Potty training setbacks with my 4 1/2 year old??

Question

My daughter is 4 1/2 and has been potty trained since she was 3. She doesn't stay dry at night yet (she did for the first week after potty training, but began wetting at night after that) but what concerns me most is her frequent "little" accidents during the day. I say "little" because she never has a full-blown accident. She just wets a little in her underwear because she waits too long to get to the bathroom. Having wet underwear or even the smell does not seem to bother her. We have tried EVERYTHING from rewards to taking away toys....what can I do to keep her from having these accidents? And also, how do I help her to learn to stay dry at night? Do I need to stop putting pull-ups on her at night for her to learn? Thanks in advance for the help! :o)

Answer 1

My son is also 4 1/2 and we go through the same thing, although he only wets at night maybe once every week or two, and he sleeps in underwear. He does better at night if we ae careful to not give him too much to drink near bedtime.
He, too, waits too long to go. He sometimes does very elaborate "pee-pee dances" while still insisting he doesn't have to go. Quite often, we (his dad, sister and I) pretend we also have to go, and "race" to the bathroom - he always wins, of course. For instance, I will just announce, "I need to go potty. I sure hope no one beats me to the bathroom!" This works much better than nagging or anything else we've tried.
I used to sometimes say, "Oh, what a surprise!" when he went after insisting he didn't need to go. Soon he started saying, before I could say anything, "Don't say 'oh, what a surprise,' say 'oh, what a good boy!'" so that is what I tell him now. :)

Answer 2

Have you asked her doctor about these accidents, it could be a medical condition. As for her keeping dry at night, save yourself the laundry and keep a pull-up on her until she stays dry through the night. Once she starts staying dry, maybe for a week or so, then try keeping her in underwear overnight and see how it goes. All children are different, but if you have tried everything, I would talk to her doctor about the little accidents. It may not be that she is waiting too long, it may be that she CAN'T hold it until she gets to the bathroom.

Answer 3

This is entirely normal.

Kids become so tired from a big day that they cant wake up when they need to go.......

It is also because they dream that they are actually in the bathroom and doing the business, and when they feel that swuirt of pee they wake with a shock.

Dont be harsh as there is no need, and it is something your child will grow out of.

Some kids wet the bed (or their pants) until a very late age (I know a few that were 10-12y/o) and I know others that never wet... like my daughter (now 11y/o) who from 11mths of age put herself to the toilet herself after the first week, without even asking us.

She would remove her own nappy and get her potty.

Some kids do it, some dont, and like I said, tiredness is a big factor.

All you can do is to keep cleaning the mess.

There is also a device that straps to the childs wrist and supposedly alerts them (or you) by a beeping like a smoke alarm when they are about to wee, my nephews had it, but it never woke them as they were always very tired from running around and swimming.

Answer 4

leave the nights alone she has to out grow it read the link i posted on that

as far as the day time issue. watch your child. kids give off messages they have to go, rocking cant stay still holding themselves. when you see this rush her to the pot

also. when you know its been say 2 hours since she last went get her and say lets go use the potty. and go put her on it

my son is the same age so i know its trying. i dont have the daytime issue just the wetting the bed and i use cool alert pull ups and they are working a little better,

Answer 5

I can tell you what really helped with my second boy. His older brother is about 2 1/2 years older than him. We got his brother to praise him every time he did the right thing. (For money- the oldest one has always been money hungry). It really seemed to help a lot as the little one wanted to be a big kid like big bro. Still, boys don't train as early as girls, so maybe he really isnt ready. Worth a try a though.

Answer 6

my oldest was really hard to train too, make her go right before bed, and again as soon as she gets up. try cutting drinks off after a certain time too.

For her little accidents, I'm not sure. Maybe ask her every so often if she needs to go.

Answer 7

If she's having these accidents because she waits too long, then you need to keep reminding her that she should go to the washroom. At night, I would leave the pull-ups on.

Answer 8

I would talk with her Dr. My 5 yr is still has accidents at night but he is a very sound sleeper. what his dr told me to do is stop fluids an hour to hour and a half before bed time.

I wish you luck with your lil girl

Answer 9

I think you should talk to the doctors

Answer 10

do what u think