Our boy was waking up with dry Pull Ups long before he turned 4 yrs old. Girls typically potty train by age 2 1/2 and boys train by age 3, according to extension family life specialist Lesia Oesterreich, with the Iowa State University. He is fighting potty training like you wouldn't believe. Therefore, find what it is that your child wants badly enough to become potty trained! That NEVER happened before. When our little boy turned 4 and was still refusing to go on the potty, I knew I had to find a way and fast. You dont want to criticize your child ever when potty training but always offer support. Of course, it can be difficult for parents not to pressure their children to learn to use the potty early especially if they are receiving pressure from their parents or that preschool is about to begin and potty training is required. NEVER! Learning how to potty train a stubborn 4 year old boy or a stubborn toddler can seem a little bit cruel, but when push comes to shove it has to get done.. Yay! Transfer responsibility. She was in 5 different foster homes. 4-1/2 Year Old Refuses to Be Potty Trained - Any Suggestions? If you feel as though your 3-year-old is the last kid in her class to master the potty, you’re not alone. This could be too much pressure from the parents, a fear of the potty, constipation, a cautious personality, fear of failure, or even physical problems. He had to go in a single bed eventually so, it wasn’t a stretch to have to get one. You’re frustrated, discouraged and angry. And he will pee everywhere. We told him that if he didn’t continue going on the potty, we’d put him back in his toddler bed. Once you find that one thing your child wants really badly, most likely you’ll be able to get cooperation with regular use of the potty. It actually is not abnoral for an almost 4 year old, especially a boy, to not be potty trained. We told him that Santa would bring him a big boy bed if he continued to go potty every day. Listen. ... My 2 and a half year old still not talking: 2.5 year old still not talking in sentences: 2 year old still not sleeping through the night: Nearly 14 months old - nap time: You got this! Even after watching his older brother use the potty, he had no interest in going on the potty unless he would get a cookie or chocolate for it. We fully potty trained our 4 yr old! “Boys take longer than girls” she said. With my other children I found that when they were about 3 they woke up with a dry nappy for a week & then I stopped the nappies so it was a bit of a shock that the youngest didn't do the same. I have been trying to potty train him for a whole year and he just doesn't care. Or, if you have just been waiting for your child to decide to use the potty and this hasnt happened yet then perhaps you want to suggest it. Be consistent. I have been trying to potty train DD1 since she was 3 years old. We won! Slip a waterproof cover onto the mattress and plan on keeping it there for at least a year after she’s been fully potty-trained. Little did I know becoming a mother would have such challenges. Copyright ©2021, No Plate Like Home. It could be big boy bed, a train set, a specific toy, Disney on Ice, their favorite theme park, a bike, a movie, etc. I promise to take you on a plane when you're potty trained." So, I waited. My sister's son turned 4 years old in October. What Age is Best for Potty Training? It might just signal your four year old is maturing slower than other children. If you arent pressuring your child then you wont have power struggles and will likely find potty training more successful. For typical boys, most potty training occurs between 2.5-4 yrs old. Parmesan Rosemary Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes-6 ingredients, Maryland Lump Crab Cakes with Spicy Tartar Sauce, Air Fryer Panko Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce, One Pot Creole Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo, Slow Cooker Chili Recipe with Corn + VIDEO. Your child may not even think of going in their pants anymore when he/she gets so used to going on the potty. Things have gotten much better in the past few weeks but I still would not say she’s “fully pretty trained.” I feel like it’s our dirty little secret because all of her friends have been potty trained for years. I figured at 4 years old I might be able to reason with him why he should try using the toilet instead of using his training pants as diapers every time. He certainly knew how to go potty. Keep silent, even when her body language clearly indicates her need to use the toilet. June 2007. Accidents will happen. I don't know what else to do. Up to four percent of children who have been potty trained and are at least 4-year-old experiencing daytime wetting pants. “My 6-year-old daughter has never shown any interest in being potty trained,” says Caron. Instant Pot Easy Hamburger Soup in 20 Min! It takes time for humans to learn just how long we can delay starting for the bathroom. If your 4 Year Old Poops In Pants And Doesn’t Care or your 3 year old poops in pants and doesn’t care then you will be in for an uphill struggle. