Frequent peeing

[Inspired by Reggio]

Oh good catch Sunnydays ... if she is capable at other times to go for long periods it could be just BOREDOM where going pee is the thing to do when she does not know what esle to do?

Also definitely watch for precursers like was she just asked to do something by a peer or you she does not want to do? I have had kids who use 'I have to go pee' as an excuse to get out of doing something they do not WANT to do cause they have learned that it is a get out of jail free card ... just like every kid has to suddenly 'pee again' when nap time is announced

[sunnydays]

Reggio: I don't think it is boredom because sometimes she will say she needs to go right in the middle of doing something she is enjoying and she will come back to that activity. BUT, she is a very quiet child and being that she had some bad experiences at her old daycare and seems to be kind of the worrier type, my thinking is that it could be anxiety producing situations that are causing it....such as too much noise or another child invading her space (she doesn't really know how to stand up for herself), etc. She is very happy to do things I ask her to do and extremely helpful, but I am thinking more the interactions with other kids. Or even, I have seen a worried look on her face when I am disciplining another child...I have actually told her not to worry many times because I can see her tense up (and believe me I am not yelling or doing anything particularly scary)...I think she is going to take longer than normal perhaps to feel secure and I am trying to find ways to reassure her, but maybe it's just a matter of time. It helps to think out loud on this forum

[Inspired by Reggio]

Anxiety could do it for sure ... as a kid I use to pee my pants when someone yelled at me or I got scared

[sunnydays]

That's exactly what I was thinking Reggio. I'm just goign to keep an eye on it and take it from there. Any tips on how to reduce anxiety in a child like this? I always make sure to follow the same routine (if someone puts her slippers in a different spot than usual at naptime, there will be tears, so I know I have to be careful with these things), I tell her what we are going to do next and lay it out for her (she likes to repeat it like a mantra), explain things to her as we are doing them, give her lots of smiles and hugs and positive attention as well as praise for things she does well...is there anything you can think of that I can do otherwise to reduce anxiety?

[JennJubie]

Is it possible for you to make a schedule for her? My son has some behavior issues, and experiences anxiety if we stray from our routine. I put together a visual schedule for him, and he gets a dry erase crayon. As he goes through the routine, he gets to mark the square he just finished. It gives him a feeling of control in his life while still getting him to move forward in his day successfully and without anxiety.

[playfelt]

Being told what is coming next and being able to go see is another. With children with autism, etc. they like to have a picture clue chart that shows the order for the day and it can often be an event far down the list the child has issues with that is throwing off everything else. Instead of enjoying the moment they are worried all morning about wanting juice at lunch instead of milk or that you might serve a food she doesn't really like.

It could also be that discipline was harsh at her previous daycare. She is afraid to pee her pants so at even the slightest inkling that she might have to pee and we all know whenever we think about needing to pee that we do need to pee - or piddle as the case may be then she will go do it.

Another reason I like pullups is to prevent the power control that having to go potty gives to a child. If you can't hold it till the next potty break then you aren't trained - they are sent before the next event not during.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I was going to suggest the same thing Jenn ~ a visual schedule helps and you can make them with Velcro pics of different events so if your schedule needs to 'change' it can easily but still be a visual for them.

[sunnydays]

Thanks JennJubie! I really like that idea! I will have to give some thought to how I can implement that in the daycare...but it sounds doable and I am sure all of the kids would like it. I have never really had a schedule per say...although the general routine is always the same. But, I could certainly make up a schedule for the day...maybe with a little white board or something and pictures. I think I will work on that

[JennJubie]

I really like this site, it has a whole range of printables, and you can put together your own schedule. I used them, and then laminated the sheet.

http://www.do2learn.com

[sunnydays]

Thanks Playfelt and Reggio! Visual schedule seems to be common to all of your suggestions. She will often ask me throughout the day "And daddy's gonna pick me up?"...just needing to check...and when I say "of course",...then she can relax for a bit. Playfelt, actually according to her parents she was disciplined in a harsh way...which is why they pulled her out (she was left alone in the basement for 30 minutes because she was crying and cuoldn't say why). I don't know how she was disciplined for potty accidents, but it is very likely that the reaction was overly harsh. The crazy thing is, I cannot even fathom how this child would ever need to be disciplined in a harsh way...she is sooooo well behaved and polite and sweet. Maybe it was the tears over anxiety producing events that led the provider to get frustrated instead of realizing that if she had just let her keep her slippers in the same spot every day for example, those tears could be avoided! I am going to work on coming up with a visual schedule. I am guessing photos would work best as she is barely 3 and abstract illustrations may be misunderstood.