frown or make a disapproving facial expression. We are more
effective when we use simple language. No this, Yes that. There
doesn’t need to be a ton of talking about it. I think all of us, as a
whole, are doing way too much talking. I especially think this is true
in potty training. It’s similar to your child learning the ABCs. They
aren’t learning all the power behind the letters that make different
sounds at different times in millions of combinations. They just like
the song. In potty training, the short, more direct words work best.
The Expectation That EC Gives You a Jump on PTing
Now the hardest part, I think, about bridging EC to PT is dealing
with the expectation that because you’ve been working at it for a
fairly long time, this should be easy for your child. Believe me. I
think this should be true as well. I don’t want you to be mad at me,
but I’ve found that this isn’t necessarily the case. It’s a real freaking
bummer. You have worked hard and deserve a jump on potty training.
And the fact that you’re probably not going to get one is really hard
to wrap your head around. What I have found is that once you’re over
the hump, ECed kids tend to move much faster and the training
“sticks” much better. And you have the bonus of not only a great
bond but also of knowing your child’s signals.
What I’ve found works best for ECers who want to potty train is to
simply think of this as another (separate) process. Your child
probably hasn’t made the connection that she is the one who should
be in action once the feeling of having to pee strikes. And your child
is probably very used to peeing as the urge hits, wherever that may be.