The past few months Gavin has been “forgetting” to use the potty. He simply pee’s his pants or worse he poop’s his pants. He apparently would rather do that then stop playing and go to the bathroom.
This explains Gavin’s um, odor. I haven’t a clue how to correct this. The only thing I can think of is to remove whatever had distracted him from using the potty and make him earn it back. This is of course assuming that there is nothing physically wrong.
Do any of you guys have a similar problem? If so, how do you combat it?
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I have the same problem with Cadence. And I agree with what Beth said about the timer. It's the only thing that helps her. I don't think she does it on purpose, she just gets distracted. There are many times when she'll announce she needs to go to the bathroom and on the way there she stops to look at the TV or play with a toy and has to be reminded that she needed to go. What she does do on purpose is saying she needs to go to the bathroom ten times an hour to avoid cleaning her room or going to bed. The timer helps with that too.
We are going to try the timer. Gavin is also VERY easily distracted as well 🙂
I have this happen with my students. I suggest that you set a timer for a set amount of time-say 45 mins and take him to the bathroom. If he goes, then he is free to go back to his stuff for the next 45 mins or so. If not, set the timer a much shorter amount of time say 15 mins until he goes. Once he goes then back to the long timer setting. If he wets or soils himself, make him clean up himself,the bathroom and put the dirty clothes and towels in the washer. If you think he is really doing "on purpose" then consider no playing until the clothes come out of the washer. Next time until they come out of the washer and dryer and are put away. Keep your verbal interactions with him brief and matter of fact. Explain that using the bathroom in his pants is unhealthy and must be cleaned up right away and that using the toilet is much easier and quicker and leaves more time for fun.
You might want to show him graphically using a pie chart how much time it takes to use the bathroom v. how much time it takes to clean up when he goes in his pants.
Don't give up! He'll get it!
These are all brilliant ideas. We are going to start with the timer. Thanks so much for your advice.