One of the main topics on the mind of any parent with a toddler is toilet training. The long, arduous process that they went through so long ago they can barely remember anything about it. Add to that the pressure from psychologists and psychiatrists who stress that this period can shape your child for life. The Medical College of Wisconsin wants to remove the hardships from the process. They have generated a new approach to toilet training and it only involves three steps.

Their plan is called the Parent-Coached Approach. The approach was reached after an exhaustive study that analyzed the results of over two years of surveys submitted by the parents of 267 children. The three steps to the Parent-Coached approach are: Ready, Out, Coach (ROC).

Ready is when the child begins to demonstrate the signs of readiness, and the parent, who is actively looking for them, determines that the child is ready to begin toilet training.

Out is where the parent begins the toilet training process by moving the child out of diapers into disposable training pants, cloth training pants or underwear.

Coach is where the parent coaches the child using techniques found to be effective including praise for progress, reminders to use the potty, being consistent and rewards.

“As parents of toddlers start to think about toilet training their children, it's important to note that our research showed that all effective toilet training techniques require parental involvement and commitment,” said Timothy Schum, M.D., Associate Proessor of Pediatrics at Medical College of Wisconsin.

Some signs that a child is ready to begin toilet training include staying dry for two hours or during a nap, regular and predictable bowel movements, wanting wet or soiled diapers changed, understanding or following simple directions, showing interest i the bathroom, wanting to wear training pants or underwear and indicating the need to go potty by words, posture or facial expression.

“We found that once a child shows signs of readiness and the parent determines the child is ready, moving a child out of diapers and into disposable training pants, cloth training points or underwear is one of the most effective techniques for rapid toilet training process. It sends a message to the child that toilet training has begun,” Dr. Schum said.

According to the study, the three biggest challenges that parents face are getting the child to recognize the urge and notify them before going potty, nighttime training and staying positive in their approach despte frustrations and setbacks, which Dr. Schum says are to be expected.

The average time to train is eight months, but the results vary widely from one week to a year and a half. The study also showed that there were no tewmpermental or developmental characteristics that identified slow from fast trainers. Most girls in the study completed toilet training a few months before they turned 3 (34 months), and most boys in the study finished a few months after their third birthday (37.5) months.

Researchers created a weighted progress scale for the study, to help pediatricians and parents better understand the toilet training process. It identified three stages of toilet training, all part of the Parent-Coached Approach.

Readiness (Pre-Progress)involves the parent teaching the basics of toilet training, checking for interestor readiness in the child and creating interest with toilet training books or videos. Children are usually in this stage when they are 24 to 27 months of age.

Routine Building (Progress) Once the child shows signs of readiness and the parent determines the child is ready, the parent begins training the child with routines such as reminding the child and rewarding them for successes. Parents must sustain interest by keeping training fun. Children are usually in this stage when they are 27-30 months of age.

Completion (Post Progress) The parent encourages the child to be more independent by teaching the child skills such as wiping themselves and washing their hands. It is also during this stage that children begin to remember to go potty on their own during playtime. Children are usually in this stage after they are 30 months of age.

“The how-to's of toilet training are of great interest to moms and a frequent topic of conversation in th doctor's office,: Dr. Schum said. “This study gives parents and pediatricians a point of comparison and parents can be assured that their children are progressing normally through the process.”

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