Here’s an easy way to potty train your child — By whistling!
Most people usually associate whistling with sports and fitness training or even catching a cab but an article in Daily Mail UK has reported that whistling could help with potty training.
The article based on the findings of a group of Swedish researchers who did a study of Vietnamese families who credited whistling with getting their babies out of diapers before they turned one.
Whistle while you wee
According to the research findings which were published in the Journal of Pediatric Urology, potty training in the families started almost from birth, with mothers making a whistling sound when they noticed signs that their child wanted to go. And just like Pavlov’s dog, the children soon associated whistling with urinating and as long as they were reminded to sit on the potty (or at least put there by an adult), they were able to keep relatively dry by nine months.
However how does one ‘know’ the signs that your baby wants to go? From some mother’s experience, the only sign their babies at that age display is when they want to pass motion and not necessarily when they want to wee-wee.
Benefits of early potty training
According to the study, there are obvious benefits to early toilet training. Most obviously is the savings from buying less diapers. On average a baby requires five diaper changes, which totals 150 diapers a month and 1800 diapers a year. That would account for hundreds of dollars in savings. It also benefits the environment and learning to control the bladder very early in life may be better for urinary health.
Different schools of thought
However, in this day and age, more kids are being potty trained around 18 months as that is when they are developmentally ready. According to Doctor Vincent Iannelli, M.D. on About.com, signs that your child is ready to use the potty include;
- staying dry for at least 2 hours at a time
- having regular bowel movements
- being able to follow simple instructions
- being able to say the words wee or poo
- being uncomfortable with dirty diapers and wanting them to be changed
- asking to use the potty chair
- asking to wear regular underwear
Positive reinforcement the key
Whatever you as a parent decides though, it is important to never shame your child into submission to get out of the diaper. Like anything else, positive reinforcement should be the way to teach them, especially since the transition from diaper to potty can be a stressful and challenging time.
Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore