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The role of the adult: Part 2 of our Montessori-inspired EC series

Translations of this post: Italian

what is your role in potty learning

Hey hey. Today's episode is the second in a four-part series based on the Montessori approach to toilet learning, starting at birth. Over the course of four weeks, we are deconstructing Merry Hadden’s fantastic Montessori toileting article and emphasizing how elimination communication is a truly Montessori-friendly toilet learning method.

Today's episode will focus on part two - the role of the adult and preparations.

Merry says:

"We must give the child the proper information from the beginning, then it is only a matter of how and where to offer appropriate experiences."

I love this. Start as you mean to go on. Give the right info, from the start. No confusion, no back-peddling, no “poop in this diaper for three years, then suddenly, nope, poop in that toilet” - just clear and truthful from the start.

So, while last week we talked about the natural laws of development, now it's time to learn exactly what your role is, as the parent, in toilet learning, and how to prepare the environment (and your mindset) to assist your child during this important developmental period.

Today I’ll share:

  • How to prepare your baby’s toileting environment
  • The importance of learning your baby's rhythm + signals
  • How to hold and position your baby
  • How to nurture “intrinsic” motivation
  • When to transition your child to the next phase
  • A total of 11 points from Merry's article, broken down and explored with an EC lens
  • Two tips from our readers.

Links and other resources mentioned today:

Download the Transcript

If you can't listen to this episode right now (um, sleeping baby!?)...download and read the transcript here:

Transcript download: Adults

Watch the Video Version

If you want to watch me record today’s podcast episode, you can do that on my youtube version right here:

Thanks for Listening!

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Which of these preparations are you going to make in your home, today? Please leave a comment below!

I look forward to chatting with you in the comments.

xx Andrea

Disclosure Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from purchases made through the links on this page.

Andrea Olson

About Andrea Olson

I'm Andrea and I spend most of my time with my 6 children (all under 10 yo) and the rest of my time teaching other new parents how to do Elimination Communication with their 0-18 month babies. I love what I do and try to make a difference in one baby or parent's life every single day. (And I love, love, love, mango gelato.)

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