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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to refuse to justify why DS isn't potty trained yet?

52 replies

jamoncrumpets · 14/05/2018 15:51

3yo (4 in Sept) isn't potty trained yet. He is awaiting a full paediatric assessment for additional needs, we already know from assessments by educational psychologist and a speech and language therapist that he definitely has speech and communication delay, and I suspect ASD to be at the root cause of it (though don't want to tell family that until I'm absolutely certain).

He is verbal, and improving every day. We still hear a lot of echolalia but it's mixed in with full sentences and he's started using verbs too. He's also getting a bit better at social cues eg waving and saying goodbye, offering hugs and kisses.

But he will never, has never, communicated to us that he a) needs the toilet b) has soiled himself. I tried putting him in pants so that he could feel the wetness/discomfort but he just continued to wet/soil himself - for two weeks. So we scrapped it because it was VERY messy.

If we put him on the potty he just gets straight off. Same with the loo. He will not stay on it. We can't bribe or convince him to either.

Anyway, I'm just trying to justify that I have tried to PT him, but it just hasn't worked. So we're just going wait until the late summer then try to give it all another go then.

The problem is that my family, my DF in particular, just cannot get their heads around him still being in nappies and bring it up with me at every opportunity. DF has even got his sister asking me about it now. I've told him, them, over and over that he's not ready yet but then the next time we're on the phone I get 'How's his potty training going? Is he out of nappies yet?!'

AIBU to just tell people to fuck off (ok, maybe a more polite version) when they ask me about this? Raising a child with AN is hard enough without having to explain over and over again why they're not hitting milestones.

OP posts:
Bubblysqueak · 14/05/2018 15:54

Sounds exactly the same as my ds. I waited until he was ready he was closer to 4 than 3 when he did finally train he was dry day and night in 3 days. Definetly wait til he's ready.

TroubledLichen · 14/05/2018 15:56

Sigh, some people are so rude and tactless, it’s awful that it’s your own family. You shouldn’t have to justify it to anyone but as the comments keep coming I’d keep it to ‘we’re working with his paediatric team but as you know he has additional needs so it’s unlikely to be any time soon’. If they bring it up again then no YWNBU to tell them to fuck off.

IceBearRocks · 14/05/2018 16:00

My 8 year old is still in nappies....I would try though and constanly keep trying. I know lots of severly autistic children who are toilet trained.
My ds is non verbal ....
Unfortunately you have to read body language and you lead the child more and entertain on the loo!
School nursing team can help as can OT.

MrsJayy · 14/05/2018 16:00

God as if you haven't enough to worry about , I would have stock phrases too hand we are waiting on his assesments he can 't manage the toilet yet, just say that on repeat I can't believe your family are not supporting you.

PorkyPortia · 14/05/2018 16:00

I'd tell them not to keep asking , you have enough on your plate without potty training as well
your dad needs to show you some respect here , he has done his parenting , he should let you do yours

RosaGertrudeJekyll · 14/05/2018 16:01

Absolutely awful.

Find the words to makes 1⃣ statement.
Are 💪 statement andsay you don't want to hear anything anything else's about it.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 14/05/2018 16:04

“He’s not ready. I’ll tell you when he is”.

Ad infinitum. How stressful.

I had similar with my boys but about their speech. They were in SALT special school for infants and my dad in particular was such a dick about it. How they should be doing this and that. Well, quite, father - hence why they’re in a special needs class Hmm

niknac1 · 14/05/2018 16:05

It’s not unusual not to be potty trained at this age, best to do it when the time is right, you already know it’s not right. When they raise the subject again I would just say they’ll be the first to know when your child has been trained. When they ask again say I’ve already said I’d let you know, you would really like your child to be ready but it’s not something you can push harder on after all you know your child best and you realise you can rely on their support. Then wait for your child to be ready. It really isn’t something you can force your child to do( I know because my child wasn’t potty trained at this age for similar reasons.) Good luck I would emphasise you’d like it also but it’s not feasible yet. I think parents who have not faced similar difficulties may not appreciate how hard it can be but not every child is trained by 3, some face additional difficulties.

Snape · 14/05/2018 16:07

My daughter has a developmental delay and despite trying everything she just wasn't ready. So we stopped until she turned 4, tried again and she took to it straight away, she has never had an accident and is now dry through the night.

Maybe if anyone asks again just lie and say he is to get them off your back or just tell them to keep their noses out. I had this pressure too and it makes you feel awful.

jamoncrumpets · 14/05/2018 16:12

I think they haven't fully accepted that DS isn't NT, and that I have perhaps invented or played that up to justify my own failings at helping him to speak/play/eat/use the loo. When I first put him in nursery (at 3 when his free hours kicked in) DF and DMiL both made comments about how good it would be 'for his development' and tbh I think they thought that he'd become 'more normal'.

DF buys him elaborate plastic toys that he has no interest in whatsoever, when he'd much rather go through his shell collection or read a book. DF is utterly mystified as to why he doesn't 'play with toys' - he just doesn't! We gave up buying him 'proper' toys nearly a year ago after nearly 3 years of incredibly enthusiastic, but ultimately rejected play! Now we get him thinks he loves - sensory objects like squishy balls, coloured pens, different coloured gemstones to sort and count.

