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How do I solve accidents at nursery?

10 replies

JG989 · 14/11/2024 17:38

My son is almost four. He has been potty trained for around 18 months. I can't remember the last time he had an accident when in the care of his parents and grandparents - he very consistently asks when he needs to go to the loo.

The issue is that every. single. time he is at nursery (two days a week) he has multiple accidents, wees and poos. We get fewer than a day a month in which he is accident free.

He tells us he doesn't like the toilet at nursery - it's a compost toilet in a cabin, but clean and bright and warmed by a space heater. He just hates it, and will hold his pees and poos until he absolutely can't any longer, then he has accidents.

Nursery remind him all the time, but he simply won't try going.

I don't know how to fix this. His clear preference is to soil himself and be changed rather than use their toilet. We have talked to him multiple times, role played, tried to ease his worries. He now gets upset discussing it, which is obviously counter productive.

We've tried incentivising him with rewards for accident free days, but it has had no effect. He doesn't care enough about the incentives.

At this stage I'm considering withdrawing him from nursery and finding another one, even though he loves it and we love it, because the issue seems to be the nursery toilet (it's a forest nursery, so the toilet is unconventional) and I can't see how this is going to get better while, in his mind, no outcome is worse than having to use the nursery toilet.

Does anyone have any advice? I'm at my wits end with it. He has sore skin from being wet and dirty so often, the laundry is a killer, and it's hugely demoralising.

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Squiggles23 · 14/11/2024 23:39

You can’t continue like this OP as it’s affecting him so I would switch nursery.

I don’t see any other way as it seems like you’ve tried things and it’s very specific to the forest toilet (which isn’t a proper toilet)

minipie · 14/11/2024 23:42

Would there be somewhere private they could put a potty for him to use?

I’ve used those compost toilets before and they aren’t very pleasant IME.

Stichintime · 14/11/2024 23:43

If that's the only toilet and he absolutely refuses to use it, you may have to think about a new nursery.

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StSwithinsDay · 14/11/2024 23:44

I'd move nursery.
Though to be fair, how is the laundry 'a killer' if he is only there 2 days a week and is not even 4 years old?

HoppingPavlova · 14/11/2024 23:49

it's a compost toilet in a cabin

To be fair, I probably wouldn’t use it either. Just not a fan of those.

Starlightstarbright3 · 14/11/2024 23:53

I have been on a campsite with one . I definitely couldn’t poo in one . Would he use a potty otherwise I would probably move . I assume he will be in school next year ( depending where you are based ) I would want him dry for then .

Have they come up with suggestions ?

SlB09 · 15/11/2024 00:04

Yep, me neither as an adult! Also not usual position to wee or poo on those toilets usually. I'm really really surprised nursery won't/haven't suggested a potty or alternative like a wee bottle thing for him. They can pour it down the compost toilet if need be. My son wouldn't go back to a holiday club due to the compost toilet, it just freaked him out and he literally kept a poo in all day until he basically exploded the moment we got home! so I feel your pain somewhat.

Surely they can accommodate something? If not definitely move him, its undignified for him and obviously causing issues.

SendMeHomeNow · 15/11/2024 00:09

I agree with trying a potty if you haven’t already. I’d also consider pull ups as he’s not full time and loves it otherwise.

JG989 · 15/11/2024 06:04

StSwithinsDay · 14/11/2024 23:44

I'd move nursery.
Though to be fair, how is the laundry 'a killer' if he is only there 2 days a week and is not even 4 years old?

Because washing poo out of merino wool is a total pain, even if it is only twice a week!

Thanks all, I really appreciate the input. The potty is a good suggestion - he never pooed in the potty even when we were potty training, he preferred to use the toilet right away, but I’ve seen ones that are designed to look like a little toilet and are more substantial than the usual kind so that might work. I will ask nursery to try. They’re generally helpful and receptive (and can’t be thrilled about having to change him all the time) so will likely give it a go.

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JG989 · 15/11/2024 06:07

Starlightstarbright3 · 14/11/2024 23:53

I have been on a campsite with one . I definitely couldn’t poo in one . Would he use a potty otherwise I would probably move . I assume he will be in school next year ( depending where you are based ) I would want him dry for then .

Have they come up with suggestions ?

This is worrying me too. We are quite likely to defer him because we are in Scotland and he would be very young in the year, but we haven’t decided yet. I suspect he would be ok at school because he’s absolutely fine everywhere else, but I don’t want to take the risk and chance it!

Will definitely try a potty. I would hate to have to move him because he loves everything else about it and I think he would really miss it, but we have seriously considered it because this feels like such a significant obstacle.

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