My observation of particular learning process (toddler’s potty training) was supported by a diverse theoretical knowledge about classical conditioning procedures. I was able to observe ‘potty training’ activities initiated both by parents and child care professionals. The majority of professionals believe that children's toilet training should be initiated after 24 months of age, while the majority of parents believe training should begin before 24 months. This parental practice is of concern in light of conviction that most children do not fall within the readiness parameters until 24 months of age.
The best example of how classical conditioning can be applied to potty training toddlers is bedwetting alarm – a device that senses wetness and starts to ring if the child urinates in the bed. The child wakes up, and thus perceives that alarm is bad, attributing this meaning to going to toilet in bed. In order to strengthen the effects of the classical conditioning, a child should be explained that the alarm is used to help them wake up when they need to go to toilet.
Some parents and professionals may not be waiting for children to achieve a sufficient level of maturity before training. Initially, the large discrepancy between parent and professional beliefs seemed alarming. Yet, some evidence suggests that the gap between actual parent and professional practices may not be as great. When parents were asked how they trained their children, their responses were more similar to the professionals'.
