Teachers in Switzerland have voiced their concerns about the increasing number of older students wearing diapers to school. The educators are ringing an alarm as a wake-up call to get rid of the “worrying trend.” Highlighting how the neglect on the part of the parents to potty-train their kids, the students have become accustomed to the convenient method. This doesn’t only increase additional responsibility on the teachers but also gives rise to uncalled teasing and bullying from peers.
During an interaction with 20 Minuten, Dagmar Rosler, the head of the Swiss Federation of Teachers stressed the fact that kids begin to go to school at an early age. Hence, it isn’t a concerning situation when four years old show up in diapers. However, the situation turns problematic for both teachers and students when older children depend on diapers and haven’t received potty training.
“Parents have a duty to ensure that their school-age children no longer wear diapers. When 11-year-olds come to school in diapers, that’s a worrying development. Teachers are not there to change their students’ diapers. This goes too far,” said Dagmar Rosler. The federation does understand the fact that children in primary school wear diapers due to medical conditions like autism. “If it is not due to a physical impairment, such behaviour can indicate neglect or an extremely stressed family situation,” highlights psychotherapist Felix Hof.
Another account shared by child expert Rita Messmer to Sonntagszeitung details how she had encountered an 11-year-old patient who wasn’t taught how to use the loo on their own despite no health-related concerns. According to her, the number of kids in diapers has “skyrocketed.”
When is the correct age to potty-train kids?
Learning how to use the toilet on their own is not only a physical or behavioural milestone for kids and it happens at different ages for different people. Some kids learn it when they are 18-24 months old, while others take time until they are 3. What’s necessary is to choose the right words, schedule your kids’ potty breaks, and explain the importance of hygiene before eventually ditching the diapers. The same rule applies to nighttime training to avoid accidents when kids sleep. It is necessary to highlight they’ve to get to the bathroom to relieve themselves.
Comments
0 comment