My 4-year-old doesn't tell when she has an accident :(

Lisichka · February 2013

My 4-year-old daughter has been potty trained since she was 2. She's been pretty good, but occasionally has accidents at school (and at home). At school, it's usually during naptime and she just puts on her pants/tights over her wet undies and doesn't tell her teacher. At home, she sometimes gets distracted with playing and doesn't tell us. We make sure (as do the teachers at school) not to reprimand or punish for accidents, but at this point, what the heck can we do to make sure she at least tells her teacher/us. My only guess is that maybe she was reprimanded at some point for an accident at school and she's now scared to tell her teacher. I spoke with the school director and he says that they do not reprimand her for accidents, but do for not telling the teacher. Ugh, I thought this whole thing was over, but guess not :-/

LoveEeyore · February 2013

fredalina:
Does she HAVE to tell the teacher? At this point LO can get dressed without help, so we keep spare clothes there and she never has to tell anyone. She knows where the pastiv bags are kept to bring the wet clothes home.

That was my thought- can you send her an oops bag that she keeps in her cubby and she just changes the wet ones out with the dry ones and puts the bag back in her cubby or bag?

rsd12 · February 2013

I would just reassure her. Make sure she has a change of clothes. Accidents happen, she is only 4. My 1st grader had an accident at school... he learned a lot from the experience. But make sure she knows that it is okay, and that she can always tell her teacher and change. My 4 yr old had problems at the end of the school yr last yr. Not sure why, and we just remind him that he needs to use the bathroom every now and then.

LoriLee14 · February 2013

another vote for the spare clothes. also, are the teachers making her go? when are the times that they go? Make her go when she gets to school, before lunch, before playground. When i worked at preschools and we had kids that were more accident prone, i made sure to ask them frequently and sometimes make them try. Then lots of praise. Also make sure it isn't a UTI or something which can cause accidents.

Lisichka · February 2013

Thanks for the ideas. When I say she doesn't tell the teacher or us, I mean to let them know and ask for spare pants/undies. She always has spare clothes at school, she just doesn't want to/realize/whatever that she needs to change out of wet undies and keeps walking around like that. That's the problem. And they all go before naptime and right after getting up, so somewhere in between there, she has accidents. I'll talk to her pedi, I didn't think about a UTI.

jlw2505 · February 2013

More likely, she is embarrassed as she has been potty trained for a long time now. My younger DD did this for a while and just wouldn't tell anyone but I could always tell as she would typically run right over to me but when she had an accident, she would hid. She typically had accidents while outside playing in the afternoon as she didn't want to stop what she was doing. If it happened at nap, which was not often, the teachers would know it as they check the kids cots/blanekts as they are putting them away. Can you DD change herself? Maybe ask the teachers to leave an extra pair of undies/pants where she can get them and just remind her to change and that its OK and it happens.

Want a personalized experience?

My 4-year-old doesn't tell when she has an accident :(

Re: My 4-year-old doesn't tell when she has an accident :(

Choose Another Board

Search Boards