Fact Check: Less people are getting Potty trained

Fact-Check Article: "Less People Are Getting Potty Trained"

What We Know

The claim that fewer children are getting potty trained at an earlier age is supported by a variety of sources that document a significant shift in potty training practices over the decades. Historically, children were potty trained much earlier; for instance, in the 1950s, nearly 100% of children were trained by 18 months, primarily using cloth diapers. However, this trend has changed dramatically. According to a blog post from Thirsties Baby, today only about 10% of children are potty trained by 18 months, with the average age for potty training now around 30 months. This increase in age is attributed to the widespread use of disposable diapers, which have made it more convenient for parents to delay potty training.

Furthermore, a historical overview from Go Potty Now indicates that the average age for potty training has risen from around 1 year in the 1940s to approximately 3 years in contemporary Western societies. This change is influenced by evolving parenting philosophies that emphasize waiting until a child is developmentally ready, a view popularized by pediatricians like T. Berry Brazelton.

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim that fewer children are getting potty trained at a younger age is compelling and comes from multiple reliable sources. For example, a study cited by Potty Genius highlights a dramatic decline in early potty training, noting that in 1957, 92% of children were trained by 18 months, whereas by 1999, only 4% of two-year-olds had achieved this milestone. This stark contrast underscores the trend of later potty training.

Moreover, the Big Toilet Project corroborates these findings, stating that the average age of toilet training has shifted significantly, particularly in higher-income countries. The blog notes that children were typically trained by 28 months in the 1950s, but this has now extended well into the third year of life.

While some sources, such as CNN, emphasize that children may be physiologically ready for training around 18 months, they also acknowledge that cognitive readiness varies, which may contribute to the delay in training. This perspective aligns with modern parenting practices that prioritize a child's individual readiness over strict timelines.

The reliability of these sources is generally high, as they are based on historical data, expert opinions, and observational studies. However, it is important to note that some sources may have inherent biases based on their target audience or the products they promote (e.g., diaper companies). Nonetheless, the overall trend is well-documented across multiple independent platforms.

Conclusion

The claim that fewer children are getting potty trained at an earlier age is True. The evidence indicates a clear trend towards later potty training, with significant increases in the average age at which children are trained. This shift is largely influenced by the convenience of disposable diapers and evolving parenting philosophies that prioritize child readiness.

Sources

1. When to Start Potty Training: A Brief History
2. Why Are Babies Potty-Training Later?
3. Changing toilet training trends - Big Toilet Project
4. How the world potty trains
5. The Changing Times: How Potty Training Ages Have Shifted
6. Are Children Really Potty Training Later? | The Nappy Gurus
7. Why Are Today's Children Toilet Trained Later?
8. Why are children potty training later? - ERIC