Ahhhh...Someone with the same type of problem! :) My son will be four in April. He potty trained around 3, and he did it himself for the most part. He did that with everthing, broke himself of the bottle before one. Gave up his Sippy, Gave up the pacifier...when he was ready to do something, he just did it. Lately, though, I have to say over the past two weeks or so, he's pooped, and then peed (once) in his pants. He tries to be really slick about it....taking off his pants and underwear and putting them in the hamper, and then wiping, and then attempting to get new stuff on...unfortunately for him, I'm a mom :) and when I see naked butt boy run to the bathroom, or new clothes on, I know somethings up. The other day, while taking off his pants, poop fell on the floor, and as he was rushing to get toilet paper to clean it up, he explained to me and his dad that the cat did it. Yep, Blamed it on the CAT! Anyhow, as advice to you, I'd have to say, that I haven't punished him, though I have threatened to take away his television, because when I ask him "why" he says either he had to watch the cartoon, or video game that his big brother was playing. Not that he didn't know that he had to go, but trying to hold it in for as long as possible, and not quite being able to hold it in as long as he would like. Hence, I've told him that 1. that's disgusting! and 2. He's a big boy, and big boys don't do that, and to simply - stop it. Now, I don't know if your son is indeed having a medical issue, but I know that mine is just at an age and temperment, that he's getting wrapped up in what he wants to do at the moment, instead of what his body needs him to do. Now, we have increased the watching of him, and asking every once in awhile if he needs to use the bathroom, or suggesting that he goes before he runs off to play with his brother or do something that we know he's going to get wrapped up in. I don't think that punishment would work, I think that reminding the child that he's a big boy, and that mommy and daddy, and (if siblings) don't go to the bathroom in their pants (which most four year olds think it's funny, just to hear their parents say those words like that!) and that it's unacceptable to go in his pants anymore. Asking from time to time if he has to go, or saying it's time for a bathroom break, that might help if it's not a medical issue. It's been about 4 days since he's done this again, since I told him that if he couldn't stop what he was doing and use the restroom when he needed to, I would remove the television, and things that are stopping him from using it when he needs too, that he was a big boy, and big boys don't do that. So far it's working. But every child's different. Forbid that I actually have friends that have a child who is almost 10 years old, and no medical history whatsoever....he still poops in his pants when he's playing!!! So, we just need to nip it in the bud while they are still young. Please let me know if this helps. I know I'm a bit wordy!!!! Thanks, and good luck!