Abstract
This research develops a context-sensitive understanding of infant toilet training that takes account of a diversity of influences on the phenomenon. Data are drawn from a qualitative study of everyday life in families with young children. Parents in 54 families living in Norway were interviewed about the everyday life of the family during their child’s first year of life, and two follow-up interviews were conducted with 15 families in subsequent years. A contrastive–comparative approach to the analyses takes account of the social actions, related to toilet training, in another cultural context in order to better grasp the taken-for-granted assumptions about toilet training evident in one’s own culture. The analyses identify the significance of cleanliness-related regimes in toilet training. The cleanliness regimes were adjusted for parents’ everyday life considerations, which involved parental wishes to relate to the child as an individual subject; take the child out in public spaces; share care between parents; and involve other persons in the child’s care. A developmental perspective on parental practices and everyday life considerations provides a broadened understanding about later toilet training in Western contexts.
Résumé
Cette recherche élabore une compréhension sensible au contexte de l’entrainement à la propreté chez les nourrissons, laquelle tient compte d’une diversité d’influences sur le phénomène. Les données proviennent d’une étude qualitative de la vie quotidienne chez des familles ayant de jeunes enfants. Les parents de 54 familles vivant en Norvège ont été interrogés sur la vie quotidienne de la famille pendant la première année d’existence de leur enfant, et deux entretiens de suivi ont été menés auprès de 15 familles au cours des années suivantes. Une approche contrastive comparative des analyses tient compte des actions sociales liées à l’apprentissage de la propreté dans un autre contexte culturel afin de mieux percevoir les idées reçues sur l’apprentissage de la propreté, évidentes dans sa propre culture. Les analyses identifient l’importance des régimes liés à la propreté dans l’apprentissage de la propreté. Les régimes de propreté étaient également ajustés pour tenir compte de la vie quotidienne des parents, y compris le désir des parents d’établir un rapport avec l’enfant en tant que sujet individuel, de sortir l’enfant dans des lieux publics, de partager les soins entre parents et d’impliquer d’autres personnes dans les soins à l’enfant. Une perspective développementale des pratiques parentales et des considérations quotidiennes permet d’élargir la compréhension de l’apprentissage ultérieur de la propreté en contexte occidental.
Resumen
Esta investigación desarrolla una comprensión sensible al contexto del entrenamiento de control de esfínteres en niños pequeños, teniendo en cuenta diversos aspectos que influyen en este fenómeno. Se recolectaron datos de un estudio cualitativo de la vida cotidiana de familias con niños pequeños. Padres de 54 familias residentes en Noruega fueron entrevistados acerca de sus vidas cotidianas durante el primer año de vida de sus hijos y se realizaron dos entrevistas de seguimiento con 15 familias en años subsiguientes. Un método comparativo de contraste, realizado a los análisis cubrió las acciones sociales relacionadas con el entrenamiento de control de esfínteres en otro contexto, cultural con el fin de entender mejor las conjeturas que se dan por ciertas sobre el entrenamiento de control de esfínteres en nuestra propia cultura. Los análisis llevados a cabo identificaron la importancia de rutinas de higiene en el entrenamiento de control de esfínteres. Las rutinas de higiene también fueron ajustadas por las consideraciones cotidianas de los padres, las cuales incluyeron los deseos de estos de tratar a sus hijos como personas individuales; llevar a los niños a sitios públicos, compartir el cuidado entre los padres, e involucrar a otras personas en el cuidado de los niños. Una perspectiva de desarrollo en las prácticas paternales y consideraciones de la vida cotidiana ayudan a comprender mejor el entrenamiento de control de esfínteres más tardío en contextos de sociedades occidentales.
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Notes
The right to paid leave is linked to the mother’s employment and assumes that the mother has been gainfully employed during six out of the 10 months preceding the birth. The allocation of leave between the parents is regulated so that a certain number of weeks (6 weeks as of 2006) are reserved for the father on a “use it or lose it” basis. The couple may share the rest of the leave as they prefer. Most parents divide the leave so that the father takes the father quota and the mother takes most of the leave (NOU 2012: 15).
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Acknowledgements
The study was funded by the University of Oslo; the Research Council of Norway; Norwegian Social Research (NOVA); and Oslo Metropolitan University. I give special thanks to Professor Agnes Andenæs at the University of Oslo, who provided insight and expertise that greatly guided and assisted the research.
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Sundnes, A. Developing a Context-Sensitive Understanding of Infant Toilet Training: Cleanliness Regimes Adjusted for Everyday Life Considerations. IJEC 50, 279–296 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-018-0227-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-018-0227-7