4 Year Old Boy Reverting Back to 2 - Verona,PA

The PPs had some great suggestions. Also, how do you react when he does something "bad"? Are you reacting a lot? Sometimes even negative attention is what kids want, especially when it comes to potty training setbacks. If my boys have an accident I try to be very matter-of-fact about it (tell them where pee goes, and at his age I would get him to clean it up and get dry clothing for himself) and move one. Same goes for other bad behavior. Just decide on a punishment, do it and move on - try not to be emotional about it. I wish you luck - maybe the doctor will have some other good suggestions.

Be sure to talk to your pediatrician. My 4yr old recently starting having accidents, day and night after being dry for a year and a half, and my ped first tested for diabetes. Apparently it can show up at this age and lead to increased thirst and wetting accidents. It could also account for his behavior if his blood sugar isn't being well controlled. Another possibility is constipation. This can put pressure on the bladder and lead to decreased bladder size and decreased control.

If your doctor didn't talk about both of these possibilities, talk to him again!

If dad is in the picture, he needs to spend some super quality time with him. He many or may not be acting out about something specific, but 5 is a big transition, and he's almost there. Was there any opportunity for something bad to happen to him that you guys are not aware of? My friends' son started having some "growing up grief" at around that age-scared to get older he said. It did pass, but she was surprised at how he got a little baby like-it was also soon after a birthday.

He needs to feel less like a baby and more like a man in whatever ways you can manage. I wouldn't worry about the bed wetting and accidents first. Give him some new older responsibilities, some rough manly play with dad, firm discipline for hitting, biting, ignoring you etc. It's a tough phase so don't let him prevail, he needs you to build him up into a young gentleman and reset his bounds.

Make dad take first chair for a while if he's there, sometimes boys get a little too much mom in their days-that was the case with my friend's son. He was a new man after dad hung out with him on a few fishing trips and didn't let him act out. Good luck!

Mom,

Has anything else happened at home, new baby, job changes, daycare changes, moves, loss of family member, friend or pet, marital issues or just a chnage in his daily rountine, I work with young children and have seen sudden behavior changes occur when something ,even small changes, happen at home or in a child's regular routine. Do you have plans for him to start preschool soon? Sometimes a young child starting school who has previously been at home with mom triggers new negative behaviors, especially if starting preschool or school has been hyped up too much at home before beginning. Along the same lines, you may want to consider sending him to preschool a few 1.5 days a week to expose him to being in a more structured environment with others his age. This will help him get to know others his age and learn how to socialize with children more too, it addition it will prepare him for kindergarten next year. What does he say when you sit down and talk to him about why this is happening? If you haven't done so I would but talk calmly with him about it and see what he says. Sometimes little ones will reveal things that are bothering them if only some one asks.Be sure you and Dad are also praising good behavior often when it occurs, like they say ..."find him doing something good." this often works too Mom . Good luck.