When summer arrives, many families decide to start the "diaper operation", although in reality the success of the mission depends on the maturity of the child. We'll see how to know if the child is ready to leave the diaper, or on the contrary we will have to wait a few months until it succeeds.
It is difficult to "teach" the child not to use the diaper. Simply, we need sphincter control to be achieved, which has nothing to do with a specific age, or obviously with a month of the year or certain temperatures.
Sphincter control is a maturation process that reaches three or four years. In many cases, especially at night, it may take much longer, without that being a cause for parental concern. At two and a half years, only 50% of children are able to go without a diaper. At three years, 75% do so and at three and a half years 95% of children.
There is no impediment so that, if we start the “diaper operation” and we are not successful, the little ones return to the use of diapers. And it is that the psychological implications of the bodily functions that control the sphincters are very deep and complicated, better to interfere as little as possible in them and not force them to leave the diaper if they are not prepared.
It is necessary to observe our children, see the "signals" that children send us about sphincter control. For example, he does not wet the diaper in naps, he pees when he wakes up, he asks to use the toilet to imitate the elderly, he does a lot of pee at once ...
They also tend to feel uncomfortable with dirty diapers, ask them to change them more frequently, they take them off to make their needs out, or take them off once they have been stained ... They communicate their needs before or after making them. Many times they retire to pee or poop to a secluded place.
We can also take into account a series of physical signals, since he has enough balance and coordination to walk, he runs firmly and is able to lower his pants or climb into the toilet.
If we observe these behaviors and characteristics, we can start by taking small steps to leave the diaper, encouraging them and getting used to new habits.
In short, these are the clues to know if the child is ready to leave the diaper or not, and it is always better not to make preconceived plans and think that sooner or later the child will stop using the diaper, when he is ready.
Photos | ToddMorris and simplyla on Flickr-CC
In Babies and more | Summer and diapers, Operation diaper v.2: sphincter control (I) and (II)
