February 12, 2006 Here’s a potentially good idea - toilet training accessories designed to help create an early awareness of the toilet bowl, reduce anxiety, and make toilet training a fun and positive experience. Toilet Buddies is the first of a family of innovative products to help children transition from diapers to the toilet, by offering a solution to a problem parents have been coping with for generations: fear of the toilet bowl. According to manufacturers Jeckida, there is no point in toilet training children before they can control their bodily functions, but much of the delay in emotional readiness comes from the fear and anxiety that result from unfamiliarity with the toilet. While doctors agree that a child develops control of his or her bodily functions between 18 and 19 months of age, actual emotional readiness varies from child to child, with most showing interest between two and four years of age.
The Toilet Buddies characters include Gatago Giraffe, Poo P. Bunny, Puddles Puppy and Ca Ca Cow and their various elements all adhere with Velcro-style fasteners onto a standard toilet bowl, and are safe, non-toxic and simple to clean. Each character's friendly head is displayed on the toilet's tank, and when the toilet lid is lifted, the animal's face appears with its eyes closed – for privacy, of course! Plus, the animal's feet and other features adorn the rest of the toilet.
