Potty Training Around the World

Africa

• In some tribes in Africa, potty training is something that happens from birth, with no diaper use at all. As reported in the January 1977 issue of "Pediatrics," members of the East African Digo tribe constantly "wear" or hold babies and look for signs that the baby needs to eliminate. When a baby shows subtle signs, such as a body shake, scrunching of the face or other physical signs that a bowel movement is imminent, the mother holds the baby out over the ground or a receptacle. Babies in the Digo tribe are said to be dry during the day and night as early as 5 months old.

China

• If you visit China, you may be shocked to see a young child relieve his bowels on the street or other public area. It is common for Chinese babies to wear crotchless pants called ̶0;kaidangku̶1; training pants, according to English-language newspaper "China Daily," and remarkably few ever wear diapers at all. When a parent senses that a child needs to eliminate, the child is encouraged to squat wherever he is and the parent makes a sound to indicate it is OK to go potty, says Fay Chou, author of a newsletter article that appears on the National Association for Child Development's website. Chinese babies are often toilet trained by the age of 1, if not sooner, according to ̶0;The Cultural Conflict Over Toilet Training̶1; by Mary Exton.

Bali

• Children in Bali are thought of as gods for the first 210 days of life, and therefore they are never to be put down on the ground or floor. Women are encouraged to continually hold babies in slings or on their hips, and while traditionally babies wore no clothing at all, modern parents have begun to dress babies in shirts and pants, according to ̶0;Gift from the Gods: A Balinese Guide to Early Child Rearing̶1; by Marissa Diener. The infant is allowed to urinate or defecate as needed, even if some waste finds its ways onto the parents' clothing or floors. As the child grows, she is taught to relieve her bowels in appropriate areas like a toilet.

Other Countries

• While early toilet training eliminates the chance of diaper rash, discomfort and the cost of diapering supplies, it also requires extensive work on the part of the parents. It used to be common even in the United States to train your child early to use the toilet. According to a 2004 article by Dr. Barton Schmitt in "Contemporary Pediatrics," in the 1920s toilet training was typically complete before the age of 1, where it is now common to wait until the age of 3. Great Britain and Germany are also later on the toilet training curve with the average age being 2 and 3 respectively. On the other hand, Cuba trains children to use the potty by about 18 months, according to BabyCenter.com.