Potty "accidents" on purpose-- how to react?

[darien]

I think my ds is already pining for his "lost youth." We started potty learning when he was 1.5-- very casual, initiated by him. He started pooping in the potty pretty quickly ()-- that hasn't been an issue.

By his 2nd birthday, he was doing pretty well peeing in the potty. But... as soon as his b-day came, he seemed to lose interest, and started peeing all over.

I didn't consider this a big deal. I just put him back in diapers and let it lie. Half a year later, his interest was revived. He's been wearing underpants during the day for almost 5 months, with few accidents.

So... his 3rd b-day was 2 weeks ago, and he's been PEEING EVERYWHERE! I asked him why, and he said "I just want to." :

This time, I feel more concerned, because he's definitely capable, and he's been "officially" pt for a long(ish) while.

What's the best way to deal with this behavior? Should I put him back in diapers? Ignore it? "Make" him go to the potty? Advice, please!

[lizabird]

My ds was fully capable of getting everything in the potty by 1.5 and did for a month and then started peeing everyehere again. I found this was pretty normal. Kids are busy, and yes, too busy to stop playing to deal with a little pee. Most suggestions I've read are that, most importantly, don't make a huge deal of it and you absolutely cant "MAKE" a kid go pee/poop if they don't want to. My aunt, a childbirth educator and mother of 3, suggests that if you think there's some effort at getting your attention, just make an observation (Oh, look, you peed all over the floor.), clean it up, and go on. For us, it was just too messy so ds went back in diapers for a year until he was 2.5 and then we let him go naked for a month so he was keenly aware what was going on (only a few messes the first few days and that was mostly it!).

That said, all kids are different, and they'll all learn.

[wrzos]

Probably not popular advice here, but I'm not one to put up with a mess. My son knows where to go, and how to go. If he chooses not to, then he must deal with the consequences, AND I'll take away a toy or put him in a time out chair or whatever works at the moment to let him know this is not ok.

I frequently will tell him that pee/poop belongs in the potty and if he does it anywhere else, then he will be punished (e.g. time out, loss of toy, etc.)

This has been an issue here lately (also 3 years old) not b/c of accidents, but b/c my dh showed him how to pee in the bushes outside. Grr... Now he wants to run outside from in the house just to pee in the bushes. :

[dharmamama]

Don't say anything about it.

Set out a change of clothes and tell ds that if he has an accident, here are clothes to change into and there is the hamper for the wet ones.

If there are wet spots on the floor, point him in the direction of the towels.

It's his body, his responsibility.

dm

[littleaugustbaby]

Originally Posted by dharmamama

Don't say anything about it.

Set out a change of clothes and tell ds that if he has an accident, here are clothes to change into and there is the hamper for the wet ones.

If there are wet spots on the floor, point him in the direction of the towels.

It's his body, his responsibility.

dm

I mostly agree with this, though I would help him clean up the mess.

Potty regression is totally normal. I would not freak out about it or act like it's a big deal, and I definitely wouldn't do anything to make him feel ashamed about it.