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Expert Q&A

	By Keath Castelloe Low child and adolescent psychologist

I have heard of books and people that claim to potty train a child in one day. Is this really possible? Is it preferable?

The "potty training in a day approach" is basically an intense, accelerated training process which first involves preparing and modeling potty training for the child so he better understands what is expected. When the big day arrives, a child gives up his daytime diapers completely. Lots of positive reinforcement is used and the day is celebrated. Although, it is called "potty training in a day" accidents inevitably occur and the parent continues provide guidance to the child until the skill is mastered. Some claim that mastery will occur in one week or less, others claim that in two weeks your child will be accident free.

Potty training is a learning process. One of the most important factors with any learning process is readiness. A child that is ready to learn is more likely to experience success. Beginning potty training (whether it be the more traditional approach or the "training in a day" approach) too early when the child is simply not ready can create stress, pressure, anxiety and ultimately prolong the potty training process.

Your child may be ready for potty training if he can follow simple directions, walk to and from the bathroom, is able to let you know when his diaper is wet or soiled, is able to let you know when he is about to urinate or have a bowel movement, has shown an interest in the potty, and is able to stay dry at least two hours at a time during the day.

For some children the accelerated "training in a day" approach may work fine, but for others it may feel pressured. Accidents frequently occur at the beginning of training. Some kids handle this in a matter of fact way, others may feel that repeated accidents are signs of failure. They may begin to feel insecure without their diaper and end up resisting the potty all together.

In one form of the "training in a day" approach, when accidents occur the parent then takes the child to the potty, helps the child pull his underwear down, and has the child sit on the potty. This routine is then repeated ten times in a row. The thinking behind this repeated process is that it "builds muscle memory". Though the parent is cautioned to remain positive and nonjudgmental, many children may react negatively to this approach.

If you have determined that your child is ready for potty training, assess his personality. Would he react fine to a "cold turkey" approach or would he respond better to a gradual process of training? No matter which method you chose, always remain relaxed, reassuring, patient, and positive with your child. When potty training is successful it leads to increased feelings of confidence, accomplishment and independence for your child.

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