My 4 Year Old Is Still Having Accidents

Has he moved into a new room, have a new teacher, or is otherwise in a new environment?

If he has, sit down with the teacher and see if there is a pattern. Sit your son down and really talk to him about it, ask if there is anything going on at school.

My son had been potty trained for over two years when he started pre-K; same facility as pre-school but new room, teacher, and schedule. He started having accidents. Initially a couple a month, gradually it built to daily. The teacher was no help to me despite repeated conferences. I ended up moving him to another pre-K - and he's had 1 accident in 9 months there. It was obviously something in the classroom, but I was never able to figure out what caused it.

Good luck, and listen to your boy!

Dear G.,

I think the others are right on. Its common for children that age to have accidents when they are playing. You might ask the teacher if she would send him to the bathroom every couple of hours. Or at least before lunch and before recess.

Hope this helps.

A. S.

My 5 year old (just turned 5 in August)will do the same thing. I have grown to know here "pee-pee" dance cues & let teacheres know them, too. I make absolutely no bones about making her stop what she is doing & go potty that instant. She's not night time potty trained either. At her Well-Child exam the nurse practitioner said 20% of kids aren't fully potty trained by 5, but about 5% drop off every year & finish the job. So, part of it may just be developmental. Just tell his teachers to make him stop & go every hour, no matter how much he "doesn't need to." It is so easy for them to get wrapped up in play, then they find they waited so long, they can't make it!

D.

It's normal and I wouldn't worry. Just remind him to go potty before recess, after lunch etc. It's probably a lack of control, and he's having so much fun he just doesn't want to stop and take the time to go potty.

Also, make sure the teacher is giving every opportunity to go. My daughter at 5 had an accident and it was because there was only 1 working bathroom, 32 kids, and she was in line waiting, but just couldn't keep holding it. Of course, that was California and the schools suck there, so it probably isn't the case for your child.