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Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Should You Let Your Child Watch You Use the Potty?
By Lisa A. Goldstein
Children are biologically motivated to imitate their parents, Rogers says. In her view, having your child watch you use the toilet is helpful in normalizing the entire process. "It's just a body function," she says. "Everyone has to do it. There isn't anything to be upset about if you see Mom and Dad do it and everything turns out OK. No one's getting flushed down the toilet. It's all OK and calm."
While Amy Caruso of Cincinnati, Ohio, hasn't actively started working on potty training with her 18-month-old daughter yet, she lets her watch as she uses the toilet. While she watches, Caruso explains what she's doing. "I let her flush the toilet afterwards to be able to view what's happening and say 'Bye bye pee pee and poo poo,' while the water goes down, put down the seat and then wash our hands together," Caruso says. "I think it's helped her to recognize what the words 'pee pee' and 'poo poo' mean and even helped her to understand the whole process in action, including proper hygiene."
For some parents, going to the bathroom in front of a child can be embarrassing. Even Caruso admits that it's uncomfortable at first, especially if you have no other children and are used to going in peace.