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If your kid knows how to play on an iPad, they should know how to use the loo.
Teachers in Switzerland are complaining about too many students wearing diapers in class because they don’t know how to use the toilet.
“Kids are going to school as early as 4 years old now, so yeah, you might actually find some still in diapers,” Dagmar Rösler, head of the Swiss Federation of Teachers, told the Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten.
“When 11-year-olds come to school in diapers, that’s a worrying trend.”
Many tots have become so accustomed to wearing diapers that they lose interest in transitioning out of the convenient but unsanitary method.
The average age to potty train children is between 18 months and 24 months, according to Mayo Clinic, but many parents seem to be avoiding the training session.
“Some parents let it slide because diapers are a convenient relief. It’s not seen as a problem these days,” said educational scientist Margrit Stamm. “That sends a totally wrong message.”
Kids wearing diapers in school has “skyrocketed,” child development expert Rita Messmer told the Sonntagszeitung, revealing she had an 11-year-old patient who wasn’t taught how to use the toilet on their own.
The children’s lack of knowledge becomes a burden for many teachers, who have to assist students with soaked diapers.
“Parents have a responsibility to make sure their school-aged kids aren’t wearing diapers anymore. Teachers aren’t there to change their students’ diapers. That’s crossing a line,” Rösler said.
While the problem is rampant in Switzerland, reports have emerged from Buffalo, New York, that parents there have failed to teach their children how to use the toilet.
“Teacher aides here say that it’s not their responsibility [to change diapers],” Phil Rumore, president of the Buffalo Teachers Federation, told WBUR in 2019.
Faculty have lost their patience regarding soiled diapers and parents who are unwilling to teach their kids.
“There is no policy in place, or procedure in place, to work with the child to either potty train them, to clean them when they have an accident,” Rumore said. “The teacher can’t do it because it takes away from the class.”
The Buffalo Teachers Federation reported 43 children were not potty trained efficiently, leading to accidents and teasing from classmates.
“I’m not blaming the parents … because in some cases we have an autistic child, or we have a child with emotional problems or physical problems,” Rumore added.
Some children who suffer from medical conditions have limited options to release their bowels, which can result in using diapers.
Experts from Parents.com encourage families to look out for signs that indicate tots are ready to use the toilet.
Those clues are wanting to upgrade to “big kid” underwear, understanding when their diaper is soiled, and if they make facial expressions when it’s time to go.
One TikTok mom noticed those signs very early, claiming she potty trained her 6-month-old son.
“For the first time ever, Squilly let me know he had to go to the bathroom while we were at the doctors!” the proud mom captioned the video. “He signs [in sign language] or grunts to let me know when he has to go!”
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