We had a HV visit last week, she said DS seemed like a very happy and content little boy - I think we're getting it right!

It's just so tiring, because I have to come to terms with raising a non-NT child on one hand, and then feel like I have to justify my parenting decisions with the other. I'm also heavily pregnant myself, so generally knackered.

OP posts:
Spaghettijumper · 14/05/2018 16:22

I think you're right about them not accepting that he has additional needs.

Could you sit down with them and have a heart to heart about how you're feeling?

It would be great if you could get proper support from them, but if you can't it might be better to limit contact a bit for your own sake - this sort of thing can really drag you down.

ThreeLeggedCat · 14/05/2018 16:25

My NT DS was in nappies until he was 3y8m. He was ready when HE was ready, just as your son will be - whether that’s sooner or later.

Bluesmartiesarebest · 14/05/2018 16:26

It sounds so tiresome to have such an unsupportive family. If it were me, I’d describe all the glorious detail of each and every previous poo accident to your DF whenever he asks. Perhaps he’d like to offer to deal with your DS’s laundry? Smile

spader1987 · 14/05/2018 16:26

My ds is 8, has asd and is non verbal. He will urinate on the toilet but also will not communicate that he needs to go. We just take him regularly and for the most part it works. Sounds like your doing a great job op, good to hear he's improving so much.

As for other people, let's just say you'll develop a thick skin! People can be so insensitive.

jamoncrumpets · 14/05/2018 16:28

I have no doubt DS will get there one day, just not today. He is progressing, just more slowly than many of his peers. But then, like most non-NT kids, he is v advanced in other ways. He can add and subtract, for example.

OP posts:
DaisysStew · 14/05/2018 16:28

Just tell them to mind their business. My DS is 4 in November, no SEN and he’s not potty trained. He just point blank refuses to try.

Don’t let them make you feel bad, you have more important things to think about at the moment and you shouldn’t feel like you have to explain it, especially to family members who are aware of the situation.

Juells · 14/05/2018 16:30
Flowers

You have enough to do without all that pressure. Have you tried the night-time pants? I think they're meant for children who bed-wet, but they might seem a little less nappy-like if you're being hassled.

MiggledyHiggins · 14/05/2018 16:36

My NT boy was 3.5 when I felt he was fully ready. He took 3 days to train and he was dry both day and night from the start.

My NT DN was 2.5 when Dsis trained him and 9 months later he was having daytime accidents and needing pull-ups at night. So much more stress, extra work, extra washing and it was not much fun for DN either.

"he's not ready to be trained on this yet" is really all you need to say. That and pointing it out that they ask you every week and it's getting tiresome so perhaps you'll update them when you decide to do it to save them constantly asking...

Racecardriver · 14/05/2018 16:40

I think a very loud fuck off is in order. Alternatively 'Haven't started PT yet. How are your lessons in basic manners going? Have you started yet? "

Ellie56 · 14/05/2018 16:46

How are your lessons in basic manners going? Have you started yet? "

Grin Grin

jamoncrumpets · 14/05/2018 16:48

It’s so upsetting, nobody gets it. DF is like ‘make him sit on the loo’ ‘make him eat that’ - I CAN’T!

OP posts:
CheshireChat · 14/05/2018 16:52

My kid is a similar age, NT and we're potty training right now. Well, it's going quite slowly because he doesn't really give a toss Wink and that's without all of your additional difficulties.

You can get really nice little gems from bead shops, even Hobbycraft if he's past the putting stuff in mouth point.

Ellie56 · 14/05/2018 16:57

Our son with ASD wasn't out of nappies until he was over 3. It happened when he was ready and he was dry within 3 days. We never had any accidents either.

"DF, DS has additional needs, as you well know. He will be out of nappies when he is ready, and not before. Things are difficult enough without you constantly on about it.If you can't be supportive just sod off and leave us alone."

So sorry you are going through this OP. Flowers

jamoncrumpets · 14/05/2018 16:58

He loves fiddly beads etc, he doesn't eat them (phew!)

OP posts:
Bananasinpyjamas11 · 14/05/2018 16:58

I’m only just toilet training my 5 year old special needs child, so you stand your ground! And he’s still not there yet. Luckily now he goes to a special school who tried and failed to do it, and said he wasn’t ready developmentally.

Yes, I know! I’m his Mum and I actually know him very well!

Even my DP was an ass about this, him and his family constantly commenting. Really wearing and judgemental. I was working so hard teaching him so many skills, and all they could see was a nappy. Well thanks to me he can actually talk! And he’s not banging his head against a wall!

This reveals way more about them. People who have not got close enough to your child will say this. Because they do not know him.

Your DF needs calling out really. Tell him straight, go through a list of his developmental delays. Ask him how he thinks he could be helped to talk. Ask him what he can do as a GF to assist him.

My child did not have the physical coordination until recently to even process what was going on for toilet training. Or the emotional regulation to cope. Or the receptive language to understand. Or the ability to accept the demand. He is only brushing his teeth through months of gentle persistence!

It can really muck things up and cause problems to make a delayed child do something before they are able to make that step.

Trust your instincts!

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