How soon should you begin thinking about your child's first years of school? Some parents begin planning and applying at different preschools very early, while others wait until the year their child will start. How many preschools are in your area? Do the classes fill up quickly? Does your child have special needs? What age will you start your child in preschool? What do you hope for your child to get out of preschool? All of these things will come into play as you make the decisions about your child's first year in school. Visit my website to learn how to get the answers to these questions.
A child's first years in preschool can cause many conflicts between teachers and parents as children adjust from living at home to spending a significant amount of time in a public environment. One area that you may not be prepared to discuss with your child's teacher is toilet training. However, it is important that you know your school's methods and policies regarding toilet training and share any complications your child may be having at home.
Know Your School's Rules
Many preschools in the United States insist that children be toilet trained before they can enroll in the school. This usually means that toddlers are toilet training between 2-3 years old. However, other preschools, usually ones that offer younger childcare as well, allow children to attend school in diapers and help toilet train your child while they are at school. This can be a better environment if your three year old has not mastered toilet training yet.
Before you discuss your child's toilet training issues with their teacher, you should take the time to look up the school's policy on toilet training. If there is no written policy, it is likely that the school and teacher will be flexible and able to meet your family's needs.
Approach the Topic With an Open Mind
Once you figure out a toilet system that works for you and your child, it makes sense that you would want to adhere to that system. Establishing a routine means fewer accidents and faster toilet training. Unfortunately, all of the children in your child's class may have very different toilet training routines. While you may want your child's teacher to know about your child's home routine to prevent triggering a regression, following it exactly may not be realistic.
You should keep in mind that preschool teachers tend to have a large amount of experience in working with children during toilet training. Their ideas may help your child to toilet train faster and learn to deal with various bathroom situations that they will encounter in the real world.
Consider Adjusting Your Home Routine
If your main concern is consistency between school and home, you may consider adjusting your home routine to be similar to how they use the toilet at school. Your child's teacher should be happy to show you the techniques they use to encourage and reward proper toilet use and bathroom hygiene. Having a similar system at home can prevent confusion in your child. However, your home routine does not have to be exactly the same as your child's school routine.
You may find that your child needs to use the toilet more often or for longer periods of time when they are at home. This is because many children may try to wait until they get home to use the toilet, resulting in less usage at school.
Prepare Yourself With Research
Recently, there has been more research on the appropriate time and method for toilet training. Unfortunately, the information you find can be confusing. Some experts suggest early toilet training while others suggest waiting until a child is older. Whichever method you use, if you want to change your school's toilet training policy or method, you should prepare yourself with adequate research.
While giving your child's teacher new research can be appreciated, you should keep in mind that they may or may not agree with the methods and conclusions drawn from the research. Sharing research should be the starting point for a discussion with your child's teacher, not a mandate for them to change their methods. Continuous communication is key when your child is attending accredited preschools.
Share5 May 2015
