The snow here won’t quit, but it is peak time to plan for summer camp. Parents are getting their clothing ready, the backpack, and lining up transportation as needed.
They are desperate to get their special needs kid toilet trained in time for camp.
I understand their urgency. They know it will take time, and they know that camp is a “hard stop”. Most camps simply will not change a poopy diaper. They might not change a wet one. Pull-Ups are diapers, BTW. They really are. Don’t let the ads fool you. It is the rare parent that can send the nanny or drive themselves to camp to take care of things. The camps that will do diaper changes are few, expensive, and could have kids whose language and motor skills are far below their child’s abilities. This means that their child’s summer camp experience might be little more than super-expensive babysitting, with poor language and behavior models.
Not want anyone wants.
Here is what you need to do if you are wondering how to make this happen by the first day of camp:
- Start taking things seriously at home. That’s right: even if your child is mostly not trained, you are going to begin doing pre-training strategies today. They get the diaper, the wipes, and a change of clothes out if they need them. They do the flushing and the hand washing. Without looking at a screen, without singing a song. This is work. Real work. You might still to all of the wiping, but they do a final wipe. It will be clean, but they need to get those fingers back there and develop the motor skills.
- If they are only “sort of” trained at home, you go hard on it now. They need to up their game in the most comfortable place. They can’t be great in an unfamiliar place without it. Unless they are holding back on you, and they only make the effort when they know that peer pressure or unfamiliar staff won’t do all the work.
- Reward them for their efforts. Not with candy or money. With fun, love, and opportunities to do things billed as for “big kids”. Not Disney or something massive. Things like taking a video and sending it to someone they love. Going out for pizza or ice cream. Letting them pick out dinner.
- Get good information on how to train. Jamie Glowicki’s “Oh Crap! Potty Training” book is the best for neurotypical kids. She is amazing. But even Jamie admits that when your kid has special needs, you need an OT. And I wrote TWO BOOKS for you! Get them on (where else?) Amazon
