a
plastic bag at the end of the day.

TOILET LEARNING READINESS:

Verbal Stages of Readiness:
Basic verbal skills: The child is able to speak in
three or four word sentences• Stage 1: The
child tells you he/she has a wet diaper,
recognizes when he/she is wet.
• Stage 2: The child tells you he/she is wetting,
recognizes the sensation of being wet.
•Stage 3: The child tells you he/she will wet
can control himself and use the toilet.

PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SIGNS
OF READINESS:

•Stays dry for a long time. (The child is able to
"hold" his urine and bowel movements.)
•Can recognize when diaper is wet or soiled.
•Has bowel movements at regular times. (Child
chooses when to move his bowels)
•Adults can recognize when child is moving his
bowels. (Child is deliberately moving bowels.)
•Can undress and pull up his own pants.
(Important because this is the work of the
child, not the
caregiver.)
•Initiates interest in using the toilet and asks to
wear underwear.
•Wants to be independent (which is very
important for the learning process).
•Child is emotionally ready and is open to
learning. (Is child generally cooperative?)
•Child has an awareness and knowledge of the
world beyond himself. (This sign may seem
unrelated to toilet learning, but it is a behavior
that has been seen in children who are ready to
use the toilet.)
•Can follow three and four step instructions.
(This is critical for learning to urinate or move
bowels, wipe himself, flush the toilet, and then
wash hands.)
•Can use consistent words or gestures to
communicate.
•Is able to physically get to the toilet and sit on
it without help.
•Must show a willingness to want to sit on the
toilet and understand it's function.

MY POLICY REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING:

•Child will wear loose fitting clothing (which is
easy to pull down and pull up).
•No overalls, bib-type pants, onesies, or T-
shirts with snaps between the legs.
•No pants with belts or one piece outfits.
•Determine from the beginning of learning
whether child will sit or stand (boys).
•A minimum of 3 changes of clothing, including
socks, and 3-4 pairs of training pants to leave
here. (An extra pair of shoes would also be
helpful.)
•Positive reinforcement must be continued at
home.
For the first week, the child will be scheduled
to use the toilet at consistent times of the day
whether the
child indicates the need to use the toilet or not:
1. Before and after breakfast
2. Before and after lunch
3. Before and after nap
4. Before and after going outside
5. Upon arrival at the home
6. Just before going home