Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

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

Four year old soiling self and peeing in plant pots or on floor

11 replies

rowingboat · 13/12/2008 20:56

Hi all, this is a bit meandering, but
I am wondering if anyone could shed any light on my DS's recent behaviour.
He has been at nursery since last January and has just turned four. He has been a bit late to the loo (busy playing) for a while and often has wet patches in his pants, but the majority of the pee goes down the loo.
However, recently he has had a few incidences of peeing in his trousers and on the floor whilst at home. DP caught him peeing in a plant pot (and on the curtains). He does love peeing outside, so possibly he is trying to re-create the 'outside' experience or experimenting?
In addition to this he has started to wet himself when he has a tantrum, this has happened four or five times in the past couple of months and I do find it understandable. However, he has soiled himself twice in the past two days and I can't recall him being particularly cross, so not sure it is for the same reason. He tries to hide it. He explained the poo away, giving quite random reasons for the soiling.
He doesn't have loose bowels and has been potty trained for a couple of years with no major problems.
Another element to this is that he changed rooms at his school nursery and the loo is outside the room. I think the procedure for going to the loo is a bit complicated (they have to choose one of two badges from a bag, put the badge on themselves and go out to the loo) He reckons big children go to the loo and 'make noise'? Plus the light switch pull is too high for little kids, so if the light were off he wouldn't be able to put it on himself.
I don't feel very worried, just kind of bemused and can't decide whether there is a connection between any of this behaviour.
Thank you

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
singsong · 14/12/2008 11:45

My 4yr old ds is normally good about going to the toilet but there have been loads of times when he has been ?too busy? playing and left it to the last minute and not made it in time.
Can you talk to the nursery about the toilet problems there? It sounds like your ds might be a bit worried about going to the toilet there.

rowingboat · 16/12/2008 14:11

Thanks singsong! I do 'get' that he is too busy playing sometimes, but I don't understand why he would start deliberately peeing in random places and pooing his pants when he is at home.
Probably just a phase.
The nursery is a bit dismissive about the toilet issue, but they are a bit short-staffed at the minute, so perhaps something for the new year.

OP posts:
Gorionine · 16/12/2008 14:38

Ds3 did pee in my wardrobe or in his teddy's basket several times, I think he was exprimenting, but he was a bit younger than your DS (he was 3 at the time). In his case it seems to have been a phase, I hope it is the case for your DS too. Is he more stressed or nervous than usual? How does he feel after he has wet himself or peed in an unusual place? (DD£ was boasting about it)?
Oh what is the badge about? Is it so they do not get lost? It seems a bit bizzarre to me to ask that from nursery children.

rowingboat · 16/12/2008 15:16

He tried to hide what he was doing when he was caught, but told me about the plant pot pee and thought it was hilarious.
The badge is like one of those clip on badges that you wear at a conference. There is one for messengers and one for children going to the loo. I agree it is silly, but it's an old building and they don't have money to improve.
I will speak to the teachers next term and ask if he has ever been to the loo - I'm not convinced he has.

OP posts:
Gorionine · 16/12/2008 18:33

Could the teacher go with him a couuple of times so he would get more comfident maybe?

rowingboat · 16/12/2008 19:33

I agree Gorionine (interesting name, which is also difficult for me to spell ) )
I'm not sure if the teacher would do that, but I am going to ask if they could or if they could monitor him to see if he is going. If not then they will have to talk to him about it.
I have been taking him when we arrive at the nursery so he does go in.

OP posts:
countingto10 · 16/12/2008 20:52

My DS4 (will be 4 in January) peed on a plate on the lounge floor a couple of months ago - couldn't be bothered to go to the loo so looked for the nearest receptacle. He is also still soiling himself - he has never been clean so I am really tearing my hair out!

Gorionine · 16/12/2008 20:57

I would like to hear similar stories involving girls, never seem to.
(Rowingboat "gorion" means sparrow in spanish Gorionine is a made up name for "little sparrow".)

rowingboat · 16/12/2008 23:12

Did you count to ten countingto10?
I can't think of anything more rubbish than a plate to pee on, apart from a spoon.
Today mine has peed in his pants a bit twice and went behind the curtains and peed in his trousers, but that was because he was cross at me.
We had a altercation about the 'cross' pee where I told him I was upset that he was peeing in the bedroom and that it would be smelly and yucky. He apologised and even agreed not to pee there any more, we shall see.
Cute name Gorionine, but it's pushing my rubbish spelling ability to the limit.
I don't know anyone whose boys do this, let alone girls. I'm sure it's common enough though.

OP posts:
countingto10 · 17/12/2008 11:19

Rowingboat, I spend my life counting to 10 - I have 4 boys, 2 with ASD and a (nearly) 4 yr old from hell - it seemed a very appropriate name !

rowingboat · 17/12/2008 12:49

Counting, I am not worthy! I can imagine lots of counting goes on, and probably to more than ten.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page