The booklet offers guidelines in both Spanish and English to parents who are toilet training a mentally retarded child. The toilet training process is broken down into tasks that the child must learn, and the importance of positive reinforcement for each successfully accomplished task is emphasized. It is recommended that parents keep charts (examples are provided) to determine the child's patterns of elimination. Teaching guidelines encourage parents to use both behavioral and verbal reinforcers, to give the child practice in performing tasks correctly, and to schedule two or three short 15 minute teaching sessions rather than one long session. It is explained that the child should not be allowed to wear diapers since diapers are said to have become a cue for not eliminating in the toilet. A model whose behavior the child can imitate is thought to be helpful. It is also recommended that parents have the child assume responsibility for cleaning up after he has soiled his training pants by improper elimination. (GW)