Early-Start Potty Training

July 15, 2005
These two books address toilet training issues from opposite perspectives. Child psychologist Sonna believes in traditional parenting practices -which continue in some countries to this day -predating the introduction of disposable diapers. These include leaving off diapers altogether whenever possible, using cloth diapers when necessary, and introducing the potty to babies as young as a few months while "cueing" the child with a recognizable signal. Sonna contends that children trained with these traditional approaches complete potty training at a much earlier age than disposable-diapered children in modern Western countries. Her objection to conventional wisdom from pediatricians and disposable diaper companies (which suggests delaying potty training until two years of age or later) seems overstated at times; she also naively downplays the notion that busy working parents and child care providers would find the traditional approaches impractical. Nevertheless, Sonna represents a viable perspective, and her book is well worth including in the toilet-training books of any parenting collection.

Pediatrician Bennett narrows his focus to bedwetting, and while he subscribes to Western-style potty training, he and Sonna concur that bedwetting can have damaging effects on children's self-esteem and social status as they age; their approaches to dealing with the problem are very similar. Bennett's "Waking Up Dry" program addresses the child directly, with frequent "Coaches' Corner" asides to parents. The intensive program includes questionnaires to determine the child's depth of motivation to become dry, a calendar to track progress, contracts and rewards, the use of a bedwetting alarm, and, sometimes, medication. Although the reading level seems high for the younger children who might participate, the author's tone is consistently positive and encouraging, both to children and their parents; recommended. -Kay Hogan Smith, Univ. of Alabam at Birmingham Lib., Lister Hill

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.