Potty Training

[apples and bananas]

I have a 3 year old. He is not trained. He will sit on the toilet no trouble, but I really don't think he gets the concept yet. He will tell me after he's pee'd in his diaper. If he's sitting on the toilet and I walk away for a moment and come back and ask if he's pee'd he always says yes... but he hasn't. If I ask him if he's pee'd in his diaper he'll say no even if he has. He's just not making the connection... any suggestions?

[mimi]

I have his twin. He gets the concept but is too lazy to let me know he needs to pee. I put him on the potty at regular intervals and he does pee then though sometimes he gives me the yes answer when it is no. Sigh. Today he pooped on the potty for the first time. Yeah big progress.....only to proceed to pee in his pull ups. Double Sigh. I get your frustration....and your dcb does get the concept.

[daycaremom9]

I have a 4yo dcb who will say he doesn't have to go pee but shortly after will have peed in his pants. He will tell me after he has peed in his pants. He does, however poop on the potty, thank goodness. Any suggestions?

[Crayola kiddies]

My own daughter was like that and I put her in the thick underwear and let her pee herself.... It took two puddles on the floor and she got it .....maybe put him in thick underwear with a plastic pant on top and let him pee himself .... Are the parents working on it at home ? If so then suggest they put him in underpants and let him pee himself and as he's doing it you say " oh look your going pee pee" when he sees it and feels its he'll get it!!

[Crayola kiddies]

I have a 4yo dcb who will say he doesn't have to go pee but shortly after will have peed in his pants. He will tell me after he has peed in his pants. He does, however poop on the potty, thank goodness. Any suggestions?

Many wont agree with me on this but this boy is 4 and he's clearly knows he has to go by what you have described and I had a child in my care like this and I told him that he was not permitted to pee in his pants and if he told me he had to go and he's pees on the potty he would get a sticker to put on his chart but if he peed in his pants he would have to go to the time out circle.... He only sat in the circle twice and never peed his pants again .... I believe once they know then they need a deterrent not to pee in their pants cause the sticker looses its value quickly

[apples and bananas]

I agree with the time out circle... If the child is obviously aware and just not doing it.

My guy isn't aware. It's the strangest thing. He has no concept that he's gone or is going or anything!

I won't do underwear in my house until he's prompting to go and doesn't have accidents. Parents are gentle with the subject. "oh, it's ok, you'll get it in your own time" I don't feel that there is any real training going on.

I don't believe it's my job to train, only to support the training that's already being done.

I also have a 22 month old in my care who wants to go! She won't let me change her diaper unless she sits on the toilet. And now she prompts me to use the toilet after her nap. It's fantastic! And I can see that she's pushing... a little gas comes out and she giggles.

[Mommy]

Apples and bananas I have a question for you. So do you not allow children to come in underwear until they no longer have accidents. ? I have a child her mother says is potty trained at home and has no accidents. But she came here Friday and peed through three outfits. I don't have time to do extra laundry when she goes through all her clothing so I therefor have to put my daughters clothing on her. Any suggestions ?

[mom-in-alberta]

Mommy: is she an only child? "Potty trained at home" VERY often means "We take her to the bathroom every 10 min, and when she goes (as is inevitable), we think that means she is trained". As we know, this doesn't work at daycare. I would not allow her to be in undies yet. If she is having one accident, once in a while, I could deal. I think maybe if she has an accident in the first couple hours of the day, then it's time to put a pull up back on, and talk to mom about readiness, etc.

You definitely have to treat it differently when a child is aware and CHOOSING not to learn, than you would if the child is blissfully unaware. Like the other poster mentioned, I think mom/dad need to put some thick undies on and take a day at home, ready to wipe up some puddles. They can then say, "Oh, see! Peepees!" or what have you.

[Momof4]

I have an almost 3 year old boy and a 26 month old girl who are both potty training. The little boy stands at my short toilet to pee and the little girl sits on the portable potty. I take them in there at 9:30, 12:00 and 3:00. If they tell me in between that they want to go to the potty I take them immediately because they understand what it's about.

However, their diapers are usually wet when they go to the potty. My contract states that coverage is necessary until we have 30 full days accident free at daycare which includes naps. My dcparents understand that I'm working hard with them to teach their children about the potty but it's a long, long, long process and we will work together.

[Mommy]

She is an only child. I ask her every five minutes if she has to go and she swears up and down no no no. Then sneaks off into the toy room and pees then says oh no. Arrrrrg. I don't have potty training in my contract which I'm going to need to add. I just told the parents I would help potty train the best I can but that I have other children that need care so it is not my responsibility to do the actual training. I will have to tell her no more underwear till she's potty trained. Thanks girls.

[Momof4]

Can you try asking her less often maybe? Once an hour or whatever is convenient for you. I'm glad you are going to put your foot down about the underwear. You are a busy woman and you shouldn't have to clean up urine and feces all day long, that's unsanitary for your family and your daycare.

I'm willing to share my toilet training policy with you:

Children will be encouraged and supported to complete self-help activities as independently as possible with regard to dressing, undressing, feeding, and toileting appropriate to their age and level of development.

I will be happy to work with the parent/guardian on toilet training the children once the child is showing signs of being ready to learn, but toilet learning is a gradual process and works best when both the parents and home childcare provider are positive and consistent in their approach. Toilet training must be progressing well at home and the child must be at the point where they know when they need to use the toilet before I will have the time to help them to the bathroom at daycare. Once that point has been reached I will make every effort possible to assist daily to encourage the child to stay dry and use the toilet regularly. Containment in the form of rubber pants over underwear or pullups must be used until one full month without accidents has occurred at daycare to prevent extensive, time consuming cleanups during daycare hours.

[Mommy]

Thanks momof4. I like the month without accidents. I don't have time to clean that up three or four times a day cause she doesn't want to go here. I put in my contract when outfits are soiled they will be put into a bag and be sent home for washing but she goes through her clothes and some of my daughters outfits and I don't want to send my child's clothing home with a dck and just hope they bring they back so I'm forced to wash her clothes which I don't have time for either.

[playfelt]

For sure limit the child to just one accident per day. After that she gets a pullup and her new outfit of clothes. Parents need to see that this is a daily thing.

If it becomes chronic then just put her in a pullup when she comes if mom doesn't. It is very common to get too busy to go to the bathroom in time and more to the truth unwilling to leave lest someone else take their activity or they miss out on something - both issues that do not exist at home.