06/16/2019
"1. Potty training starts as early as infancy and is child-led (Vietnam and China)
While we’re sitting on the floor in the bathroom desperately trying to encourage our 2-year-olds to go on the potty, toddlers in other parts of the world are walking around already fully trained. In Vietnam, parents rarely use diapers, if at all. In a paper published in the Journal of Pediatric Urology in 2012, 47 mothers in Vietnam were interviewed about their potty training methods. In the interviews, they said that as early as day one of their infant’s life, they begin looking for signs that their baby needs to urinate or p**p. Soon they are able to identify certain facial expressions, cries or body movements that signal that their child is ready to go. While their babies are urinating, the mother’s make a low whistling sound. The whistling becomes a reminder to their babies which the moms eventually begin using to signal to the baby that she should go to the potty. Eventually, the reminders are not needed at all and most Vietnamese babies can go potty on their own by 9 months of age.
In China, the Elimination Communication Method is an ancient diaperless tradition with environmental benefits. Babies wear “split-crotch pants” and are encouraged to squat down and go when they need to. Using this method, parents can begin potty training their child much earlier than we do in the U.S., and most children trained this way are going potty on their own by age 2. Much like the Vietnamese method, this requires watching for signals 24/7 and demands that someone is with the child at all times to do so. Sandia, a New York City mom raised by Chinese parents, says the practice has fallen out of favor over the last few decades in China, as families have migrated from a farm lifestyle to the cities.
“It’s a very rural Chinese thing at this point,” Sandia says.
But, there are many who still hold on to the environmentally friendly method, and it’s found popularity in recent years with many Western parents.
What we can learn from it:
While it’s probably not feasible for American parents, many of whom are both working outside of the home, there are still some elements we can take from these Vietnamese and Chinese potty training methods. Both methods are child-led at their core, so if you’re finding potty training frustrating, try backing off a bit and letting your child take the lead. Watch for signs that she repeats when she is ready to go and see if you can work off those going forward. If you’re really up for the challenge of trying the diaper-free Elimination Communication Method, do your research and find supportive communities that will help you and your child succeed."
https://www.care.com/c/stories/4721/parenting-styles-around-the-world/
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