| In preschool, a teacher’s primary role is to teach. | | | | allowed to enroll. While in our school teachers willingly |
| Of course she will love, nurture, serve as a role model, | | | | change children out of love and caring, the |
| and even change diapers for her charges, but first and | | | | teacher’s job is to teach, not change diapers. Potty |
| foremost her goal is to teach. At times, parents lose | | | | training can be very difficult, and this teacher was |
| sight of this. | | | | willing to help Colleen’s parents with the task. Her |
| At three years old, Colleen’s parents hadn’t | | | | father should have not only appreciated her desire to |
| started potty training her yet. Every day she would | | | | help out, but also her willingness to change his |
| move her bowels at one o’clock, and you could | | | | daughter’s soiled diapers so many times. Face it, a |
| almost set your watch to it. The girl was very regular. | | | | three year old’s bowel movement is very different |
| Her teacher spoke with her father, and suggested that | | | | than that of an infant. It is not a pleasant job for |
| they work together to begin to toilet train Colleen. | | | | anyone. |
| Her father became instantly offended and told the | | | | Some parents have personal reasons for waiting to |
| teacher that he would train his daughter when he | | | | potty train their children until they are older, even four |
| believed it was time and it was not her place to make | | | | or five years old. They believe that if they wait until |
| that suggestion. He went on to say that changing his | | | | their child is completely ready on his own, it will be a far |
| daughter’s diaper was the teacher’s job and | | | | easier process. If that is how you feel, at least say |
| she shouldn’t complain about doing her job. | | | | thank you to the teacher who needs to clean and |
| This was a disheartening conversation. To begin with, | | | | change your child while she is at school. |
| changing diapers is not in the teacher’s job | | | | And please don’t lose sight of the teacher’s |
| description for a three year old. In many schools, | | | | primary responsibility, which is teaching. |
| children who aren’t potty trained aren’t even | | | | |