3 Year Old Regressing in Potty-training

N.,

The same thing happened to my son. After much research on the subject most places said not to be upset or do anything negatitive as a response. Although there where not many recomdations that helped us either. My mom told me to try this when we where first potty training and I hated the idea, but it works!! I give them M & M's. I give them one for pee-pee and two for poop. I make them tell me the color and count them, too, so that we are learning, too. I no longer fight with them when I ask them to go, because I simply say, "OK, no M&M's then." They then make a B-line to the bathroom. It has taken so much stress of the situtation. Now the kids forget to get the M&M most of the time.
Good luck!

HEHE! MEEEMORIESSS! Don't worry this is normal. Kids move forward and backwards in their learning. Think about it! They work on potty training, then fine motor (working with fingers), have to work on verbal...OY! So much to learn! While they are learning one thing they can fall behind in something else. Try to relate it to high school and taking 8 different classes, you may be great in one if you concentrate all your efforts into it but with the other 7 it is hard to keep focused!
When my daughter was 3 she also was at the stage yours is, one day she tapped her dad on the shoulder and told him she had pooped in her pants. He gave her the usual lecture all the way to the bathroom, cleaned her up and made her sit on the toilet for a while. She sat quietly and then looked at him very seriously, "Daddy, I am sorry I regressed..." He stood there with his mouth open and blinked.
Don't be too hard on her, just keep reminding her and give her hugs when she does the right thing! =)

It happens. It's not fun, but it happens. My youngest did the same thing. At first it freaked me out, but after a couple weeks, if he had an accident, I would act like it was no big deal. I would make him get his own underpants and change them alone. He hated this, but I told him that it was only an accident and was a big boy and could change his yucky pants, and put the dirty ones in the laundry. This worked for me. The accidents only lasted a few months.

My daughter did the same thing - for the better part of a month, she was having accidents. this was about a year after she was fully potty trained. I was suprised and worried that something was medically wrong. but it lasted about a month and then she stopped doing it. Don't really know what it was, but I think if you can just get through for a while, it will take care of itself.

Hi N.,

It happens - try not to stress out. Its a control issue, and the more you try to make her go potty the more resistant she will become. If you shrug your shoulders, and say, "oh well" you take away all the fun. My daughter went thru a poop-in-her-pants phase for a little bit after she knew how to poop on the potty. Not fun! Forcing the issue did nothing, but when I acted like I didn't care - AND made her clean herself up (saying, you made the mess, you clean it - then shrugged my shoulders said oh well) the problem solved itself pretty quickly.

Are you potty training your 1 yr old? Have big sissy start to teach little sis what it is all about and tell her it's break time and all 3 of you take a potty break and sit down for a few mins and have a vanilla waffer. I'm sure it is a jealousy thing for big sissy so help her to be Mommy's favorite little helper and BIG Girl. I raised 3 girls and they can be stubborn. Keep trying.

N., I am sure you are busy at this time of year so I would just get some Pull-ups and matter-of-factly put them on her and tell her that right now you do not have time to clean her up and change her clothes several times a day. Then if she has an accident.....you won't have to get upset about it since there won't be a puddle on the floor or a stain on the chair, etc. Tell her that she is still expected to go to the potty when the need arises and that you are available to wipe her etc. This way you will be able to have less anxiety about the situation and the ball will still be in her court. These things happen (who knows why) but we parents need to chill a little. Control will happen...in good time.