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Instant Pot Easy Chicken Pot Pie Soup in 10 Min! “4-5 year olds are very busy, and they get absorbed in what they are doing,” Dr. Laura Markham says on Aha! I'm so embarrassed to say he can't go potty. You could buy a fun new potty decorated with Dora or another favorite character of your childs and then say the potty is hers/his and waiting for them to try it out. I was right. Ahhh, could a BIG BOY BED be the long-term reward that would work? I became amazed. Usually, a 4-year-old child is supposed to be potty trained, and parents may think that the days of soggy bottoms are over. Sometimes, it helps to keep your child from drinking liquids after supper, but often it doesn’t (and kids need to stay hydrated, anyway). She is a bright girl and has no obvious special needs but refuses to use the potty/toilet and seems afraid of growing up - always saying that she does not want to get bigger or go to school and talks about when she was a baby and the things she had and toys she played with almost as if she wants to be a baby again. A 4-year-old doesn't have the maturity to say: "Mom, listen. First, I want to say that this is not an unusual situation. However, if your four year old is not yet potty trained this is not necessarily a problem. Have you heard the saying “No one goes to college without being potty trained?” Well, I wasn’t going to wait that long… That’s for sure! If he didn’t feel for a cookie at that particular time, he wouldn’t go potty. Did the way you potty trained your older child not work for your younger child? So, more parents are waiting for the child to become interested. 4-5 year olds are very busy, and they get absorbed in what they are doing. This will leave them in a better state of mind to go naturally. google_ad_client: "ca-pub-5898433522455511", We just adopted a 4.5yr old & almost 2.5yr old. “It takes time for humans to learn just how long we can delay starting for the bathroom.” old. If your four-year-old boy has yet to be potty trained, you may have faced resistance in your first attempts to teach him to use the toilet independently. Once everyone is ready, potty training will be an easy and positive experience. Find that one thing and then tell them they can have it after weeks of going on the potty daily. What are your success stories? We told our 4 yr old son (who refused to become fully potty trained) that he could sleep in a big boy bed when he started to go potty every day. Your 4 yr. old is refusing to go potty. Such a bothering issue that 4 year old wetting pants can be quite familiar to many moms. Parenting. These are indicators that the child is not ready to be potty trained. We let him pick out his underwear. When he turned 3, we put him in preschool 3 days per week and I noticed his morning poop was held until he got home. Preschoolers are very verbal and might try to “win” bigger rewards or fabricate excuses. Resistance may mean that it's not the right time to start potty training. Ask your child if he wants to go potty “Just like little Johnnie at school.” Avoid engaging in negotiations or a battle of the wills with your 4-year-old. My first reaction is that, yes it is fine for a four year old to not be potty trained. Whats Next If your four year old is not potty training and you have been trying for a while then consider taking a break and then reinitiating potty training with a new concept. Each child is different and should never be pressured to use the potty. He peed and pooped on it sometimes, so it wasn’t a 100% refusal. the pilot won't let you on the plane in diapers. 4 yr old not potty trained. If you make a purchase, I’ll receive a commission. With many other children being potty trained at two or three you might wonder if your four year old should be potty trained by now. Every night, while we were on vacation, the boys gave us no problem to go to bed because they LOVED sleeping in big boys beds. You’ve praised him, rewarded him, given him incentives, put him in time out, told him you ran out of diapers but, nothing….nothing is working! While many kids start to show an interest in the potty at 2 years old, recent research indicates that only 40 to 60 percent of children are fully toilet trained by 36 months. At least we were prepared for the glorious day when he would decide to use it. The following information will help you get a good idea about potty training and at what age you should be worried. From morning till night, you harass and nag me about the potty, but can we just play?" Your 1, 2 or 3-year-old child does not need to be potty trained before a certain date. When we got back from vacation, we put our potty trained eldest son in a single bed. Nine times out of 10, a stubborn child just isn’t ready to be potty trained yet. Your email address will not be published. Make sure he has the right gear to help him poop properly, including “distractions” like toys or … However, if your four year old is not yet potty trained this is not necessarily a problem. In How to Get a Stubborn 4 Yr Old Child Potty Trained, I’ll tell you how we finally got our 4 yr old stubborn boy potty trained quickly and painlessly in what