Consistency for Healthy Child Development

       Maria Montessori always emphasizes consistency in the environment to help child's healthy development.  If your child is working on the toilet learning process, this is very important.  Any change in daily routine can be an obstacle to your child's learning process.  So please be understanding for frequent "misses" when he/she has unusual events such as having visitor(s), going out for a day, and getting involved in exciting activities.  Even a short time change, let's say 30 min longer night sleep, can disrupt your child's routine.

        To help your child, I always suggest family members create a bathroom routine at home (if you do not have one yet, this is a great opportunity to do so!).   Instead of making a set of times, it is better to make the association between the bathroom and other activities.  For example, you take your child to the bathroom when he/she wakes up, before and after breakfast, before going outside, after coming back from outside, before and after lunch, and so on.  Your child does not have to eliminate every time he/she goes to the bathroom, but he/she needs to sit on a toilet (even just momentarily).  

        Please remember to keep the tone neutral. If overpraised, your children will learn to please you.  The consequence is that he/she seeks your permission to satisfy their natural needs.  If they’re negatively talked to about "misses", your child will learn that eliminating is a bad thing.  The consequence is that your child will start holding it, which can cause a health problem. 

-Toddler Teacher