Parents Blamed for Children Starting School in Diapers
An opinion piece argues that societal narratives are excusing parental responsibility for basic developmental milestones.
A recent opinion piece in the Daily Mail Online by Clare Foges asserts that parents, not external factors, are responsible when children begin school without being toilet trained. Foges criticizes what she terms the "woke brigade" for infantilizing low-income families by suggesting they are incapable of meeting this responsibility.
The article contends that the responsibility for toilet training a child lies with the parents. Foges pushes back against the idea that societal issues or external support systems should be blamed for a lack of progress in this area. She suggests that excusing parents from this duty is detrimental.
Earlier this year, a survey of teachers indicated that approximately one in four children start school without being toilet trained. This translates to an estimated 187,000 children annually who are not toilet trained upon entering school.
Foges's viewpoint is that a persistent effort from parents is the key to successful toilet training. The article implies that a lack of effort or a tendency to seek external solutions contributes to children starting school in diapers. The author draws on personal experience, stating that a consistent approach is necessary to achieve this developmental milestone.
The piece suggests that narratives attributing the failure to toilet train to broader societal failures are misdirected. Foges argues that placing blame on factors such as economic conditions or systemic issues deflects from the parental role in a child's upbringing.
According to Foges, the focus should remain on parental agency and the consistent application of training methods. The article implies that societal trends or media reports that suggest otherwise are unhelpful and contribute to a culture of excuse-making.