Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

OK, so ds's 'forgetting' to go to the toilet is driving me mad..........

17 replies

Northerner · 13/05/2006 11:40

He is 4.1 and has been toilet trained since 2.6, but for about the past 5/6 months he constantly has wet pants. Not a full wee, but loike he's hanging on and hanging on, so there is always a big circle of wee which sometimes seeps through to his trousers.

I now have to change his pants at least once, sometimes twice a day, and sometimes even trousers. It's driving me mad, it's like he's 2 again. Thing is, when I ask him why he didn't go to the toilet he blatantly lies, such as ' I didn't know there was a toilet at Granny's house' or 'it's not wee, a bit of rain splashed there' when it's not even raining.

Any advice greatly appreciated, all I am doing at the moment is shouting at him cause I'm so frustrated. Every day he promises to try harder to no avail.

Thanks.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Next · 13/05/2006 11:42

dd had a phase like this - very annoying but was just a phase. Not a lot you can do I don't think.

stoppinattwo · 13/05/2006 11:49

How about take the decision about whether he needs to go or not away from him. Just say "think its time for the toilet again", every three to four hours.

Also put a ping pong ball in the toilet and let him pee it around the toilet bowl,its great amusement to them the bonus is it teaches them to pee straight into the bowl insted of all over the floor. works with DH too .

stoppinattwo · 13/05/2006 11:50

Sorry didnt think he was peeing on the floor, I was just making an additional reason for him to go to the toilet.

mrsflowerpot · 13/05/2006 11:50

ds did this at about that age too - he genuinely couldn't be arsed to go to the loo until it was a real emergency I don't think. We had the bizarre excuses too - in fact I think he actually used the 'didn't know there was a toilet' one once too.

All you can do is try to manage him going to the loo again - go back to the relentless 'do you need a wee' 'go to the toilet please' that you do when they are just trained I think. DS also responded to 'bet you can't do a wee if you go and try' but he is quite contrary. I also got to know the 'flashpoint' times - eg he would forget to go at the end of nursery so it would quite often happen just after we got home, so I would make sure he went as we were leaving etc. It's tedious though, you have my sympathies.

brimfull · 13/05/2006 11:52

No advice as my ds is the same,he'll be 4 in sept.He
leaves it to the very last minute and quite often doesn't make it in time.This is despite me telling him to go when he's hopping about clutching himself.I even took him to the gp yesterday to check if he has an infection.
Maybe a sticker chart/reward system if he manages to go a day without wetting his clothes would help.

lionhearted · 13/05/2006 16:20

My ds is the same too, drives me potty, but I think it's common.

LadyTophamHatt · 13/05/2006 16:24

My ds2 does it too, he's 5 next month.

"But...but...but I forgot to go mum" is generally the line I get.

really bloody annying!!

Blu · 13/05/2006 16:25

DS had a phase of this at pretty much the same age. I think that they get a bit 'gung ho' and also that a testosterone surge has something to do with it.

Alipiggie · 13/05/2006 17:16

Definitely a boy thing. My ds1 aged 4 also the same. I'm just wondering if it's because he really can't be bothered to go as life's far too exciting to stop off and go for a wee :o

lionhearted · 13/05/2006 17:50

What's this about a testosterone surge? Did I miss something?

lionhearted · 13/05/2006 17:51

Original poster

Northerner · 13/05/2006 17:53

Have read about the testosterone surge causing 'gung ho, save the world, I'm a ninja behaviour' which ds is also keen on!

Hadn't thought about it causing the wee thing though....

OP posts:

lionhearted · 13/05/2006 18:18

Where? Is there a link to this please?

Original poster

Northerner · 13/05/2006 19:05

I read it in Steve Biddulph's book - raising boys. Apparantly, between 3 and 4 the testosterone rises considerably, causing all sorts of behaviour!

I'll see if I can find a link.

OP posts:

Original poster

Northerner · 13/05/2006 19:09

\link{http://www.juniormagazine.co.uk/module-pagesetter-viewpub-tid-5-pid-80.html\this explains a bit, about a girl to begin with but read it all!}

OP posts:

lionhearted · 13/05/2006 19:24

Thanks very much, this will be interesting.

lionhearted · 13/05/2006 19:29

Good Lord, that explains a lot. Must check out the Biddulph ...

Flip