Regression - Joshua,TX

2 is very young to be potty trained. If this is upsetting you, why not just let him go back into diapers? Eventually, he won't like it - and later, may be lured by super cool big boy undies. But right now, this seems to be one of those problems you could easily put to rest by allowing him to go back into pull-ups (or whatever you use), until you are strong enough to address this issue -- and until, perhaps, he is more mature. He is only 2 -- and you sseem to have so much else on your plate. Remember, they all need their Mama!

: ) S.

1 mom found this helpful

I would check to see if he is having accidents at daycare. It could just be his way of getting attention, or maybe he's not ready to be potty trained. I would just put him back in diapers and try again in a few weeks.

For potty training we used my mother-in-law's idea of the gift basket. We wrapped cheap little items (like from the dollar store) in tissue paper and heaped them in a basket. Everytime there was a potty success then he got to pick an item from the basket. It motivated him to WANT to use the potty, so he could earn another gift. It was great! After a while he forgot about the gifts and never even opened the last handful in the basket. You might try this as a motivator....and focus on its aspect of positive reinformecement. (He is likely trying to get your attention with his actions and is probably getting negative reinforcement.) Hope this helps.

Hi T.,
I understand your frustration! My 3 yr old daughter regressed to wetting her pants about a month before her brother was born, and then again after he was born. Recently, when my brother and his wife had a baby, she did the same thing. My answer was the potty watch. It is a simple watch your son will wear but it has a timer that you can set to sound off every 30, 60 or 90 minutes. What's great about it is that it resets itself and it goes anywhere with them. You don't have to give a long explanation at daycare or anywhere about what's going on and this is what you have to do. You just put it on and ask whomever is caring for him to take him potty when the music goes off.

We started out with the 30 minute interval until we had no accidents for two days, then 60 minutes, and then 90 minutes. She started telling me again that she needed to potty or just went herself, and that was when I knew we could retire the potty watch.

You can find them online for about $10 at www.onestepahead.com and a friend of mine told me she found one on eBay. Definitely worth the price. Good luck to you!

He is only 2. Not many 2 yr old boys are potty trained...the average is 3 yrs, 3 months so feel blessed that he is at least ahead of the curve. You say nothing has changed, but daycare is a HUGE change for a 2 year old. I'm sure he sees all of his classmates in diapers and wants to be like them??? Just relax and he will figure it out again. Don't chastise him and make him feel bad about accidents, it doesn't help the situation. I hope you're joking about the "drinking again". Really, it's not worth it. GOod luck.

My 3 year old regressed every time she was in a new environment...new school, new class at the same school, new church day care, new babysitter...whatever...each time I had to start over potty training. This went on for about 9 months until she finally just outgrew it and now she is totally potty trained (at nearly 4). My first child was potty trained at 19 months and never went back. Just goes to show that every child is different. Don't worry, it will get better.

~C.

It seems to me that is he is just having a little regression. Since he was already potty trained don't go backwards and put him in diapers. I would talk to the daycare director and find out if he is having these same problems at school. If not then he is just trying to get attention and you probably need to just set a timer and take him potty. I potty trained my son at 24 months and he had a regression for about two weeks and when I would ask him why did you pee he said "Because I like it". I was shocked! I explained to him that big boys don't go potty in their pants and started taking him to go potty every few hours. He hated this because he was no longer in control. I told him when he could stop having accidents then he could go back to telling me when he needs to go otherwise I will be telling him. I worked it took us a couple of weeks to get back to being fully potty trained again so hang in there he will get back on track.

It's great that you had your 2 year old almost completely potty trained. Kudos to you! I'm sure this current behavior must be so frustrating as well as exhausting. Your little one may have "regressed" for a variety of reasons...his way of getting attention, his way of telling you he doesn't like daycare or maybe he has become a little confused about the diaper/potty training? Does he use a diaper at daycare? If he is not using a diaper at daycare -is he having accidents while in daycare? I'd find out what is happening at the daycare in terms of potty use or diaper use and make home & daycare consistent in terms of potty or diaper use. On sidenote, does your son enjoy daycare? Does he enjoy it and appear to like his caregivers & new friends there? Or does he resist going to daycare and not have much fun will there?

Anyway, it just might be that your little son is trying to tell you something and you will figure it out in time...and once that happens - the potty stuff will work itself out.

Meanwhile hang in there .

We just started potty training our first at 23 months so I don't have much personal experience yet. All the advise I've read & been told says don't go back to diapers once you commit to it. I think that would confuse them & send the wrong message. Kids are smart so I could see where they might use that as a control to get you to give in to going back to diapers. In your case, I would check to see if your day care is following a different routine. That could be part of the setback or just adjusting to the new environment.

There are some good tips I've read on the Huggies & Pampers websites for dealing with this type of situation & trying to keep them excited about it and dealing with the frustration of setbacks for us as parents.

Everyone tells me that they all eventually get it. No kids graduate high school in diapers. Praise & patience seem to be the biggest key.

Yep, I agree - he's ahead of the curve and that's fantastic! Potty training is absolutely my least favorite part of parenting. ;)

My son went through this a number of times (though he didn't start to potty train until he was almost 3). It always coincided with changes in his school schedule. It drove me nuts too...but every time the preschool went on break, even if it was just 1 day for a holiday, he'd start having accidents again. Blatant ones like you describe also. It would often take weeks or even months (after the big school breaks -ours had as much as 6 weeks off at a time) to "recover" and get back on track. Every little person is different - it could just be this big change of going to preschool (or back to school?).

Interesting. Is he having accidents at school as well? Is he a young two or older two? My opionin is that he may be acting out. I would try not to give it much attention and take him to the bathroom often just like you did when you started potty training. Also, get in sinc with the teachers and see what they are doing. I would not punish him at all because he is only two. I have a 2 1/2 year old that is fully potty trained. However, I have resigned myself to the fact that I may see accidents up until she is three just so that I don't expect too much. They still are very little and get distracted easily. Plus I have heard stories of children at this age as well as three where they will use peeing as a way to act out if it gets them attention. So, I would play it cool; not give it a lot of attention and see what happens. Obviously, if he is still doing it three then maybe seek some advice from you pedi. Good luck!