# Potty training children in non-US cultures **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827 "2009-05-09T04:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827/81 "2009-05-14T20:48:19Z")
> [@C3](#): > > Even when my kids were in diapers, they didn’t run around in their own excrement. I changed their diaper. Same here. There’s a large difference between “running around in their own excrement,” which could just as easily happen if you have a naked kid and rubber sheet (kids like to smear things, remember?) and “changing your kid’s diaper on a regular basis and additionally as needed.” So, you might consider re-wording that - while I don’t think you were trying to be offensive (though please correct me if I’m wrong), it sounds like you’re saying, “Oh, I guess I understand now why you people are so unsanitary and disgusting.” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827/82 "2009-05-14T21:02:24Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > **Freudian Slit** and **Karl** , it sounds like you both have wonderful, supportive families. My family, while supportive, is obviously very hands-off when it comes to child-rearing. In fact, I’m more likely to be handed a baby to take care of in my circle of friends than I would be visiting extended family. Good thing my husband is so adept at changing diapers. Sadly this does mean that we’ve often devolved to fits of “Not It!” when the time comes to freshen the kid’s butt. I think it’s also part of being Asian…more emphasis on family/helping out and pitching in. But what you have with your circle of friends sounds nice, too. I’m also getting that vibe from **Chopper**. Sort of like, “Oh, how barbaric, but what can you do?” ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827/83 "2009-05-14T21:04:35Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I think it’s also part of being Asian…more emphasis on family/helping out and pitching in. But what you have with your circle of friends sounds nice, too. > > I’m also getting that vibe from **Chopper**. Sort of like, “Oh, how barbaric, but what can you do?” Yeah, my circle of friends has been described as “crunchy” by my family who’ve seen it in action. I like to call them really damned wonderful friends and I’m more than happy to reciprocate. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827/84 "2009-05-14T21:11:16Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > Quite frankly I believe this is just something diaper companies put out there to sell more Pampers. Obviously there are accidents but my parents (I’m guessing I’m one of the very few on this Board who actually have a RL point of reference for 3rd world practices) insist that a goodly portion of the time the parent makes the sound and the child will associate it with a requirement to pee/poop. You can teach babies to sign pre-verbalisation but you can’t get them to pee on command with enough training? Frankly, I’m skeptical as to just how much babies can be trained to sign, too. A lot of pretty respected experts in child behaviour have weighed in on the issue and said that up to a certain age children cannot exercise full control over their bowel movements. This isn’t Pampers talking, it’s Dr. Spock and my family doctor. I’m inclined to believe the people with the Ph.Ds. Whatever works for the parents and the kid is the right way. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827/85 "2009-05-15T14:22:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Frankly, I’m skeptical as to just how much babies can be trained to sign, too. > > A lot of pretty respected experts in child behaviour have weighed in on the issue and said that **up to a certain age children cannot exercise full control over their bowel movements**. This isn’t Pampers talking, it’s Dr. Spock and my family doctor. I’m inclined to believe the people with the Ph.Ds. > > Whatever works for the parents and the kid is the right way. I think the key is probably FULL CONTROL, many many people are here saying that kids have at least some control, whether that amounts to the ability to “hold it” once the bowels are full, or the ability to void early or what is another matter… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potty-training-children-in-non-us-cultures/495827.md?page=4)