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Baby Signs®
Potty Training Program FAQs
- How
is the Baby Signs ®
Potty Training Program different from the Elimination Communication
(EC) method?
- What
if my child is older than 24 months? Will the program still work for
him?
- What
if my baby is not signing yet? Can I still use the program?
- My
baby is in child care during the day. Can her caregivers use the
program as well?
- Can I
use the program with my 13-month-old and my 3-year-old at the same time?
- How
can I learn about other families’ experiences with this
program?
The goal of EC is to potty train babies
during their first 6 months by observing their body movements and
facial expressions to determine their need to eliminate. Whenever the
parent observes these behaviors, she places the baby over the potty and
makes a “ssss” or “shshshsh”
sound while the baby eliminates. Over time, the baby learns to
associate the sound with the act of elimination. Because EC depends on
constant vigilance by parents and consistent and immediate responses to
a baby’s signals, the approach may simply not be practical
for many families. The goal of the Baby Signs®
Potty Training Program is to help parents potty train their babies
before the age of 2. It provides a happy medium between earlier
training (prior to 6 months) and later training (after age 2).
It enables babies to reach “communication
readiness” by using signs rather than waiting for words.
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Although designed primarily
with the second year in mind, the Baby Signs®
Potty Training Program is based on principles that apply no matter what
the age of your child. There may well be factors, such as both parents
working outside the home, individual differences in temperament or the
arrival of another baby, that affect your timeline for getting started.
Some parents find it convenient to start earlier than 12 months, others
later than 24 months. Either is fine. The principles are the same no
matter what age you get started and how fast you proceed.
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All children are different
and it’s not unusual for babies to start signing at 15 or
even 18 months. Even if your child is not yet signing, you can start
using the Baby Signs®
Potty Training Program anytime. While there is no doubt that signing
makes the potty training experience proceed more smoothly, the program
has been designed to work whether or not a child is signing.
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The Baby Signs®
Potty Training Program offers some real advantages to child care
providers because babies are able to use signs to signal the need to go
potty, making it easier for caregivers to respond quickly and
appropriately. The most important factor for success at home and in
child care is communication between you and your caregivers. Let them
know what you are doing at home and provide them with information to
help them do the same during the day. The program is so simple and
easy, they will most likely welcome it. The Parent's Guide in the Potty
Training Kit includes a form that will make it easy to keep your
caregivers informed about how you are approaching potty training at
home.
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There are certainly
advantages to training both together. For one thing, training both at
the same time means you only go through the process once. Secondly, as
siblings typically do, they may compete with one another, especially if
they are given tangible rewards. Anything that increases motivation is
a plus. They may also learn from and enjoy imitating each other. The
products in the Potty Training Kit motivate children of various ages
equally well.
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You can learn how the Baby
Signs®
Potty Training Program has worked for other parents by visiting the Success Stories
page or by joining our online discussion group.
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