Toilet Training-Friendly Clothing
Angela Oswalt, MSW, Natalie Staats Reiss, Ph.D and Mark Dombeck, Ph.D.Many parents choose to invest in disposable training pants or underwear that absorbs waste like a diaper, but which are put on and taken off much like "big kid" underwear. Many parents like disposable training pants because they reduce messes from accidents and can be beneficial in transitioning from diapers to underwear. As well, they provide an alternative to diapers in the early potty training stages when children may not be able to stay completely dry throughout the night.
Some families find that using training pants only hinders potty training because children still feel like they have the security of a diaper and therefore do not have as much incentive to stop what they are doing and run to a potty. As well, the training pants can induce complacency in parents when it is difficult to find a toilet or potty for children to use. Inconsistency in parental attitudes about when it is appropriate to poop or pee in the training pants and when it is not can decrease children's overall training success and may extend the overall time children need to complete the toilet training process. Families may also dislike the expense and mess associated with using disposable training pants. For a cheaper alternative to training pants, some families use regular underwear inside of a traditional diaper. This way, children will still experience the discomfort associated with soiling or wetting cotton underwear (and want to avoid that feeling). However, messes and stained external clothing are less likely to occur.
One way to help young children get excited about potty training is by introducing "big kid" cotton underwear. Parents can talk with their diapered children about how after they learn to use the potty, they get to wear these fun garments instead of diapers. Parents can even bring home a package of cotton underwear with the child's favorite cartoon character printed on them to demonstrate what these garments look and feel like. Alternatively, they can let children pick out their favorite underwear package at the store.
Parents should also take care to buy and select outfits that are easy for children to take off and to put on in a hurry. Normally, the rule is that the fewer items on the lower half of the body, the better. Overalls or coveralls are often a particularly bad choice for potty-training children as they are difficult to get on and off. The best clothing will have relatively few buttons, snaps, or ties that need to be undone or done. Elastic waist bands are amazingly helpful during this stage of life as they are the easiest type of garments for children to get on and off.
Resources
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Articles
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Development During Early Childhood, Toddler, and Preschool Stages
- Introduction- Development During Early Childhood
- Early Childhood Physical Development: Average Growth
- Early Childhood Physical Development: Gross and Fine Motor Development
- Early Childhood Physical Development: Toilet Training
- Early Childhood Cognitive Development: Introduction
- Early Childhood Cognitive Development: Symbolic Function
- Early Childhood Cognitive Development: Intuitive Thought
- Early Childhood Cognitive Development: Information Processing
- Early Childhood Cognitive Development: Language Development
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Emotional Expressiveness and Understanding
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Reflective Empathy
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Aggression
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Identity and Self-Esteem
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Social Connections
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Social Connections Continued
- Early Childhood Emotional and Social Development: Conclusion
- Early Childhood Moral Development
- Early Childhood Moral Development Continued
- Early Childhood Gender Identity and Sexuality
- Early Childhood Gender Identity and Sexuality Continued
- Early Childhood Conclusion
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Parenting Your Todder, Preschooler, and Young Child
- Introduction to Parenting Your Toddler, Preschooler, and Young Child
- Early Childhood Feeding and Nutrition
- Early Childhood Food and Nutrition Continued
- Early Childhood Food and Nutrition Conclusion
- Early Childhood Sleep
- Early Childhood Toilet Training
- Early Childhood Hygiene
- Early Childhood Hygiene Continued
- Early Childhood Exercise
- Early Childhood Love and Nurturing
- Early Childhood: It's Important to Encourage Reading
- Early Childhood Medical Care
- Early Childhood Mental Health Care
- Early Childhood Safety
- Coping with Transitions in Early Childhood: Getting a New Sibling or Remaining an Only Child
- Coping with Transition: in Early Childhood: Going to Daycare
- Coping with Transition: Starting Preschool or Kindergarten and Final Conclusions
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Toilet Training
- Early Childhood Toilet Training Introduction
- The Right Time to Start Toilet Training: Children's Readiness
- The Right Time to Start Toilet Training: Family Readiness and Red Flags
- Pre-Toilet Training in Early Childhood
- Preparing the Space for Toilet Training in Early Childhood
- Toilet Training-Friendly Clothing
- Early Childhood Toilet Training Methods
- Early Childhood Toilet Training Methods Continued
- Early Childhood Toilet Training Methods Conclusion
- How to Deal with Toilet Training Challenges: Travel
- How to Deal with Toilet Training Challenges: Constipation and Fear of Flushing
- Bedwetting, Encopresis and Enuresis, and Conclusions
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Disciplining Your Toddler, Preschooler, and Young Child
- Disciplining Your Toddler, Preschooler, and Young Child Introduction
- Parents as Disciplinarians in Early Childhood
- Preventing Early Childhood Misbehavior Before it Happens
- The Use of Choice in Early Childhood
- A Step-by-Step Guide for How to Discipline Children in Early Childhood
- Natural and Logical Consequences in Early Childhood
- Combining Choice and Consequences in Early Childhood
- Early Childhood Time Outs
- Spanking in Early Childhood
- Coordinating to Provide Continuity of Early Childhood Discipline Across Caregivers
- Lying in Early Childhood
- Supportive Communication in Early Childhood and Discipline Conclusion
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Nurturing Your Toddler, Preschooler, and Young Child
- Nurturing Your Toddler, Preschooler, and Young Child Introduction
- Creating Nurturing Space in Early Childhood
- Physical Nurturing: Gross Motor Activities in Early Childhood
- Physical Nurturing: Fine Motor Activities in Early Childhood
- Cognitive Nurturing in Early Childhood
- Cognitive Nurturing in Early Childhood Continued
- Cognitive Nurturing in Early Childhood Conclusion
- Social Nurturing in Early Childhood
- Emotional Nurturing in Early Childhood
- Cultural and Spiritual Nurturing in Early Childhood
- Nurturing at Home and Outside the Home and Nurturing Conclusions
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Child and Adolescent Development Theories
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Infants: Parenting and Child Development
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Development During Early Childhood, Toddler, and Preschool Stages
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Questions and Answers
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Book & Media Reviews
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Links
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Videos
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