Potty Training Regression

Deborah - posted on 06/18/2010

My daughter started doing this as well, I restarted the potty chart and she was fine until it was filled again. Now I use a potty chart where she gets a sticker only if she's been dry all day. I remind her often to go to the toilet, make sure she goes before we leave the house.



I really do think its a confidence thing. With Laura it is anyway, I get the impression she just thinks she can hold on longer than she actually can - I'll just watch the end of In the Night Garden then i'll go.... I'll just finish reading (looking at) this book...



Although along my travels I found out that fizzy drinks (that my mum used to give her as a treat) and fruit juice (pure or concentrate) ran right through her. If she has just one carton of Five Alive she'll wet herself for the rest of the day.I believe some fruits and other foods can have the same effect.



A combination of a daily sticker for her potty chart, limited to milk and water to drink and constant gentle reminders to go to the toilet seems to be working for me. I don't make a big deal out of getting her to go, but I remind her to go when I need to go, first thing in the morning, last thing at night (she's still in nappies at night until we get days sorted)or if I think its hot and she's been drinking more. If I know someone sneaked her fruit juice I remind her about every hour because her bladder just can't seem to control fruit juice at all.



Try not to get worked up, I know how hard it is, you KNOW they're capable of doing it and it seems like defiance and laziness. In reality the whole of their life they have been just weeing when they need to. Potty training is a behavioural change, its like someone saying ok I'm putting this button here on the wall, you have to press it every 90 minutes, go about your business as normal but if you don't press it then its going to ooze slime over your nice new carpet. It takes time to master, and set backs should be seen as a relapse and treated as such. Give her plenty of encouragement to keep going to the toilet, remind her what a big girl she is now and she needs to use the potty.



As has already been mentioned, whether she wets herself or goes to the potty is the ONE thing in life you cannot control. If she wants to wet herself she can, if she sees its getting a reaction that it annoys you or upsets you you could set yourself up to her using it against you. Everytime you tell her off or tell her to do something she doesn't want to do, she can wet herself to punish you, and there is nothing you can do about it. Granted this will probably not be figured out by a two year old, but its food for thought.

Betty - posted on 06/18/2010

Your daughter is young. She isn't even 2 yet and sometimes a child will have accidents for a little while until they get a little older. Don't get angry with her when she has an accident but just keep reminding her where she needs to go and what she needs to do. I would keep using the chart to help her get back on track again. She is growing and changing everyday. She will get it together before too long. Just hang in there.

Alicia - posted on 06/18/2010

I know it is frustrating for you, but you can't let your frustration dictate your response to your daughter. There could be any number of reasons for the regression, but one that is often overlooked is children regress simply because they can. If she has only been potty-trained for a month, I'm guessing she is in the 2 - 3 age range. At that age, potty-training is one of the few things they can control in their lives. No matter what you do, you cannot MAKE your daughter use the potty and she knows it. All you can really do is help her to WANT to use the potty. Go to the store and let her pick out her "big girl panties." Give her the choice to wear diapers and not use the potty, or use the potty and wear the new panties. It has to be her choice. If she chooses the big girl panties and then soils them, it's back to diapers for awhile. She made her choice. You may change diapers for a few more months, but it is better than being frustrated at soiled underwear. Of all the things you are going to deal with over the life of your daughter, a few extra months in diapers is inconsequential. Of course, this is presuming there's no medical issues and the child is not 4 or 5 years old. I hope this helps.

Emily - posted on 06/18/2010

I don't have any suggestions, but we're in the same boat. My son was fully trained for a month or so.. then all of a sudden started wetting himself again, then pooping in his pants again. Now he won't use the potty at all. Nothing has changed here either, so I don't know what the problem is. We are trying a new reward chart, but so far it's not working.

Krissy - posted on 06/18/2010

she is 20 months - the only child so far. we did the reward chart (it was for a period of 4 weeks). once it was complete, we took it down. she was still fine after we took the chart down. even when she wasn't having any accidents, I was still reminding her. I don't know what has changed.

Betty - posted on 06/18/2010

How old is your daughter? Do you have any other children? She may be having the accidents if she is the last child so she can still have your attention. Have you tried the reward chart? If she goes so many days without an accident she can get something or do something? Maybe she needs reminding to go to the bathroom if she is playing and doesn't realize the time.