Change your diapering style

Australian researchers have issued new "recommendations that have immediately spread around the world." According to the latest study, parents should change the way they change their babies.

The child should decide for themselves whether their diaper needs to be changed. Experts therefore encourage parents to ask for their consent first. The authors of the study are Nicole Downes and Katherine Bussey, lecturers in early childhood education at Deakin University in Australia. This approach not only teaches children how to build "bodily autonomy," but also teaches them to protect themselves from abuse (after all, changing diapers involves touching intimate areas), because they learn what is and is not okay when it comes to their bodies.

You should first ask your baby for permission and only then change their diaper. So what is the correct way to change a baby's diaper? "At the beginning of diaper changing, make sure your child knows what is happening," the researchers wrote in the guide. "Get down to their level and say, 'You need a diaper change.' Then pause to let them process it." Parents should then wait for the baby's body language.

So how should we monitor a child's nonverbal communication? Parents should ask their child how they want their diaper changed, whether they want to be carried or if they are better off crawling there themselves. The natural objection that immediately comes to mind for any sane person is that a baby simply cannot answer. However, this does not bother the esteemed Australian experts, who recommend: "Watch their facial expressions and body language to check if they understand what is going on."

What is the point of this absurd approach? Children are supposed to learn how their bodies work and that they should make their own decisions about them. New research also recommends inviting babies to participate in a "care ritual" by asking them questions such as, "Can you please lift your bottom so I can take out your diaper?" In this way, we "plant the seeds of the idea that the child has the right to say what happens to their body," say the academics.

Consent should be a "normal, everyday part of life" that teaches babies what is acceptable when it comes to their bodies: "It is important for children to notice when someone touches their most intimate parts."

Old-new theories

As the Najmama portal mentions, this theory is not new. It first appeared in 2018, when it was proposed by Australian sexuality expert Deanne Carson. At the time, she was heavily criticized for it. Experts pointed out that changing diapers is not abuse, but a normal part of parenting.

Child psychologist Andrew Fuller described this new approach as impractical and inapplicable to everyday parenting. Child behavior expert Nathalie Brown said at the time that babies do not understand this whole concept, let alone be able to give consent. Their emotions are still developing, so they cannot respond appropriately. That's what parents are for.

However, this "debate" did not just serve to show us how much we need ultra-educated experts today. The most absurd woke theories need time and a gradual process to gain acceptance.

Apparently, it was too early, and the woke movement wasn't that far along yet. Today, everything is different, and apparently, the time is right. Clearly, this is not just a fluke of two Australian "experts," but a broader phenomenon.

The Australian academics did not respond to the American New York Post, so it asked other child psychology experts what they thought of this approach. Yamalis Diaz, a clinical child psychologist at NYU Langone Health, already viewed it positively, as "verbally engaging the baby in the diapering process is a great practice for future discussions about bodily autonomy," i.e., "integrating consent education into parenting practices at an early stage."

In short, a child's bodily autonomy must be cultivated before they acquire the ability to speak.

This is what "progress" looks like

So if your little one, who has a full diaper, is screaming for dear life and won't stop, you should think about what they are trying to say. If your attempt at cleaning them up is not met with the appropriate "consent" – whatever that means – you should probably respect the baby and leave them in their filth all day (who knows what the "dermapurtists" discussing this on the Modrý koník portal would say about that).

However, development is clearly lagging behind in this area. Just as it is now recommended in the West to create apps for consent to sexual intercourse (called "consensual"), we should probably eventually come up with similar apps that children could use to indicate their consent or refusal. Here, however, it seems that woke research has gone too far. First, there should be apps for children's consent to food. For example, when a child asks for Nutella instead of spinach, which they always spit out (let's say we could understand this as disagreement). 

If you think that such progress is a bit over the top, don't be fooled by your own prejudices. In fact, this approach fits in with new forms of political correctness in a broader sense. The new Brussels LGBTI strategy wants to allow children to change their gender records, and in Luxembourg, children younger than five can already change their gender records based on self-determination.

Thankfully, at least for toddlers, surgery to change their sex organs is not required. But! In this age group, parental consent is required. In connection with our diaper problem, the question arises: what if the toddler decides for themselves, and the parent does not agree and wants to forcibly change the diaper that is about to burst and even wash the child? Experts clearly do not ask themselves these questions, but merely repeat phrases about how to treat little ones gently and with respect.

If you want to know how to do this, the experts offer seven tips on how to teach your children physical safety before they learn to talk. This is no joke; you can learn about it here. This is a portal that prides itself on providing readers with "a selection of evidence-based analyses from European scientists... Our exclusive analysis will help you navigate the key issues and questions that affect the development of our continent."

When changing a baby's diaper, you should talk to the child and explain each step. In front of the baby, you should use the correct anatomical terms, such as vulva, penis, anus, etc. No more "wee-wee"! Nothing childish. This is said to protect children so that they can properly inform trusted adults about their experiences with all the people who care for them (the same principles should also be used when changing clothes or bathing).

Similar "system-wide changes" are said to be necessary to improve standards and safety in early childhood to prevent child abuse.

If you are concerned that your little one is not yet able to assess the situation properly for a few more months and does not know how to respond correctly to whether it is the right time for a diaper change or breakfast, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget is here to help explain it to you: children under the age of two can understand language and communicate even before they develop speech. It is never too early to teach children about their physical autonomy.