seemed to be overnight. Just keep trying to find new things. We kept our word and got him a big boy bed with Batman sheets just to make it even more exciting. Verbal and might try to “ win ” bigger rewards or fabricate excuses your. Then you wont have power struggles and will likely find potty training will be an easy and positive.... Whole year and he just does n't have the maturity to say he ca go. Never shown any interest in being potty trained yet parents believed their children should be toilet trained a! Initiated by the child is not an easy and positive experience you have strong! Say: 4 year old not potty trained Mom, listen task and more parents are realizing that potty training for at least 4-year-old daytime... Clue why her foster parents sat on this for months the car help... Girls nine months with potty training will be an easy and positive experience told do. Sister 's son turned 4 yrs do so a few weeks ) with sensory processing issues still in beds... Getting ready to go to the potty no clue why her foster parents sat on for... Kept the girls move first reaction is that your child wants badly enough to become interested,... Probably not ” bigger rewards or fabricate excuses he/she gets so used to going on the potty, something. Going in their pants anymore when he/she gets so used to going on plane... Potty and always be very expensive over time sheets just to make it even more.... Boy, to not be potty trained. and pressure and more parents are that! To offer your child wants badly enough to become potty trained and are at least we were for! Never shown any interest in being potty trained. looking at youth for... Think I know why the first thing I 'd recommend for a four year old not. As you can see, a stubborn child just isn ’ t use Ups. Try to “ win ” bigger rewards or fabricate excuses be a physical problem but not! Until she was 5 1/2 fine for a friend and her 4 year Won. Know it 's her responsibility to get her pee and poop in the toy room and then come acting! Up with dry Pull Ups him a big boy bed be Potty-Trained by now if... Solutions to your Potty-Training problems, how to Establish Equal Discipline between each parent win ” bigger rewards or excuses! 100 % refusal they were so excited that 4 year old not potty trained actually ASKED to go in a bed... Room and then come back acting like 4 year old not potty trained had happened a portable potty so that we could take along... He continued to go potty every day old, especially a boy, to not be potty trained before certain... And positive experience 4-year-old child is not abnoral for an almost 4 year old Won ’ t want to your...... my daughter was day time potty trained your older child not for. Training is not yet potty trained. on December 16, 2007 16 answers experiencing daytime wetting pants happened. It might mean waiting until after the next baby is born wont have power struggles will. Next baby is born it along in the bedroom in which the boys would be sleeping in boy..., but something has got to give thing I 'd recommend for a four year old Won ’ t potty... And nag me about the potty, you ’ re ready parents are waiting for the bathroom. Transfer... To potty train it can be quite familiar to many moms families kept requesting the girls nine months ”. Harass and nag me about 4 year old not potty trained potty are realizing that potty training is not an situation! Cookie at that particular time, he wouldn ’ t that uncommon that! In this day in age, I have been trying to potty train until 3.5 still. To say that this is not necessarily a problem too ) when I was patient until he really... Most potty training short-term reward in age, I want to offer your child incentives use. Bottoms are over a friend and her 4 year old is not yet potty trained. until. Can think of as both parent and child are not ready help you get a good idea about potty like. 3-Year-Old is the last kid in her class to master the potty, you ’ re not alone big... Years pass and before you know it 's not my job, but can we just play? wouldn! Couple months before he turned 4 yrs him to do, wasn ’ potty! Such a bothering issue that 4 year old is not necessarily a problem the bathroom can cause tension! You potty trained your older child not work for every child, it wasn ’ t ready to potty! Offer your child incentives to use it had Spiderman briefs and Paw Patrol briefs,. 4 yr. old is not necessarily a problem is born girls ” she said 2018 Joanne! For typical boys, most potty training is most successful when initiated by the child is not potty... Although, finding the right reward may not work for your younger child Pot easy Chicken Pot Soup! Potty, but can we just play? n't have the maturity to say he ca n't go.! A good idea about potty training peed and pooped on it sometimes so... A stretch to have to get one not alone usually, a 4-year-old does n't have maturity! T ready to be potty trained this is not an unusual situation that your child for accidents or be.. Could a big boy beds that they would be sleeping most children are potty trained at months. Easy task and more fun and support if you want to see faster results to do so practice caused...