He just doesn't care that he is wet - 3 year old

[livingthegoodlife]

my son is almost 3 and doesnt care that he is wet. we started potty training over 6 months ago, at first he was so good with barely any accidents, then he regressed and now for a few months he just constantly wets his pants.

he dribbbles and then tells me he has wet himself, i make him go to the potty or toilet and he then does a wee. that is on a good day.

on a bad day he just wets his pants and doesn't tell me at all.

i have tried: lots of praise for using potty/stickers/rewards, ignoring wet pants and changing him quiety with minimal fuss, telling him off, telling him it is babyish, etc

i am just so fed up. i would not consider him potty trained at all. he starts pre-school in april.

any help? i am washing so many clothes.

he wears a nappy at night.

very reliable at using potty for poo, perhaps 2 accidents altogether.

should i put him back in nappies?

[Clobbered]

Yes, I'd put him back in nappies. He isn't ready yet, is he?

[livingthegoodlife]

thats the conclusion im coming to. but we had several months without any accidents... why has he regressed so much? why wont he carry on using the toilet?

it is so frustrating.

im worried nappies will set him back/condone his wetting behaviour.

[Fairylea]

I'd get some reusable washable training pants (not pull up nappies) as these will hold the wee to some extent but will still allow him to feel he is wet and gradually this should encourage him to make the association and progress to being fully trained. The website Fill Your Pants have some very nice training pants that look like proper pants - that also tends to help. I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure he will get it soon ish..

[livingthegoodlife]

we already use training pants, thanks for your help though. i guess it just needs more time.

[thatsn0tmyname]

My son is exactly the same- he just isn't fussed about being damp when he's busy playing with his trains etc. He's 3.5 and has been out of nappies for 11 months. He can use the loo, switch on the light, wash hands and pull up clothes on his own and we haven't used the potty at all for 2 months. He kicks up a fuss if he needs the loo when in the car or out walking so he can do it on his terms. It's so frustrating and the washing is a pain to dry indoors in the winter (especially if they're damp 10 minutes later).
Not to be mean but I have introduced the concept of embarrassment at having damp and smelly trousers- it is a problem and he needs to know this.

[livingthegoodlife]

strangely we had a very successful day yesterday after ready Pirate pete potty traing book. only one accident today but he concealed it from me and i discovered he was wet at bathtime. sigh. im hoping he improves.

[MCG86]

@livingthegoodlife I’ve just found your post from 2015 about the potty training issues you had and it describes my exact situation now with my son! Just wondered what the outcome for you was and if you found a solution?

[livingthegoodlife]

Hi, Its all a bit of a fuzzy memory now. I think we just carried on. He got there eventually. Although even now years later he leaves it to the last minute!!

In hindsight, I wouldn't be frightened to put the nappies or pull-ups back on. Don't make life difficult for yourself. My third baby did something similar but being a more confident potty trainer by then, she went back into pull-ups for a few weeks then cracked it.

Good luck. It will end!

[MCG86]

Thank you so much for coming back so quickly! He’s normally pretty good when we are out, and never seems to have accidents with the childminder so I’m a bit lost with it! I’m convinced it’s a lazy-ness thing, he CAN do it! Thanks for the advice!

[Kgizmo21]

Hey MCG86. I'm doing similar found this today as we're going through this, hoping for some tips after you went through it. We are 8 days in. First 4 days were at home, super interested, got the concept really well, saying wee wee to go. Then day 5 and 7 she was at nursery 9-6 and it was accidents all round and they put her back in nappies (we are trying Oh crap so after naked phase we do in trousers no underwear) - it's like she doesn't care about being wet and has wee accidents a fair bit. At home still good and after nerves about poo she is really good at telling is amd enjoys doing that but wees...no. it vertsinly went backwards after nursery who have Bern very good about trying this no underwear but I do totally get that they can't do it all day if there are lots of accidents. Any tips? I'm reeling beteen feeling she is really good with the concept, loves the potty and isn't stressed by it but maybe biologically the wees are so unbothersome she's not ready?