Ah, the newest status symbol - a baby's bare bottom. Shall we call it the "plastic diaper backlash?" For something that is such a natural progression, overindulgent parents now find it necessary to obsess over elimination. It sounds like the parents are the ones who are getting trained here.

I'm all for breastfeeding in Lady's lounges (I breastfed my three children). I'm all for finding alternatives to plastic diapers (I used cloth for a while). Today, there are many biodegradable alternatives to plastic diapers. There are diaper services for those moms who don't want to wash them themselves. I'm not all for regressing to the point where moms are holding children over sinks or taking them to the maple in the local park. Mothers can do their thing at home, if they must, but please don't hoist it on the general public. Babies don't need confusing messages about where to eliminate. We train our pets to eliminate in specific places. Children in our society need to be trained (not the parents) to use an appropriate facility.

I had no problems potty training my children. They wore protection until they no longer needed it, and when they were ready, they went to the potty on their own. No hyperviligence, no anxiety was involved. I have three well-adjusted, college-age children. Parents today need to understand their role in the grand scheme of things, and focus their energies on the things that are really important when that time comes.