Nappy on the Beach Sparks Book
Meta title: Nappy on the Beach Sparks Potty Plan Book
Meta description: A nappy washed up on Pāpāmoa Beach inspired Rebecca Larsen to write Potty Plan, helping parents discover elimination communication, reduce nappy waste, and explore early toilet learning.
Banner image alt: A disposable nappy washed up on Pāpāmoa Beach inspired Rebecca Larsen to write Potty Plan about elimination communication and early potty learning.
The image accompanying this story shows the seaweed-covered disposable nappy found on Pāpāmoa Beach after a storm alongside Rebecca holding a copy of Potty Plan. It reinforces the environmental impact discussed throughout the article.
Parents Don’t Realise They’re Struggling
“I see parents struggling but they don’t realise they are, because everyone says this is normal,” Rebecca says of the ‘regular’ approach to toilet training.
“I see women every week struggling with the budget, and a big part of that is nappies. This way you can get your baby out of nappies a lot earlier.”
A Nappy Washed Up on Pāpāmoa Beach
The environmental impact of nappies is another driver.
Rebecca says that seeing the nappy washed up on Pāpāmoa Beach after a storm was a reminder of how much waste is produced by disposable nappies.
“We love going to the beach and picking up lots of fishing line and rubbish after a storm, and we found this nappy growing weed. It is an example of a plastic-based disposable nappy. It’s not at all decomposed. Sea cleaners find nappies all the time in the ocean and waterways.”
Why Parents Are Waiting Longer
Rebecca says the advent of disposable nappies has seen a delay in the age children are toilet-trained, compared with her parents’ and grandparents’ generations.
“The majority of parents in our generation follow the ‘wait for readiness’ approach to potty training. There are several methods for potty training, and unless you give this some thought before you have your baby, or within the first few months, you may fall to the default approach.”
“I just want parents to have all the options and make the decision that fits best with them. You don’t have to wait if you don’t want to. There are so many benefits to starting early when your baby is an infant rather than a toddler.”
About Rebecca Larsen
Rebecca is also the author of the children’s books:
- Row, Row, Row Your Waka
- Tāne Mahuta has a Forest
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Matariki
She is happy to speak to local mothers’ groups about Elimination Communication.
To get in touch, visit:
Photos
Step-by-step guidance for elimination communication from birth to toilet independence.
