Electric Diapers

This might be hard to believe, but it really happened. When I lived in Scottsdale Arizona, I was introduced to a man who had invented a battery-operated device that could be attached to a diaper. According to the sheet of instructions written by the inventor, “small electric pulses will vibrate when the diaper gets wet and cause a slight bit of discomfort.”

The first thing that came to mind when I read the instructions was the electronic fences that people install around their yards to keep their dogs from running away. Since I would have a hard time subjecting my dogs to electric shocks, I was hard pressed to recommend shocking young children.

“What next?” I thought to myself at the time.

Then just the other day I heard about special diapers that turn very cold when they get wet. This is definitely a step in the right direction because it addresses the main motivation for a child to use the toilet—which is the discomfort caused by dirty diapers. However, while I’m all for anything that is safe and can make potty training easier, I’ve found that there simply is no device that can replace the two most important elements of successful potty training, and that’s consistent perseverance and patience.