The Nest’s Toilet Training Policy
Children enrolled in The Nest must be fully toilet trained before the start of school. This means children wear underwear each day and are able to independently manage toileting needs with minimal adult support.
A toilet-trained child is one who can consistently:
Why is this important?
The Nest is a school setting, and our focus is on providing a rich, developmentally appropriate learning environment for all children. Our classrooms are not equipped for changing soiled clothing, and staff are not available to regularly change children throughout the day.
When a teacher needs to step away to manage frequent accidents, it takes time away from engaging with the rest of the class and disrupts the flow of the day, impacting the overall experience for all students.
Regular bathroom visits are built into the daily routine to support children’s independence and help prevent accidents. We understand that even toilet-trained children may occasionally have accidents. This is developmentally normal, and in those instances, teachers or our school nurse will assist as needed. However, frequent accidents are not sustainable in the preschool setting.
If two accidents occur, the school nurse and the Director of the Nest will follow up with the family to discuss next steps. When appropriate, a Health Care Plan may be developed to outline any additional toileting support the child may need during the school day.
In some cases, a child’s readiness for enrollment may be reassessed. Families may be asked to delay entrance or take a short break from school in order to focus on building toileting independence at home. Any decision of this nature would be made thoughtfully and in close collaboration with the family, with the goal of setting the child up for long-term success at school.