NBR: potty regression

[gw3nny]

My four year old is having accidents all the time. I feel like it's turned into a power struggle. I'm trying to be chill about it, but like right now, I can see that she needs to go by the way she's dancing around. I start with gentle reminders and it's all, "I don't have to go," and "my body is telling me I don't have to go." So am I being harsh in saying she can't lay with me on my bed until she pees because I don't want an accident on my bed?

[gw3nny]

And she just peed her pants trying to get to the bathroom.

[kathol]

I do not think that you are being harsh. She may be motivated to actually put forth effort in potty training with this new 'rule'.
GL!

[ahsile]

Mine did that around that age, and we just finally figured out that it seemed to be her not wanting to take time out from whatever she was doing to go to the potty. Even if she wasn't doing anything that fun, going to the potty was like a chore for her that she didn't want to do. It lasted for a month maybe, and then she quit doing it.

[gw3nny]

Thanks, kathol! And ahsile, that is such a relief to hear! I hope that's all it takes. I need her to be for real potty trained so we can work on getting DS all set before baby comes.

[3timemom]

My almost 5 years old still does this sometimes. She thinks she has to ask permission to use the bathroom when we are at home. She will dance around and hold herself until you say "do you need to go potty?" Then she will run in and go. Sometimes u have to force her to stop what she is doing and go. It sucks but they get over eventually.

[gw3nny]

3timemom my DD does the same thing! She comes running into the kitchen from the playroom, bypassing the bathroom, to holler "I have to go potty!" And the sometimes runs around in circles, too.

I was trying to "make" her go by physically pulling down her pants and putting her on the toilet. But I think that was making it worse. See power struggle. Sigh. I guess I just chill and remember this will pass.

[ashiscute]

My DD went through a really bad regression last spring. We had just moved in with my parents because we'd sold our house and couldn't move into the new one yet. It took almost 3 weeks. She wasn't having full on accidents just peeing in her underwear a little bit like 3 times each day. It was very frustrating. When she had an accident she wasn't allowed to pick new underwear/clothes and that bothered her but was not enough of an incentive to stop really.

I think regressions are normal. If you think she's doing it on purpose I'd be more forceful. If you think it's just that she doesn't want to stop what she's doing to go then I'd think that I'd be cautious and just keep reminding her.

[gw3nny]

She peed her pants again just now and is asking to wear a diaper. She's been out of a diaper for a solid year. I have no idea what to do.

[kathol]

Maybe convince her that diapers are icky and for babies. Let her know that she is a big girl. & maybe (this is bad) bribe her with something?? My son is 2 but was trained really early on but on road trips we put diapers on him and he flips out. To him, the worst punishment is having to wear a diaper.